Cal Football: Christopher Brooks Makes Good First Impression With BYU Teammates

Running back has a chance to replace Cougars' departed star Tyler Allgeier.

Christopher Brooks was a terrific player at Cal over four seasons, the program’s top running back when he was healthy. We just wish we could have gotten to know him a little better.

Besides his obvious ability at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds as a punishing power back, Brooks was famous among reporters on the Cal beat for his reluctance to do interviews.

And the thing is, when we did talk with him, Brooks came across as smart and articulate. To the best of my knowledge, he never was “burned” by anyone in the media. Seems like he just didn’t want to be bothered, and that’s fine.

Either way, Brooks talked this week with a reporter from the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, as he prepares to play his final college football season at BYU.

The Cougars began spring ball on Monday and Brooks made a good initial impression on coaches and teammates. Practice was held in BYU’s indoor facility because of snow outside, and players weren’t in pads on Day 1.

“As big as he is, man, he looked light on his feet today,” quarterback Jaren Hall said. “The same with all the running backs. They looked fast and explosive, and light. You can see the product of all his hard work, and I am excited to see what he does for us.”

“Very impressive,” backup quarterback Jacob Conover added. “Great first impression.”

Brooks, who rushed for 1,734 yards and 14 touchdowns at Cal, is in the mix to replace BYU star Tyler Allgeier. He declared for the NFL draft in December after powering the BYU attack with 276 rushes for 1,606 yards and 23 TDs as the Cougars compiled a 10-3 record last season.

Coach Kalani Sitake told reporters that Brooks appears to be a fit for their offensive scheme.

Brooks confirmed that’s part of why he chose BYU after entering the transfer portal and receiving offers from San Diego State, Arizona State and Notre Dame. Brooks initially committed to Purdue, then changed his mind.

“It’s just a great fit for me, the right philosophy,” he said of his attraction to the BYU program. “And the people are great. It’s what Kalani says, the philosophy is ‘love and learn’ here. And that’s what anybody wants to be a part of, and that’s how you get better, even great, at football.”

Brooks said he doesn’t expect to simply be handed the starting role.

“Everything is earned, not given. I have to earn it, like anybody else. I am not walking in here expecting anything,” Brooks said. “I am going to come in here expecting to work every day, just like everybody else. That’s how I have been my whole life. To win games, that’s the mindset everybody needs to have.”

The opportunity to possibly replace Allgeier was not a primary reason Brooks chose the school, he explained.

“Maybe that was the coaches’ reason to bring someone else in, but I went solely on their philosophy and whether or not it was a good fit,” he said. “Those were my (main) reasons.”

Sitake said he has no timetable for settling on a starter or a pecking order among the running backs.

“There are a bunch of guys that can play that position, but he looked really, really good today,” Sitake said Monday.

Brooks was productive for Cal whenever he was healthy. He rushed for 914 yards and eight touchdowns as a sophomore in 2019 then was limited by injury to 21 carries over three games in 2020. He started slowly last fall before regaining his starting job and finishing the season with 607 rushing yards and four touchdowns and 19 catches for 131 yards and three more TDs.

BYU's Hall likes what he’s seen so far.

“He’s a hard worker,” Hall said. “Every day, he tells me what he needs to do to be better. So he’s committed to being his best self. I am excited for him and hope everything works out for him this year with us.”

Cover photo of Christopher Brooks by Neville E. Guard, USA Today

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo