Provo • Why doesn’t Riley Burt get more carries?
BYU football fans have pounded reporters’ email inboxes with that question a lot this season, and even more after freshman Ula Tolutau’u was suspended for allegedly running afoul of the law (marijuana possession) and promising sophomore KJ Hall was re-injured in the first half of the San Jose State game.
Burt, a redshirt sophomore from Box Elder High, isn’t sure himself.
“I don’t know,” he said Wednesday, choosing his words carefully. “I have just been working my hardest to get the offense down, and get healthy. I have just been focused on becoming a better player.”
Burt has played in six games and carried the ball 10 times, for 29 yards.
After redshirting last year, Burt started the 2017 season at running back — he had some sensational runs as a freshman in 2015 — but was briefly moved to defense when the season started. He was moved back to running back after the Utah State game.
“I look forward to seeing [Burt] on the field a little more,” coach Kalani Sitake said in early October.
It hasn’t happened.
“Coaches just want to put the best, most-prepared running back out there,” Burt said. “And I haven’t been that.”
His prospects for playing more Saturday against UMass appear dim, because junior Squally Canada was fantastic in the 31-21 win over UNLV, rushing for a career-high 213 yards, and also because Hall is close to returning after having missed the last two games with an undisclosed injury.
Burt, 6-foot-1, 205, said he has been “pretty healthy” all season. He declined to talk about why he didn’t play in some games early in the season.
“I am just trying to stay positive, help the team,” he said. “We have a great group of seniors and we want to send them out the best way possible, by winning out these last two games. That’s what we are looking for.”
After the season, Burt will have eye surgery to repair of problem with his cornea. However, he said the problem is not the reason for his limited playing time.
Canada’s can-do attitude
It took a few games, but Canada (546 yards) has finally moved past Toluta’u (303 yards) as BYU’s leading rusher. The junior from Milpitas, Calif., who transferred from Washington State is averaging an impressive 5.9 yards per carry.
Offensive coordinator Ty Detmer said Canada if finally healthy and is taking advantage of his opportunities.
“Sometimes running backs need a rhythm, to get into a flow,” Detmer said. “They start seeing cutbacks, those things. It is an opportunity more than anything, and a mindset from him that ‘I am going to play hard.’ He’s had a great attitude despite being up and down and healthy and not healthy.”
Linebacker Adam Pulsipher honored
A junior in football eligibility, BYU linebacker Adam Pulsipher has been named to the 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 Football Team. Pulsipher has already graduated with a degree in finance and has a 3.83 grade point average. He is currently enrolled in BYU’s Masters of Public Administration program.
He has played in all 11 games and started the last four. He has 47 tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Briefly
Fullback Creed Richardson has been added to the list of players who will be honored Saturday in their final home games. Richardson has a year of eligibility left, but is retiring from football. … The Cougars are No. 2 in the nation in kickoff defense efficiency, a stat that measures the average starting position of opponents after kickoffs. “That’s a stat we are very proud of, and we take a lot of pride in putting the best guys out there to cover kicks,” said special teams coordinator Ed Lamb.
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