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BYU freshman running back Sione I Moa runs the ball up the field during practice in Provo on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024.

Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo

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A BYU running back runs the ball up the field during football practice in Provo on Thursday, March 14, 2024.

Aaron Cornia, BYU Photo

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BYU freshman running back LJ Martin runs the ball up the field during the Big 12 game against Texas Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU junior running back Aidan Robbins runs the ball up the field during the Big 12 game against Oklahoma at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

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When BYU football fans think about what it’s going to take for the Cougars to get back to having an excellent run game, the natural focus in on the running backs and offensive line.

But ask BYU players and coaches and they’ll be quick to point out that to improve on their No. 118 rushing offense stat ranking from 2023 (104.3 yards per game), it’s going to take everyone.

“When (offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick) said he wanted the run game to get better, I bet you right after that he said the run game is an 11-man thing,” Cougar junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff said after practice on Wednesday. “It’s everybody on the field. It’s not just the offensive line or the running backs. It’s being a unit and doing it together.”

But usually all the quarterback does in the run game is hand the ball off, right?

Not according to BYU senior Gerry Bohanon.

“Even if the quarterback isn’t carrying the ball, he can pull defenders out,” Bohanon said. “Once you pull it a couple of times, they have to respect it. They have to keep a guy on the back side looking for you. That might hold a guy and lead up to a cutback that hits for 30 or 40 yards because that guy respected the quarterback carrying out his fake. It’s big on our part to carry those out and hold guys when we don’t have the ball. That opens up the run game.”

He laughed wryly as he recalled vividly when he was at Baylor and then-Cougar quarterback Jaren Hall pulled the ball on a fourth-and-short and took it 56 yards for a touchdown.

“Once you get one, they know they have to watch that guy,” Bohanon said. “Quarterbacks can play the same roles as running backs in the run game.”

Even wide receivers can get in on the action carry the ball on jet sweeps, although most of the time their jobs are either to be a decoy and draw defenders or block down field.

BYU senior wide receiver Darius Lassiter grinned as he talked on Friday about how he likes getting out and hitting a linebacker or a defensive back.

“They normally they don’t think receivers are going to go down there and make that block for the team,” Lassiter said. “I feel like I’m somebody who does whatever it takes to see the team succeed. If that’s going to be me cracking the linebackers the entire game, I’ll do that until I get a headache.”

BYU wide receivers coach Fesi Sitake said he gets more excited to see his guys make a big block than he does when they make a big catch.

“Every receiver comes in with the expectation that they are going to make the big play,” Sitake said. “And they’re fun. I love it just as much as the biggest fan. But what it demonstrates to me when a receiver is making that block is that they are doing it for the team.

“We get to live in the offensive line’s world when we do that. I try to give these guys as many reference points as possible from practices and past games that highlight how much impact we have on the next level when a run breaks through.”

He also emphasized that consistently gaining yards in the run game will open up more opportunities for his receivers to get the game-changing catches.

“If you don’t have an efficient run game, you can design passes for days to get yards but it’s going to be hard to generate explosive plays,” Sitake said. “The ability to run the ball and put that defense on the edge a little bit allows us to go over the top, which is what we’ve made our money off in the past. It makes a world of difference.”

Sitake believes that his group of veterans have a good grasp on how they can make BYU’s run game better and are making sure the young guys get it too.

“These guys are great with that,” Sitake said. “They’re not perfect, but they’re getting better at it. I think they’re all on board and they understand the value of kind of living in the o-line’s shoes, trying to make those big plays happen with no rewards or attention.”

Sitake, Lassiter and Retzlaff all pointed to the arrival of offensive line coach and run game coordinator TJ Woods as having the biggest impact on all facets of the ground attack.

“Everyone is taking the next step in the run game,” Retzlaff said. “Coach Woods has owned that so well and he’s made a big difference. He’s the best.”

Lassiter said: “Ever since he got here, the offensive line has played with a different type of fire. Everyone seems to like him and I like him as well. He understands the game and come tells me things I need to work on. If we get all 11 guys helping the run, it’s going to make it easier there and when we take our shots. Everybody is hungry and out here working hard.”