He came in knowing how to handle the ball and do great things with the ball in his hand. So you can work with that. You can definitely work with that. – BYU running backs coach Mark Atuaia
PROVO — From rugby All-American to fish out of water on the football field, and then from consistent contributor and lead blocker to lead runner and team captain — Paul Lasike’s career has been nothing short of remarkable.
Lasike joined the BYU football program in 2012 unsure of what, if anything, would come of it. A little over two years later and he’s set to exit after becoming a leader and an integral part of the team’s success.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been really fun and exciting,” Lasike said of the way he’s been able to finish out his challenging but ultimately rewarding football career. “It’s a different role. If I’m usually in, I’m lead-blocking, so these last few weeks being a ball carrier, it’s been really fun and interesting actually.”
Lasike’s lead-back opportunities largely came about when running backs Jamaal Williams and Algernon Brown sustained injuries. Brown has since returned, but with Williams expected to miss the rest of the season, Lasike’s role has expanded and he’s responded well.
The senior running back has seen a lot of recent success, including a three-touchdown outing two weeks ago when BYU defeated UNLV 42-23. Overall he’s averaging 4.8 yards per carry this year for 290 yards, and he should have ample opportunity to add to those numbers this Saturday against Cal and in the Miami Beach Bowl.
“He’s done well playing at both fullback and running back for us,” said running backs coach Mark Atuaia. “We could see before the season started that he was ready for an increased role, so when he’s had that opportunity, he’s done largely what we expected. He simply knows football now. He’s a football player.”
Lasike certainly couldn’t be labeled a football player when he decided to give the gridiron a try back in 2012. Despite having seen tremendous success at rugby, he soon learned football involved a good amount of different nuances and techniques.
Despite the steep learning curve, it was apparent Lasike had the goods to overcome it from day one.
“He came in knowing how to handle the ball and do great things with the ball in his hand. So you can work with that. You can definitely work with that,” Atuaia said. “Because of his versatility he already had playing rugby, it translated well — especially the physicality involved with both sports. He’s always had it, which made me confident it would only be a matter of time.”
Lasike saw scant opportunities as a sophomore before etching out a consistent role within the offense as a junior in 2013. Standout games against name opponents, such as Texas and then Notre Dame, provided a glimpse of what he’d become this season.
“He’s worked very hard to get to the point he's at and he's had a great attitude about it," Atuaia said. "He's a very fun guy to have around and his teammates have grown to respect him and to really be drawn to him as a person."
The respect teammates had for Lasike was made very apparent just prior to the season when he was voted as one of the team's captains — something the New Zealand native never expected, but was immensely honored and humbled by.
As his career draws to a close Lasike has nothing but gratitude for everyone who has helped him along the way on his remarkable progression as a football player.
"I've grown to love the sport," he said. "It's really had a big impact on my life and it's fun and exciting, and I can honestly say that I love the game."
Email: bgurney@desnews.com
Twitter: @BrandonCGurney