{"id":311898,"date":"2025-11-25T02:01:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-25T02:01:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/311898\/"},"modified":"2025-11-25T02:01:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T02:01:11","slug":"will-lj-martin-return-to-provo-or-test-nfl-waters-deseret-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/311898\/","title":{"rendered":"Will LJ Martin return to Provo, or test NFL waters? \u2013 Deseret News"},"content":{"rendered":"

As has been widely noted the past few weeks, BYU\u2019s football team has compiled a 21-3 record over the course of the past two seasons, the Cougars\u2019 second and third seasons<\/a> in the Big 12.<\/p>\n

Cougars on the air<\/p>\n

UCF (2-6, 5-6) at No. 11 BYU (7-1, 10-1)<\/p>\n

Saturday, 11 a.m. MSTAt LaVell Edwards StadiumTV: ESPN2Radio: 102.7 FM\/1160 AM<\/p>\n

Head coach Kalani Sitake is largely responsible for the success, but on Monday he said the biggest reason why BYU has soared to No. 11 in the College Football Playoffs rankings is due to the players who have persevered<\/a> through that rough season in 2023 when the Cougars went 5-7 and failed to make it to a bowl game.<\/p>\n

A lot of those players will be honored Saturday before the Cougars face UCF at 11 a.m. MST (ESPN2) at LaVell Edwards Stadium as BYU holds its traditional Senior Day festivities and presents the players with their senior blanket and other gifts and honors.<\/p>\n

According to BYU\u2019s game notes released Monday afternoon, the program is expected to honor 18 seniors playing in their last game at LES, but \u201cadditional players may choose to be honored at the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

For instance, last year receiver Chase Roberts and defensive end Logan Lutui went through the Senior Day ceremonies and did the \u201cSenior Walk\u201d from one end zone to the other after the game, but opted to return in 2025.<\/p>\n

Sitake said the group will be remembered for its leadership, overall buy-in, \u201cand then the willingness to bring their brothers along\u201d and in some instances take secondary roles in order for younger players to thrive.<\/p>\n

\u201cI look at all these guys, and it\u2019s awesome. I\u2019m so proud of what they\u2019ve been able to build here, and the culture that\u2019s thriving with them, and the autonomy that they\u2019ve been given,\u201d Sitake said.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo have that reach out to the fanbase and to the community, it\u2019s been super impressive. I just love what they\u2019ve been able to do on the football field, but more proud of what they\u2019ve been able to accomplish in the classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sitake said the Cougars have had their highest team grade point averages in his tenure due to their work in the classroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the field stuff has been amazing, too,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019ve had a lot of wins, and they\u2019ve ushered us into the Big 12, and had some success now the last couple years. We just got to finish it strong for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

BYU players scheduled to be honored on Senior DayTalan Alfrey SMory Bamba CBJayden Dunlap CBEthan Erickson TEWill Ferrin KGarrison Grimes LSCole Hagen QBIsaiah Jatta OLJack Kelly LBWeylin Lapuaho OLAustin Leausa OLLogan Lutui, DLEnoch Nawahine RBKaufusi Pakofe DTChase Roberts, WRCarsen Ryan TEJohn Taumoepeau DTTanner Wall SWill players with remaining eligibility walk Saturday?<\/p>\n

Senior Day ceremonies are always tricky, Sitake acknowledged, because some players are still weighing whether they should return for their final seasons of eligibility or move on. For instance, last year linebackers Jack Kelly and Isaiah Glasker briefly entertained thoughts of turning pro before returning, along with Roberts. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe will do that with a number of guys,\u201d Sitake said. \u201cWe want to do it the right way. Some guys are lucky. They get two senior walks and blankets and things like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Perhaps the underclassmen with the biggest decision to make is junior running back LJ Martin<\/a>, who on Monday was named Big 12 Co-Offensive Player of the Week<\/a> after rushing for 222 yards in the 26-14 win over Cincinnati. Martin\u2019s professional football prospects this season have skyrocketed.<\/p>\n

Martin has not indicated yet what his plans are, Sitake said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been talking to him about his situation the entire year,\u201d Sitake said. \u201cThere are phases when you want to do that, but we know he\u2019s a next-level player. \u2026 He doesn\u2019t even want to think or care about that right now. He wants to win this week, and that\u2019s what I appreciate about him.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut yeah, as a head coach and as coaches for us, we want what\u2019s best for our young men. If guys feel like there\u2019s a chance that they may be able to go to the league early, then we want them to walk this weekend and, worst case scenario, they get two senior blankets.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other juniors on the roster who could possibly play at the next level include linebacker Isaiah Glasker, offensive lineman Andrew Gentry and defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa. <\/p>\n

Will receiver Chase Roberts play against UCF?<\/p>\n

Roberts recorded one catch for 11 yards in the first half against Cincinnati before leaving the game for good from what the BYU Sports Radio Network reported to be a hamstring injury. After the game, Sitake said that Roberts took himself out of the game<\/a> and called it a \u201csmart decision\u201d to let more healthy players finish out the contest.<\/p>\n

He said the injury didn\u2019t appear to be \u201ctoo serious\u201d and said he thought Roberts \u201cwill be back\u201d for the regular-season finale. Roberts was seen walking normally after the game, greeting fans and signing autographs with a smile on his face.<\/p>\n

Monday, Sitake briefly mentioned Roberts\u2019 situation when he was asked how the Cougars came out of the game health-wise.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, everybody is sore. Chase \u2026 obviously couldn\u2019t go (back) into the game, but we\u2019ve got to make a decision on what\u2019s the best thing for him this week. We will evaluate that as we get closer towards the middle of the week.\u201d<\/p>\n

How is QB Bear Bachmeier doing after Game 11?<\/p>\n

Freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week for the sixth time this season after throwing for 127 yards and rushing for 54. There were times when the QB got up slowly after taking big hits from the Bearcats, but he did finish the game and looked OK after the contest.<\/p>\n

\u201cBear is fine,\u201d Sitake said. \u201cThe guys are tough and LJ (Martin) is, and those guys are banged up. Everybody should be banged up right now in college football going into the last week, last game of the regular season. We don\u2019t expect anyone to be 100% until we get to Saturday. But we are going to have to practice hard this week. We have some sparring to do to get this team ready for this weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another starter, offensive lineman Weylin Lapuaho<\/a>, missed the game with an undisclosed injury, while backup defensive tackle Anisi Purcell played with his right hand casted and wrapped heavily to look like a club.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t use the club as a weapon, but I am proud that our training room and our doctors could figure out a way for him to keep playing,\u201d Sitake said.<\/p>\n

\"\"BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier warms up prior to the Cougars’ game against Cincinnati on Nov. 22, 2025 in Cincinnati. | BYU Photo <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As has been widely noted the past few weeks, BYU\u2019s football team has compiled a 21-3 record over…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":311899,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[399,398,396,397,3125,99],"class_list":{"0":"post-311898","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ncaa-football","8":"tag-football","9":"tag-ncaa","10":"tag-ncaa-football","11":"tag-ncaafootball","12":"tag-news-feed-local","13":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/311898","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=311898"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/311898\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/311899"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=311898"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=311898"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=311898"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}