Promising freshman RB Sione Finau, BYU’s leading rusher, out for remainder of season with knee injury

Brigham Young Cougars running back Sione Finau runs the ball against the Boise State Broncos during an NCAA football game in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019. | Ravell Call, Deseret News

BYU football spokesperson confirms that Finau hurt his knee in practice on Tuesday, will miss Saturday’s game at UMass, next week’s game at San Diego State and bowl game in Hawaii

AMHERST, Mass. — Redshirt freshman Sione Finau recently passed the injured Ty’Son Williams as the leading rusher on the 2019 BYU football team.

But Finau probably won’t hold that title for long. The Kearns High product sustained a season-ending knee injury during practice on Tuesday, a BYU football spokesperson confirmed Friday afternoon.

The injury was first reported by KSLsports.com.

Williams, the fifth-year graduate transfer from South Carolina, had a team-high 264 rushing yards when he suffered a season-ending ACL tear in the fourth game of the season, against Washington. Finau began to get carries regularly two games later against South Florida, and has rushed a team-high 59 times for a team-high 359 yards.

“I am getting more comfortable with my role on the team, especially playing in front of a lot of fans,” Finau said at Monday’s press briefing.

School officials did not provide details or a timetable for Finau’s return, but KSLsports.com, citing “multiple” unnamed sources, reported that he sustained an ACL injury and won’t play in BYU’s final three games.

The Cougars (6-4) play at UMass (1-10) at 10 a.m. MST on Saturday.

Finau, who originally committed to Oregon State but followed head coach Kalani Sitake to BYU after a church mission to San Jose, California, played in four games last year and is calling that his redshirt year.

Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes said Finau brought a lot of energy to the BYU offense. He rushed for a career-high 102 yards in last week’s 42-10 win over Idaho State.

“He’s got so much passion for the game that it seeps out of him,” Grimes said. “You can feel it when you watch him play, and when you have a running back like that it adds energy to the whole team.”

Third-leading rusher Lopini Katoa (57 carries, 251 yards) did not play against the Bengals because he was in concussion protocol but has been practicing this week. Freshman returned missionary Jackson McChesney saw his first action of the season against ISU and had 10 carries for 46 yards.

Other candidates to get carries Saturday are graduate transfer Emmanuel Esukpa, still recovering from a nagging toe injury, and former running back Tyler Allgeier, who is now a linebacker but could be asked to return to the offense the final few games of the season.

Walk-ons Alec Wyble-Meza and Chase Wester are also listed as running backs on BYU’s roster.

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