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PROVO — As expected, BYU will be missing its top two running backs Saturday when it makes the trip to former Mountain West rival Wyoming (7 p.m. MT, CBS Sports Network).
Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick confirmed after Wednesday's practice what head coach Kalani Sitake mentioned early in the week, that starting tailback LJ Martin and senior Folau Ropati won't be available to play in Laramie.
But there's a bigger concern for the BYU offense, because the Cougars (2-0) feel they have the requisite depth to survive the pair of injuries that will keep the running backs out for an indefinite period of time.
"We'll play Miles Davis and Enoch Nawahine, and Sione Moa and Pokaiaua Haunga will be ready to go, as well," Roderick said. "There's a chance all four could play, but you'll see a good dose of Miles and Enoch. The other two are ready to play."
Roderick added that while both Haunga, who starred at nearby Timpview High, and returned missionary freshman Sione I. Moa will also be available, it's not yet determined if — or how much — they will play.
The duo will travel with the team, but coaches may consider each players' redshirt potential of up to four games when deciding to play. Unless, of course, either one is pressed into action due to injury or other issues; in that case, redshirts come off.
The coaches know what Davis and Nawahine can do already. Davis broke out for a career-high 131 yards on 13 carries against the Pokes two years ago, a 38-24 win at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Nawahine, meanwhile, had 16 yards on four carries against SMU, including the go-ahead touchdown on a 9-yard run on fourth down in the third quarter.
"Enoch did a great job with his vision and being able to run the ball," Sitake said of Nawahine, the Utah State transfer from Kahuku, Hawaii, who was primarily a special-teams contributor before Friday. "For a guy that didn't have a lot of reps in practice, to be able to function at a high level, he made some really big-time plays for us. So did Miles; we know we can count on those guys."
The more grave concern, as noted several times by both Sitake and Roderick is turnovers — specifically, the ones like the three committed by starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff in BYU's 18-15 win over SMU last Friday.
"Take care of the stinkin' football, that's what it comes down to," Sitake said Monday. "I've said it over and over and again. I don't want guys to have to play tight and feel like they can't take a chance, but the football belongs to everybody.
"It belongs to the fans, it belongs to the team, it belongs to the program. It's not just that one player, it's not his ball. It belongs to all of us. They need to start thinking about more like that."
Roderick admitted that at least one of the turnovers was ill-timed and worse-conceived, the combination of a frantic quarterback who didn't see a defensive lineman as he was falling and a loose ball that fell into his arms as if by happenstance.
"That was probably one of the luckier interceptions I've ever seen in my life," Retzlaff noted.
More concern is that Retzlaff was in position to turn over the ball — a notion that Roderick has repeatedly condemned through multiple quarterbacks in his years guiding the offense at his alma mater.
"We had a snap-count issue on the first one; once that issue happens, Jake's just got to protect the ball and eat it. Let the play be over," Roderick said. "There are worse things than a sack.
"The third one was an unbelievably bad-luck play for us. The guy made a good play, but you can live those once in a while. The first two were definitely preventable, and we need to just eat it and play the next down."
Through two games, Retzlaff has four touchdowns with two interceptions, plus another turnover on a lost fumble against the Mustangs and three sacks taken, to go along with 550 yards on 60% passing.
That's ahead of his four-game sample size a year ago, when he completed 50.4% of his passes for 648 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions during the Cougars' five-game losing skid to end their inaugural Big 12 season.
But with Martin and Ropati on the mend, Retzlaff's legs may be called into action more. He ran 18 times for 51 yards in BYU's first two games of the year, compared to 51 carries for 116 yards and three touchdowns a year ago.
If needed, he says he's not afraid to spin out and use his wheels at 7,220 feet above sea level.
"Always am," Retzlaff responded with confidence. "I think you guys saw it in the second last week, I ran the ball more when I needed to. I'm always ready to get the quarterback run game going. It's just waiting for A-Rod to call my number and go forward. But I also love throwing the ball."
