The 6-foot-1, 195-pound returning senior finished top five among Utah’s rushers with 1,581 yards and 25 touchdowns last year, and that magic was largely initiated because of a broken wrist. Bees coach Carson Mund, coming down from Logan in 2024, spotted Howells as a running back from the start, but Box Elder already featured present-day Weber State track and field star Jae Macias averaging 7.42 yards per carry.

It was only a matter of time before that pad level became a non-negotiable for the offense.

“We knew he was going to be a running back,” Mund said. “Sophomore-year-wise, we had the fastest kids in the state playing running back and another senior, so we decided it was best for him to focus on one side of the ball. Then, along with breaking his wrist, it kind of made it an easier decision for us. We knew we had some good running backs, four or five guys that could do it, and he’s the one that stood out.”

As a junior, Howells switched to running back after enduring a high ankle sprain and MCL sprain during a 7-3 home win over Northridge in last year’s region opener. Freeing up extra snaps, Howells concentrated on the run game full-time and he powered Box Elder’s backfield with 131-plus yards per game.

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“Carson was encouraging me a lot,” Howells said. “I was expecting just to be a defensive guy after sophomore year, but after he kind of put me in the rotation, I started going. Last year, junior year camp, I kind of balled out and it just went from there.”

This offseason saw Howells work exclusively with former Weber State-turned-49er Anthony Parker, the father of former Weber High standout Dyson Parker, who signed with the Wildcats earlier this year.

“I’m way more prepared,” Howells said. “I’m definitely going to be way more elusive this year.”

Box Elder chalked up just three losses last season, including a one-score elimination defeat at Springville in November. The Bees reached that state quarterfinal by knocking off West Field twice in consecutive games. Howells rushed for a combined 277 yards and five touchdowns in those victories.

The offense, as a unit, produced 382-plus yards per game in 2025, and a tough-to-grab Howells is the critical element of that production.

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“I think the biggest thing is his vision and really good length, so he’s really hard to tackle,” Mund said. “… His vision, with how we do the run game, he sees things very well. He’s a downhill runner, and then his length makes it really hard for defenders to tackle him because he’s long, stiff-armed, long legs, and in space, he’s a tough guy to tackle just because of those traits.”

‘Better vibes, harder work’

In late July, Box Elder football players streamed through the parking lot and into a classroom like MI6 agents gathering in the bullpen. Their dossier was on the big board as Mund and the coaching staff mulled over that day’s agenda and points of interest. These are guys with a plan.

The senior lot includes key starters across the lineup. Kadyn Reyes returns after throwing for 1,472 yards, nine touchdowns and just five interceptions in his junior year at quarterback. Cammon Bushnell (300 yards, 2 TDs), Reyes’ leading target in 2025 behind graduate Maddox Earnest (341 yards, 3 TDs), leads a deep skill list also featuring running back Bridger Richards, tight end Jaxon Jeppsen, and wideouts Rhet Richards, Talon Sumko and Cole Bushnell.

Box Elder’s skill list (save for Jeppsen at linebacker) doubles between linebacker and the secondary, and has played a lot of football with returning, two-way linemen Grady Judd, Caleb Cefalo and Ricki Jones. The Bees have the reps required for enabling an equally dangerous defense, deepest at linebacker and safety, Mund said.

“When you can get that many, it’s a huge blessing because it gives you that chance,” Mund said. “A lot of these guys played as sophomores, so they have that third year of playing varsity football and that really helps. … Defensively, we’re doing more stuff than we’ve probably done ever.”

Howells, stepping outside that classroom for a brief visit with the Standard-Examiner, didn’t spill the deepest state secrets of the playbook, but he’s eager to watch them reach the field.

“It’s better vibes, harder work,” Howells said. “We have a different rotation this year. We have (multiple) different skill guys, and we kind of go with guys our own weight to push each other.”

Seniors, Howells said, are encouraged to exchange notes in and out of practice.

With creativity comes the ability to assemble unusually effective configurations. Referring back to that same Northridge game from 2025, Howells pointed to the game-winning drive where the offense, which had reached the scoreboard for nearly four full quarters, marched clear down to the 5-yard line before entrusting not his legs, but those of Kadyn Reyes, for six points and the win on an elusive, designed run for Box Elder’s quarterback.

Such a play call is only possible with the right depth, and Howells speaks assuredly of this year’s senior leadership.

“Our bonds here are really strong,” Howells said. “Everyone’s been playing (football) together since like fourth grade. We all know each other very well; we’re all willing to fight for each other, and we love each other, so we’re all willing to put it out there.”

It’s a rocky Region 5

From top to bottom, every football program in Region 5 has a reason to be excited about the season ahead.

New rivalries, personal vendettas and even coaching changes shape the schedule this fall, and Box Elder emerges as one of the contenders.

Fremont, though, remains the bar for this Bees team. Manase Tuatagaloa, now graduated, threw for 356 yards and three touchdowns in a 48-30 road win in Brigham City last year. It marked Box Elder’s only region loss of the season, and stood in the way of the school’s first region title since 2018.

Box Elder travels to Fremont on Oct. 2.

“It’s definitely going to be a lot closer this year,” Howells said. “We got Fremont, West Field, Northridge. I know they’re all going to be pretty good this year, so we just got to put our nose down and work hard. But I’m definitely excited for that Fremont game. Ready to bring it for those guys.”

Box Elder opens the season at home against recently opened Deseret Peak, then travels to rival Bear River, now under the command of longtime Northern Utah coach Craig Anhder, for a Week 2 Golden Spike affair.

The Bees battle the state of Idaho twice, both at home, with Highland (from Pocatello) on Aug. 28 and Rigby on Sept. 18.

The region slate begins at Northridge, Roy at home, and Bonneville at home after Rigby. Box Elder then travels to Fremont and Clearfield before closing the regular season at home against West Field.

It’s tough sledding, but Howells isn’t concerned with the hearsay so much as his brand of “blue-collar football.”

“We’ll just stick with ourselves, play for ourselves, play for each other, play for our community, work hard for everyone and live up to the expectations of what we should be,” Howells said.

Howells plans to pursue football and engineering after high school.

Connect with Standard-Examiner sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net, X @ctbecker and Instagram @standardexaminersports.