A mirror image.
That’s what Sione Moa hopes Cougar fans see when he spells LJ Martin on a running play this fall.
“My role was to help lead block last year,” said Moa, a 5-foot-10, 220-pound redshirt sophomore. “I hope that this year, when (LJ) is tired, I can step on the field and make sure that there is no gap between us — I am picking up where he left off. I’m hoping to mirror what he does on the field, mirror when I’m on the field.”
BYU had visions of such a tag team last season. During the first three games, Martin rushed 30 times for 342 yards and a touchdown while Moa rushed 17 times for 96 yards and a touchdown with five receptions.
Everything changed on a hit to the thigh at East Carolina on Sept. 20, 2025. Moa’s injury turned life threatening (acute compartment syndrome). The healing process kept him sidelined for the rest of the season, except for the Big 12 championship game where he had one rushing attempt and one reception for a total of 4 yards.
Down and out
“There was a point last year when I thought I wouldn’t be able to see the field again,” he said. “So, to be able to come back a little early against Texas Tech, but fully now, it means a lot to me. I grew up doing this. I’ve loved this sport since I was 8 years old. To be able to come back on the field, doing what I love with the people I love most — it’s a great feeling.”
BYU running backs coach Harvey Unga and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick love having him back, too.
“Sione, like LJ, is a good runner; he’s a good blocker and he is a very good receiver,” Roderick said. “Sione is a super athlete — one of the best athletes on our team. He’s had some bad luck staying healthy, but if he’s healthy and can stay healthy, he will be a big part of our offense.”
Triple threat
Martin led the Big 12 with 1,305 rushing yards last season and was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier added another 527 rushing yards and a program-record 11 touchdown runs while earning honors as the Big 12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year.
Running behind a big and experienced offensive line, Moa sees more of the same this fall — and then some — with him back in the mix.
“It excites me. It’s something special. Bear was only a freshman last year. Now that he has a whole of year of the offense down, he’s got everything, plus more. It’s gonna be exciting,” Moa said. “I want those (run) packages out there so all three of us are on the field. It feels amazing. It will be great to out there with LJ and Bear and have that triple threat.”
A threat Moa hopes will leave the opposing defense guessing wrong.
“I want them to be confused. I want them to be thinking, ‘I don’t know what is going to happen — Bear could run it? LJ could run it? Sione could run it?’” Moa said. “I just hope that they don’t know what’s going to happen.”
For a while last season, Moa was the one unsure of what was going to happen. With his health restored, the smile on his face following Monday’s practice said everything — he is back and good to go.
Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.