If a couple weeks of preseason training camp have proven anything about BYU’s offensive plans for the 2022 season, it is that the Cougars will rely a lot on the broad shoulders and muscular legs of Cal transfer running back Chris Brooks.
“He is everything we knew he would be,” running backs coach Harvey Unga, himself a former BYU great, said.
Surely, all the hype, heightened expectations and publicity has found its way to the ears and eyes of Brooks, right?
Hardly.
“I don’t even recognize it,” Brooks said last week during BYU’s photo day. “It is like a foreign language to me. The only opinions or expectations that matter are the ones inside the locker room and inside these facilities. Like Jaren Hall said, anything on the outside, it is poison.”
“I don’t even recognize it. It is like a foreign language to me. The only opinions or expectations that matter are the ones inside the locker room and inside these facilities. Like Jaren Hall said, anything on the outside, it is poison.” — BYU running back Chris Brook
Brooks is listed at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds, but looks significantly larger when he’s decked out in pads and bursting through holes provided by the Cougars’ promising offensive line. He said he wouldn’t be surprised if expectations are soaring because BYU has a lot of fans and gets a lot of media coverage.
“There are some hard-working dudes on this offense,” he said. “They really do care about (improving) their craft every single day. I think it is awesome to play with them.”
Brooks was known as Chris Brown during his first three seasons at Cal-Berkeley, but changed his last name to Brooks to honor his single mother, Raquel Brooks. She raised him in Oceanside, California.
After rushing for 1,734 yards and 14 touchdowns in four years at Cal, he enters BYU as a fifth-year grad transfer who is working on a post-baccalaureate in business. He would like to do something in real estate when his playing days conclude.
As for goals this year at BYU, Brooks said his biggest one is to help the Cougars pile up wins in their final year of independence.
“I just want to help my squad the best I can, help out the other running backs and be the best teammate I can be,” he said.
Brooks answered succinctly when he was asked if he’s feeling pressure because he’s following one of the Cougars’ all-time rushing greats, Tyler Allgeier. Allgeier, now with the Atlanta Falcons, set BYU’s single-season rushing record with 1,601 yards last season.
“No pressure at all,” Brooks said.
His early impressions of some characteristics of BYU’s team in 2022?
“I think they care about each other. When you care about each other that chemistry builds up and you really want to win. So it is the want to win, for sure, and hating to lose.”
Brooks is trying to maintain a relatively low profile in Provo, only doing a couple of name, image and likeness (NIL) deals and not really seeking any out.
“You write your resume on the football field when kickoff starts. If you want to make money like the big dudes up there (in the NFL), you gotta ball out,” he said. “I think that’s the most important thing. I have been approached for a few small things here and there, but nothing major. And I am not mad about it.”
Having chosen BYU over overtures and/or offers from Notre Dame, Purdue, Arizona State and others, Brooks said he’s still confident he made the right choice.
And head coach Kalani Sitake believes the coaching staff made the right call in bringing him in.
“Have you seen him? He’s big, he’s strong, he looks the part. But you don’t get that big and strong because you are lucky,” Sitake said. “That is a result of hard work and his dedication to the sport. He loves being at BYU, and he loves football.”
Sitake has directed offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick to put Brooks “in an environment where he can succeed,” and so far neither have disappointed.
“So far (Brooks’ skills) are very similar to what we have seen Tyler do. I think they are similar players,” Roderick said. “Chris is an excellent receiver, so we are going to feature him in the passing game as well. But I would say most of it is the same.”
Roderick said Brooks might not be a better receiver than Allgeier was, but he does have more experience at it.
“He’s been asked to do more of that stuff in his past than we have asked Tyler to do, if that makes sense,” Roderick said. “Maybe Tyler could have done it, but Chris got here already having route running and pass-catching skills and you can tell he is a natural at it.”
