BYU Football Injury Report Entering Big 12 Opener Against No. 13 Kansas State
Sep 20, 2024, 11:21 AM | Updated: 11:23 am
PROVO, Utah – BYU football hosts No. 13 Kansas State in Provo.
The Cougars have some key players with some questions on the injury report entering the showdown with the nationally-ranked Wildcats.
Here are the latest tidbits on the injury front for BYU football before Saturday night.
LJ Martin, Hinckley Ropati: “Not sure if they will be ready.”
BYU took down Wyoming last week without its top two running backs, LJ Martin and Hinckley Folau Ropati. Their availability continues to be up in the air heading into the matchup against Kansas State.
“It’s still pretty fluid,” said BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick. “LJ and Folau are getting better every day. We feel both of them could play without a lot of practice reps because they are veteran players we trust. I’m not sure if they will be ready though.”
Enoch Nawahine is expected to play
Former Utah State transfer running back Enoch Nawahine didn’t play last week at Wyoming due to a shoulder injury he was dealing with during fall camp. It flared up again in the win at SMU, causing him to be a late scratch against the Pokes.
He said this week that he’s expecting to play against Kansas State.
Nawahine had four carries for 16 yards and a touchdown in the win over SMU two weeks ago.
Micah Harper is returning to action
BYU safety/nickelback Micah Harper is expected to return this week against Kansas State. Harper missed last week at Wyoming due to swelling in his knee during the week one win over Southern Illinois.
#BYU DC Jay Hill expects Micah Harper, Mory Bamba, and Logan Lutui to all be available this Saturday.
Hill said Bamba “looked good in practice” today.#BYUFootball pic.twitter.com/5gGumcJR4O
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 17, 2024
Harper only played five snaps the past two weeks.
BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill expects Harper to be available. If Harper is limited, BYU has Jakob Robinson to handle the nickel spot along with a deep safety unit that included Tanner Wall and Crew Wakley as the starters a week ago.
Keanu Hill passed protocols allowing him to be available
BYU tight end Keanu Hill took a vicious hit from Wyoming defensive back Wrook Brown that was ruled a targeting penalty. Hill looked dazed after the hit and was out for the remainder of the game against the Pokes.
#BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said on his coach’s show that TE Keanu Hill cleared all protocols and will be available against Kansas State.#BYUFootball
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 18, 2024
At his coach’s show earlier this week, Kalani Sitake said Hill passed protocols and is expected to be available against Kansas State.
Hill has five catches for 51 yards and a touchdown this season.
Good news on defense
According to defensive coordinator Jay Hill, Logan Lutui, shaken up with a potential neck stinger in the win at Wyoming, will be good to go for this week against K-State. BYU is also expecting to get cornerback Mory Bamba into the mix.
Bamba has yet to appear in a game this season. The former JUCO transfer was a first-team cornerback through most of spring ball and fall camp while Marque Collins recovered from an ACL injury.
Bamba suffered an injury late in fall camp that caused him to miss the season’s first three games.
BYU vs. No. 13 Kansas State
Date: Saturday, September 21
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. (MT)
TV: ESPN
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM)
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
