While Kalani Sitake and the BYU football program are idle this weekend, our attention turns to the recruiting trail. BYU commit, California native Kinston Keanaaina is putting up monster numbers as a senior. The dual-sport athlete for St. Francis committed to BYU in July over competing offers from Arizona, San Diego State, San Jose State, Washington State, Army, Air Force and UAB. Keanaaina’s recruitment was relatively low-key and his commitment flew a bit under the radar, as he committed just as BYU was starting fall camp. Low fanfare aside, BYU has found a potential future playmaker from Northern California.

Kingston is averaging 197.5 rushing yards per game, which ranks sixth in California this season. His per game average doesn’t tell the whole story either. Last week against Sacred Heart Cathedral on senior night, Keanaaina had just two carries: one went for a 76-yard touchdown and the other went for a 63-yard touchdown. He also had two punt returns, a 48-yard return and a punt return for a touchdown. After his four touchdowns, Keanaaina was ruled out to avoid injury as his team cruised to a 49-24 victory.

When Keanaaina took on a bigger workload, it paid off. Keanaaina has rushed for more than 310 yards on three separate occasions this season. He is a major reason why St. Francis is 7-1 this season as they prepare for the final stretch of the 2024 season.

His high school coach, Greg Calcagno, says Keanaaina is the type of back who gets stronger as the game progresses. “He carried the ball 35 times, multiple times in the game for us. It’s not something we try to do and give him the ball that much, but he continues to get stronger as the game goes on and we’re starting to wear people down. It’s hard not to give him the ball.”

Coach Calcagno recounts a game against Archbishop Mitty where Keanaaina had 12 straight carries to run out the clock and preserve the 30-27 victory. “(It’s) just crazy numbers like that where he keeps getting the ball and we keep going forward.”

Keanaaina impacted the game as a returner throughout the season. Keanaaina has returned just 17 punts this season: 10 punt returns and 7 punt returns. He returned three of those kicks for touchdowns. He had another punt return touchdown that was called back.

Calcagno says Kingston’s rugby background helps him as both a running back and returner. “He plays rugby here for us. Played everything as a child. He has great vision. It’s kind of the go-to kind of thing, which is what we want, right? It really doesn’t seem to get tackled one-on-one very often and it’s so physical that it just hits people.”

Kingston first showed his potential as a sophomore at St. Francis, says Calcagno. “We play De La Salle, who is the best team in Northern California history year in and year out, and we play them up there. Kings, he just made plays on both sides of the ball. He plays defense – chased the guy, stripped him and then he was our ball carrier as well. We started to give him the ball a little more.

As a senior, Keanaaina “was on a whole other level,” according to coach Calcagno. He is on his way to becoming the greatest player of all time at St. Francis – a school that has produced FBS running backs before. Former Oregon and Boise State running back Cyrus Habibi-Likio played at St. Francis. Current quarterback Viliami Teu of San Jose State also played for the Lancers.

Keanaaina will serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before enrolling at BYU. BYU running back Harvey Unga was the lead recruiter in his recruitment.

Kingston fits the mold of the big, physical running backs who have had success at BYU under offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick. Keanaaina is listed at 6’0 and 205 pounds, has good vision and will get yards after contact. Keanaaina will enroll at BYU around the same time as current alumni position LJ Martin.

Keanaaina is one of two running backs in BYU’s Class of 2025. Fellow running back Cale Breslin, a Nevada native, will enroll at BYU in January. Breslin committed to BYU, Wisconsin, Indiana and Syracuse, among others. Keanaaina and Breslin and two of the 16 commits that currently make up the BYU 2025 recruiting class.