PROVO — For a BYU running back group that lacks experience and depth, help is on the way.
The school recently announced the addition of running back Emmanuel Esukpa to the program for this fall. The 5-foot-11, 232-pound graduate transfer from Rice University will have one season to play for the Cougars as a redshirt senior.
Nobody at BYU knows Esukpa better than running backs coach AJ Steward, who previously coached him at Rice. Not that Esukpa will be getting any special treatment when he arrives in Provo.
“He’s just another running back that’s going to help us. Obviously, we have a history but that doesn’t mean he’s going to come in here on Day 1 and have it handed to him,” Steward said. “He knows me well enough to know that that’s not how I roll anyway. I’ll probably be even tougher on him than anybody else because I know what he’s capable of as well as he’ll be a senior. His standards and expectations will be really high as soon as he steps foot here.”
Steward recruited Esukpa out of Mansfield High School in Grand Prairie, Texas, and then coached him for three seasons, from 2015-17. In 29 games at Rice, Esukpa rushed 196 times for 778 yards and six touchdowns. In high school, Esukpa was a two-sport athlete and he recorded a 10.8 split in the 4x100-meter relay.
Esukpa is expected to graduate from Rice this spring with a bachelor’s degree in sport management.
“Emmanuel is going to have to catch up with learning the offense. But we have a really good group of guys that are willing to help and willing to teach,” said head coach Kalani Sitake. “We’ll get him as soon as he graduates. We’re really excited that he can join our group. He lives this lifestyle already and I think he’ll fit in perfectly on the field and off the field with our team and our program.”
Esukpa will join a group that includes sophomore Lopini Katoa, redshirt freshman Tyler Allgeier, senior Kavika Fonua and redshirt freshman Sione Finau.
Does Steward envision one player emerging as a featured back or will the running back duties be handled by committee?
“It’s still kind of early for that. Some of them are still learning the system and understanding how to play Division I running back, getting rid of bad habits that they were able to get away with at the high school level,” he said. “It’s not a fair decision to make right now. A couple of weeks through fall camp, we’ll have a good idea of what type of group we have and how he want to cater our offense around the running back group.”
What does Steward hope to see from the running backs before fall camp opens in July?
“I want to see them get better at the details,” he said. “I want guys to be able to own the playbook. There are going to be individual situations where they know what I’m expecting them to look different as when they get to fall camp in practice No. 1.”
Both Sitake and Steward indicated that the Cougars could add other players to the roster during the spring and summer.
“We’re always evaluating our roster. We have spring ball to see where we are and then we’ll look at our scholarship numbers,” Steward said. “We’re always going to do whatever we need to do to put the best pieces in place to give us the best opportunity to have success in the fall. We’re always recruiting this class until it’s officially over, when the seasons starts. We’re not going to leave any stones unturned until the process is completely over.”
One newcomer at running back that will begin his BYU career this fall is Jackson McChesney, who returns home from his mission in June.
“I’m excited to get him here. Watching his high school film, he’s a very explosive athlete,” Steward said of the former Lone Peak star. “I think he brings us speed and explosiveness. After he comes home from a mission, we’ll evaluate where he is. If he’s in good shape, he’s someone we’ll give an opportunity to prove what he’s capable of.”