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BYU is down another running back as junior KJ Hall announces he is stepping away from football

Son of former Cougar great Kalin Hall missed spring and preseason camp with knee injury

(Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune) BYU running back KJ Hall (24), shown here on a 75-yard touchdown run against San Jose State, is stepping away from football, he announced Wednesday

Provo • Another BYU running back has decided to call it a career.

Trey Dye announced he was hanging up his cleats when preseason camp opened nearly a month ago, and on Wednesday junior-to-be KJ Hall said on Instagram that he is ready to move on as well.

Hall, the son of former BYU standout Kalin Hall and older brother of freshman quarterback Jaren Hall, suffered a knee injury late last season and did not participate in spring camp or the recently completed preseason camp. He wrote that his decision to leave the game is not related to his physical health.

“That being said I want to wish my brothers luck this week and year as they go battled and right the ship!,” he said.

The Cougars open the 2018 season at Arizona on Saturday night hoping to recover from last year’s 4-9 disappointment.

KJ Hall had 65 carries for 390 yards and three touchdowns in his injury-plagued career after returning from a church mission to Mexico City. He also caught 15 passes for 189 yards.

The Cougars go into the season thin and inexperienced at running back. Like Hall, Kavika Fonua missed spring and preseason camp with an injury and has yet to return.

East High product Ula Tolutau is no longer with the team after being suspended midway through the 2017 season when he was charged with allegedly possessing a controlled substance, marijuana.

Beau Hoge was moved from quarterback to running back at the beginning of camp, but did not participate in the last two scrimmages with an undisclosed injury and his availability for the Arizona game is unclear.

Senior Squally Canada and returned missionary freshman Lopini Katoa are listed as the co-starters at running back on the depth chart. Junior Riley Burt is also an option.