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| Austin Kafentzis scored his first touchdown against UNLV (Eric Verduzco, Las Vegas Review-Journal) |
Jordan High School in Sandy, Utah and Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah are just 31.2 miles apart. For BYU Cougars running back Austin Kafentzis getting from one to the other wasn't so short.
During a legendary high school career for the Jordan Beetdiggers, Kafentzis set 13 state records, receive all-state recognition all four years, and won one state championship. He seemed destined for bigger and better things. He accepted a scholarship offer to Wisconsin of the Big Ten conference.
Kafentzis graduated from high school early and traveled the 1,367 miles to Wisconsin in January of 2015. After spring practice, he had decided Wisconsin was not the place for him, so Kafentzis packed his bags and went 1,877 miles west to the University of Nevada-Reno. NCAA rules required he sit out and redshirt the season as a transfer student.
The following spring, Kafentzis experienced deja-vu. As was the case at Wisconsin, the coach who had recruited him to Nevada took another job, and he found himself at the bottom of the depth chart at quarterback. That prompted a second transfer; this time just 678 miles south to the junior college Arizona Western. NCAA rules to not require student-athletes to sit out a season when transferring from a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) school, like Nevada, to a junior college.
Now a redshirt freshman, Kafentzis saw very limited action at quarterback in 2016. While he could have stayed one more year in Yuma, Arizona, he started considering his options to transfer back to a FBS school immediately. He found a situation he liked at BYU, so he packed his bags one more time and added 679 more miles on the odometer.
At BYU, Kafentzis had to walk-on. He also had to accept to play a different position. After trying slot receiver, the Cougar coaches settled on running back as the spot for Kafentzis. He didn't see any action in the first three games of the season, but injuries created an opportunity for him to see playing time in game four. Ironically, his first major college football action came against the Wisconsin Badgers.
Kafentzis had just two carries for seven yards that day, and he never got more than three carries the next six games. He appeared almost exclusively as a gadget player taking direct snaps in a Wildcat scenario. Against San Jose State, however, playing in a traditional running back position, Kafentzis took a hand off and broke free for 34 yards.
In the most recent game at UNLV, Kafentzis saw his most extensive action of the season. He carried the ball 10 times for 53 yards. His 20-yard run in the first half was the catalyst the Cougar offense needed to generate points and take control of the game. With 1:40 to go in the third quarter, he scored the first touchdown of his career on an 11-yard run that gave BYU a 28-14 lead.
It may have taken two years, 4,601 miles, and a few injuries to get Kafentzis the opportunity he was looking for, but he has finally found a new home. He has demonstrated he can play at this level. He is fourth on the team with 129 rushing yards and has a nice 5.6 yards per carry average. As a sophomore, he will be at BYU for two more seasons. Look for Cougar coaches to continue to find ways to design plays that get him the ball where he can use his speed and athleticism to make plays.
The Editor appreciates all feedback. He can be reached via email at bluecougarfootball@gmail.com
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