Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 66-14vs Idaho | 3 | 25 | 8.3 | 0 | 14 | Season-high 25 yds |
| Wk 2 | W 43-10vs Arkansas | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Total | 4 | 27 | 5.2 | 0 | 14 |
#20
Mateaki Helu
Sophomore running back for Utah. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 224 lb · Tooele, UT · Stansbury HS
Returning to Utah for 2026
The numbers
27
rushing yards · 2026
6.8 per carry
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 25 rush yds, vs Idaho
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 running back for Utah. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Utah in 2023.
Mateaki Helu
Two seasons at Utah, two different head coaches: Kyle Whittingham and Morgan Scalley. The receipt on tape: 25 rush yds against Idaho, Week 1, 2026.
27 RUSH YDS · 0 RUSH TD · 4 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Utah3-star out of Stansbury
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Utah
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2025–2026
2 coaches2025
Utah
2026era →
Morgan Scalley
Utah
Coaching transition mid-career: Kyle Whittingham → Morgan Scalley. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2025Utah11-2HC: Kyle Whittingham · Run-heavy
2026Utah2-0HC: Morgan Scalley · Run-leaning
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
Elite: yards / carry (93rd percentile). Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 13.5 YDS/g, 5.2 YPC, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Morgan Scalley
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 66–14
vs Idaho
25 rush yds (3 car)
Dominant 52-point win at home against Idaho.
With D. Dampier — 176 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 93.5 · 31 rush yds (6 car) · B. Ficklin — 93 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 80.1 · 70 rush yds (8 car)
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Utah
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Utah
Returning around him
- 68% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- 3 Utah players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -5 net (17 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Utah · Last season: 11-2 (AP #15) · Talent rank #58 · 2026 recruiting class #27
Background
2025: Played in all 13 games, primarily on special teams. Four tackles on the season, including a pair at Baylor. High School: Three-star recruit on 247Sports out of Stansbury HS. Region 7 MVP and All-State honorable mention in 2021. Rated the No. 7 recruit in the state of Utah on 247Sports. Reco...
The backfield · Utah
- #1Wayshawn Parker981 rushing yards · 2025
- #25Steve Chavez-Soto448 rushing yards · 2025
- #5Daniel Bray272 rushing yards · 2025
- #3Nate Johnson225 rushing yards · 2025
- #20Mateaki Helu2 games · 2026
3 more on the roster · Utah team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology