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PROVO — Most football players take to the practice field on the first day of fall camp with an extra bounce and palpable enthusiasm, but for Cougars senior running back Hinckley Ropati, his bounce is understandably higher than most.
Sure, the 5-foot-9, 220-pound fifth-year senior enters BYU's fall practice session as a prime candidate to grab primary ball-carrier responsibilities, but it's a lot more than that. Following two major knee injuries, incurred in 2020 to his right knee and then in 2023 to his left, Ropati couldn't be more excited to simply be back out there.
"It's good to be back and I'm grateful for the opportunity to soak it all in, because not being in that position last year was tough," Ropati said. "So I'm taking it one step at a time and appreciate it."
BYU's offensive braintrust appreciates Ropati's availability, too.
With sophomore running back LJ Martin's health status somewhat questionable following offseason shoulder surgery, and with scant experience and a lot of youth in the running back room, Ropati's presence as the position group's elder statesman is essential.
Set back immediately
Ropati arrived at BYU just prior to the 2020 season as a transfer from Cerritos Junior College. He joined the team one week into fall camp and was immediately presented with one of BYU's best running back rooms, which included the likes of Tyler Allgeier, Christopher Brooks and Lopini Katoa, among others.
"I was able to soak in a lot from those guys and take those points to elevate my game," Ropati said. "So I really enjoyed those years. And now that I'm the older guy in the room, I feel like I need to take that responsibility."
Ropati was also excited for the opportunity to compete against prime talent, but excitement was almost immediately preempted when he sustained an ACL tear to his right leg. The injury shelved him for the entire season, costing him any opportunity to develop physically.
But looking back, Ropati feels he's overall better off in sustaining that initial injury, at least in some regards.
"Not a lot of people can say this, but my knee is a lot stronger now than before I injured it," Ropati said. "So I'm grateful for that."
Subsequent challenges
Ropati saw limited action the following season, carrying the ball just four times for 15 yards, but ended the season relatively clean health wise, setting up further opportunity for the 2022 season.
He spent that season backing up Brooks, Katoa and even Miles Davis for the most part before finally receiving a prime opportunity late in the season — most notably versus Stanford where he rushed for 85 yards on just nine carries in a 35-26 BYU win. His late performance prescribed a lot of potential for the 2023 season, but things didn't work out as planned.
First off was the coaching staff working diligently to acquire new talent to the running back position. Top transfers brought in included Aidan Robbins and Deion Smith, along with a very promising high school talent in LJ Martin.
But Ropati took the additions to his position group in stride, understanding that coaches were just doing their due diligence.
"The coach's job is to win games; that's how he gets paid," Ropati said. "So he's going to find guys that are going to help him win games, no matter what that is. And I don't think that them bringing other guys in was a knock on my abilities, but as an opportunity for me to get better, and I think that's what they wanted to do … and I honestly welcomed it."
But that opportunity to compete was precluded by yet another debilitating knee injury — this time in the form of a torn meniscus in his left knee, along with an MCL injury. He subsequently sat out the entirety of last season while understandably fighting to stay positive.
"We're only human, so I feel like you're going to have those human thoughts," Ropati said. "But I'm blessed to have a great support system with my wife and her family, and then my family back home. And then I think I do just a good job keeping my life away from football the way it should be. … I feel that's how I'm able to stay as positive as I am."
Ultimately, Ropati's positivity won out, and he enters the 2024 season feeling fully healthy and ready to put forth his best form.
Sizing up the competition, or not
While media types will spend the next month prognosticating who will start at running back for BYU come the start of the season, Ropati aims to keep his head down and do whatever he can to best ensure the team's success.
Even if Ropati doesn't prove to be named the starter, he's confident that it will be for the best while holding a lot of confidence in his fellow running backs.
"I think anyone in our room is ready to be the guy, so I most definitely am," Ropati said when asked if he's ready for primary running back responsibilities.
Along with Martin, and his aforementioned questionable health status, the other prime candidates for top running back slots include junior Miles Davis (6-0, 215) and freshman Pokai Haunga (5-11, 200).
True to form, Ropati's eyes lit up when asked to assess his teammates.
"I'm excited for him," Ropati said of Davis. "The way we've been competing all offseason — he's going for a great year. I'm super excited for him, you already know what he can do. When that kid breaks out, he's gone. You can't catch that dude. So I'm just excited for him to continue to be confident. When he has that confidence and that swagger, it's game over. That guy's a dude."
As for Haunga, he's made enough of an initial impact to already warrant a nickname.
"He's very versatile. I love the way Pokai runs," Ropati said. "He brings a lot of energy to the running back room with just the way he is, and that's kind of the way he plays. … I already gave him a nickname. We call him 'glitch,' because when he has the ball in his hands he can make some crazy things happen, and it comes natural."
Regardless of how the depth chart ultimately pans out, Ropati aims to control what he can, while hoping for the relatively clean bill of health he hasn't been afforded with previously.
"I want to get out there and do what I do, which is make plays when my team needs it," Ropati said. "I'm confident when I have the ball in my hands to do what I need to do to make my team succeed."
