One day after Bear Bachmeier announced he was running it back for his sophomore season, star running back LJ Martin announced on social media that he is returning to BYU for his senior year.
LJ Martin is the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 1,305 yards and 12 TDs. He was also BYU’s fourth leading receiver with 36 receptions for 255 yards. In three seasons at BYU LJ has rushed for 2,541 yards and 23 TDs.
You could have a debate if Bear or LJ is BYU’s most important returning player, but Bear should’ve already been back all along. LJ would have certainly been drafted and his return should put BYU within the top 15 of preseason polls. Bear Bachmeier, LJ Martin, and Parker Kingston are as good as any returning offensive trio in the country. Faletau Satuala, Isaiah Glasker, Keanu Tanuvasa, and others lead a stable of key returning pieces. Continuity is increasingly rare in college sports, and BYU getting back just about all of their top eligible returning players is massive. The last big one still to announce is cornerback Evan Johnson.
BYU will now focus on supplementing its roster via the transfer portal.
