BYU Faces Iowa State Without LJ Martin and Isaiah Glasker

BYU entered its October 9 matchup against Iowa State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, without running back LJ Martin and linebacker Isaiah Glasker, according to the Big 12 Conference's final availability report. The Cougars also listed running back Sione Moa, safety Raider Damuni, and cornerback Cannon DeVries as unavailable, forcing the team to adjust its offensive and defensive personnel.

The absences came as BYU sought to maintain its position among the Big 12's leading teams. Martin, the conference's 2025 Offensive Player of the Year, was expected to miss four to six weeks following a lower-body injury sustained against TCU, according to Sports Illustrated and the Deseret News.

Martin had recorded 344 rushing yards and three touchdowns during the season before his injury. He left the TCU game in the first half and did not return, while Glasker exited after taking a hit during an interception return, according to The Salt Lake Tribune's October 5 report.

BYU coach Kalani Sitake said the team was still assessing both players before the extent of their absences became clearer.

"We're still evaluating … and will probably get more information. Right now, it looks doubtful for both of them." Sitake said.

The final availability report subsequently confirmed that both players would miss the Iowa State game. The report also listed four unavailable Iowa State players: safety Drew Surges, linebacker Rylan Barnes, defensive end Caden Crawford, and defensive tackle Ka'Mori Moore, according to the Des Moines Register.

With Martin and Moa unavailable, BYU faced the prospect of distributing rushing duties among senior Preston Rex and freshmen Journee Tonga and Devaughn Eka. Sitake had previously expressed confidence in the depth available behind Martin, despite the difficulty of losing two running backs.

"It's not ideal going into games with possibly having your first and second running back be out. But we feel like we've narrowed the gap quite a bit from one to two to three, and then we have a committee of guys who can do it." Sitake said.

Quarterback Bear Bachmeier was another potential source of rushing production. Against TCU, he recorded 15 carries after totaling 12 during BYU's first three games, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

Sports Illustrated noted that Bachmeier had previously delivered a strong performance against Iowa State, recording 307 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, 49 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown in BYU's 41-27 victory over the Cyclones in 2025. That performance offered a reference point for how the quarterback might contribute while Martin recovered.

BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick also expressed confidence in the offense's ability to function without its leading running back, according to the Deseret News.

"I have a lot of confidence in this offense, even without LJ Martin," Roderick said.

The offensive adjustments could involve greater reliance on the passing game and additional opportunities for tight ends and receivers Kyler Kasper and Jojo Phillips, the Deseret News reported. BYU had also won four games without Martin during the 2024 and 2025 seasons, although his absence had complicated the team's offensive plans.

On the defensive side, BYU needed to compensate for Glasker's absence while preparing for an Iowa State rushing attack led by Aiden Flora. Sports Illustrated reported that Flora had earned Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors after scoring five touchdowns against West Virginia.

The matchup was scheduled to begin at 8:15 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time on Friday, October 9, with ESPN broadcasting the game, according to the Deseret News and the Des Moines Register.