By Ethan Thomas
While everyone at spring football practice waits to see who will be playing quarterback for the Cougars come fall, a deep group of running backs will have to fill the shoes of BYU?s all-time leading rusher Curtis Brown.
So a couple of guys that everybody knows, a few getting their first chance, and one incoming freshman with a lot of hype, converged on the practice field Thursday afternoon to work towards that goal.
?We have seen a lot of good things and hopefully we will see a lot more of them as this continues and our guys get a little more experience,? BYU running backs coach Lance Reynolds said.
Returning for their junior season is the pounding combination of Fui Vakapuna and Manase Tonga. Both players saw a lot of action last year and together they combined for 17 touchdowns. Vakapuna is sitting out this spring due to an ankle injury that he is rehabbing this off-season, but he still supports his teammates everyday from the sideline.
?The ankle is good,? Vakapuna said. ?I?m rehabbing it and just getting ready for fall. Everybody is doing well without me though and Manase [Tonga] is so consistent, he just does everything well. So what coach Reynolds has done is helping.?
With Vakapuna out it has left room for several other players to step in and get more reps. Ray Hudson and red-shirt freshman Harvey Unga have stepped in to compete for time with the first-team offense. Both have shown glimpses of their potential in this first week of spring practice.
While Unga is just getting back to stride after a hip injury, Hudson has made the most of his opportunity. On Thursday, while running with the first-team Hudson had several impressive plays where he showed his ability to hit the hole quickly.
?I?m just really pumped up right now,? Hudson said. ?Everything is clicking for me. I?m not at my best; I think it is still to come. I like the competition though, it makes us all play harder.?
The other running back that has created a lot of attention this off-season is incoming freshman J.J. Di Luigi, who took in Thursday?s practice with his father. Di Luigi, Southern California?s CIF Offensive Player of the Year was highly recruited before committing to BYU in February. As a senior he rushed for 2,159 yards and scored 34 touchdowns while leading his team to a state championship.
?I?m very excited,? Di Luigi said. ?I have just been working out, and getting better so that I can come in and prove to be what all the hype is about.?
Di Luigi will compete for playing time as a true freshman and everyone seems to be excited about his arrival.
?He has great feet, and great running instincts,? Reynolds said. ?There is nothing really that he can?t do, so I am looking forward to getting to work with him. He is a stud.?
While Cougar fans will have to wait until fall to see Di Luigi, no one is as excited as he is.
?It is a new type of football, but for the most part I?m just excited,? Di Luigi said. ?I already feel comfortable here, and I feel like I fit in. It is going to be great. This team is great already and hopefully I can bring what I have to contribute.?
