BYU adds pair of grad transfer running backs in Christopher Brooks and Houston Heimuli

California working again Christopher Brooks runs into the top zone for a landing throughout a Pac-12 recreation towards UCLA on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, in Pasadena, Calif. Brooks introduced he's transferring to BYU.

Jae C. Hong, Related Press

Stanford fullback Houston Heimuli prepares to dam in the course of the second half of an NCAA school soccer recreation towards Washington State, Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, in Pullman, Wash. Heimuli, after enjoying at Stanford from 2017-21, is becoming a member of the BYU program as a grad switch.

Younger Kwak, Related Press

With Tyler Allgeier having declared for the NFL draft, BYU was in want of including some depth and expertise to its working backs group.

Enter two former Pac-12 gamers — Christopher Brooks and Houston Heimuli — through the switch portal.

Brooks, a grad switch who’s performed working again at California since 2018, introduced Wednesday morning he’s becoming a member of the BYU program.

Shortly thereafter, BYU introduced his switch and added that Heimuli, whose father Lakei performed working again at BYU within the mid-Nineteen Eighties, can be becoming a member of the Cougar program after enjoying fullback for 5 seasons at Stanford.

Lets trip pic.twitter.com/KfvK6mk0Uj

— Christopher Brooks (@chris_br0oks26) January 5, 2022

“We're excited to welcome Chris and Houston to our soccer household,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake stated in an announcement. “Chris is a gifted tailback with a power-running model who has been a number one contributor on the sphere for Cal. As a former fullback, I've an enormous appreciation for the constant and necessary contributions Houston has made for his staff over his profession. Each Chris and Houston are additionally excellent college students, and we're happy they've chosen BYU to proceed to realize their on-field and tutorial targets.”

Brooks entered the NCAA switch portal in December and initially dedicated to Purdue earlier than backing out of that dedication.

The 6-foot-1, 235-pound again from Oceanside, California, was the Golden Bears’ main rusher in each 2019 and 2021, and is coming off a season when he rushed for 607 yards and 4 touchdowns, with a career-best 5.2 yards-per-carry common.

Brooks, who can be a senior in 2022, ran for 1,734 yards and 14 touchdowns throughout his time at Cal whereas additionally placing up 345 yards receiving with seven extra scores.

His greatest season got here in 2019, when he ran for 914 yards and eight touchdowns and likewise had 166 receiving yards with 4 touchdowns.

Stanford fullback Houston Heimuli prepares to dam in the course of the second half of an NCAA school soccer recreation towards Washington State, Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, in Pullman, Wash. Heimuli, after enjoying at Stanford from 2017-21, is becoming a member of the BYU program as a grad switch.

Younger Kwak, Related Press

Heimuli, who prepped at Bountiful Excessive and may have one season of eligibility, signed with Stanford in 2015 earlier than serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He performed in 42 video games as a blocking again for Stanford over the previous 4 seasons, after redshirting in 2017. The 5-foot-11, 265-pound Heimuli served as a staff captain for the Cardinal this previous season and earned All-Pac-12 honorable point out honors in 2020.

He completed with seven receptions for 25 yards and a landing at Stanford.

My motivation pic.twitter.com/VsbDSZiHMG

— Houston Heimuli (@HHeimuli) January 5, 2022

Brooks and Heimuli be part of a BYU working backs group in 2022 that may embody, amongst others, Lopini Katoa, Jackson McChesney, Miles Davis and Hinckley Ropati.

Katoa, a returning senior, has rushed for 1,467 yards and 19 touchdowns throughout his time at BYU. That included 242 yards and two scores this previous season as Allgeier’s main backup, when Allgeier broke the varsity’s single-season dashing report (with 1,601 dashing yards and 23 touchdowns).