Preston Rex didn’t get much warning.
Last summer, after a morning workout, the then-defensive back was heading to the parking lot west of the Student Athletic Building when BYU coach Kalani Sitake waved him over to his truck and dropped a surprise on him: What would you think about switching to running back?
Rex said he was stunned. Fall camp was about to start, and now the conversation was about a major position change. But Sitake was serious, Rex was willing to listen, and the move was on.
He checked in with his brother and dad first, then called offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick, who was on the same page. A few days later, Rex told Sitake he was in.
“I’m super happy I did it. No regrets at all,” Rex said Wednesday during BYU’s photo day.
“I mean, Rexes are offensive guys, right? We like the ball in our hands.
We like to block. We like to score touchdowns.”
The switch made sense in one way, even if it came out of nowhere in another. Rex grew up around offense - he’s the brother of former BYU tight end Isaac Rex and the son of All-American BYU tight end Byron Rex - and he was a star safety and receiver at San Clemente High in California before signing with BYU in 2020. But he had never really played running back.
At 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Rex hasn’t passed superstar LJ Martin on the depth chart, but BYU’s coaches have liked how quickly he’s picked up the job. Roderick said Monday that Rex has been a fast study in the running backs room.
That’s a pretty impressive turnaround considering where Rex was when Sitake first flagged him down. He was still working back into playing shape after an ACL injury in practice following the 2024 season opener against Southern Illinois.
The injury cost him his third year in the program. He had already redshirted in 2022 after a church mission to Chile and McAllen, Texas, and he played in nine games in 2023, recording 17 tackles.
Rex said the rehab went well and credited BYU’s medical staff for helping him through it.
“The amazing medical staff really took good care of me, and they made my knee even better and stronger than it was before,” he said. “It’s all good.”
Even so, jumping from safety to running back meant accepting a different kind of punishment. Rex said he felt good about the decision and framed it as something bigger than just football.
“I feel like Heavenly Father was opening a lot of doors for me, for the switch,” he said. “And so it was something that I committed to.
I said, ‘I will do whatever is best for the team. I am a team guy.’
It was a pretty late switch, coming right before fall camp, but it was in the best interest of the team.”
A few days into camp, the reason for the move became clearer when redshirt freshman Pokaiaua Haunga was dismissed from the program. Rex ended up part of a crowded backfield behind Martin and alongside Jovesa Damuni, Sione Moa and Enoch Nawahine.
He appeared in 12 games at his new position and finished with 13 carries for 30 yards, including a long of nine. He also showed he could help in the passing game, catching three passes for 50 yards. One of those grabs was a 32-yard reception in BYU’s 24-21 win over Utah last October.
“That was sweet,” he said.
Rex’s season ended with a torn AC joint in his shoulder that limited him late in the year. Now he says he’s fully healthy and feels far better prepared heading into 2026.
“I feel 100% more prepared,” he said. “Having a full offseason to really just learn the ins and outs of the offense, and playing running back, has been super beneficial for me.
Last year, I kind of had to learn on the fly and I was put in a position where I could make a couple plays. I’m grateful for that.
“Having a full spring ball, a full offseason, to gain some weight and learn more about the offense has been really good for me as a running back,” he continued.
Roderick echoed that sentiment, saying Rex looks more natural in the role now.
“I am really excited about the improvement that Preston Rex has made since last year. He got thrown into a tough situation. He wasn’t really a running back, and he had to learn to play it on the fly, and he did make some good plays for us last year in the open field.”
“With a full offseason, he really looks more like a running back now and really looks like he knows what he’s doing,” Roderick continued. “And then (freshman) Devaughn Eka has done some great things.
Devaughn Eka will play this year. He will get some playing time.
He’s been impressive, yup.”
Rex was just as high on Eka, calling the Lehi High product a potential fan favorite. He also pointed to Logan Payne, the son of former BYU kicker and punter Matt Payne, as another back worth watching.
“Both those guys are ballers,” Rex said. “I’m excited for those younger guys to get their shot this year as well.”
And the Rex family connection at BYU isn’t going away anytime soon. Jaxson Rex, Preston’s cousin and a versatile athlete, committed to BYU in June and will also play for San Clemente High this fall.
In Other News...
BYU Faces A Special Teams Problem That Could Shape Its Season
BYU enters the season with a lot of familiar pieces back in place, but special teams has become one of the few real questions hanging over the roster. The Cougars have to remake key spots all at once, with a new special teams coordinator in Justin Ena overseeing a group that will need to find answers at kicker, punter and return specialist before the games start to matter.
The early evaluation has given BYU a small cluster of names to watch, including Matthias Dunn and Brody Laga in the kicking mix, Fuller Shurtz and Cole Shulman at punter, and Ty Smith handling long snapping. It is the kind of depth-chart churn that can fly under the radar in August, yet it can swing field position and close games once the season settles in. For a team with bigger ambitions, getting this part right could end up mattering more than it first appears. [Read more 🡒]