Behind Johnson, UW Running Back Battle Keeps Things Interesting

Six different tailbacks have carried the ball for the Huskies this season.

Spring and fall camp really are the best times for University of Washington football players to make their big moves for playing time, but Kalen DeBoer's coaching staff encourages these guys to keep pushing as the season plays out.

Five games into the schedule and with Oregon coming to town, the Husky running backs might have the most intense competition going on week to week. 

With junior starter Dillon Johnson and sophomore Will Nixon currently 1-2 at the position, not everyone else always knows exactly where he'll be in the pecking order, and the UW typically uses a lot of running backs.

"I would say that's accurate," Husky offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb confirmed. "I think Dillon has cemented himself as the one, for sure. I think that Will is probably the next most, I guess, trusted guy."

That leaves, in no particular order, true freshman Tybo Rogers, junior Arizona State transfer Daniyel Ngata, sophomore Sam Adams II and sixth-year senior Richard Newton.

"There's a lot of different tools and attributes that all those kids have that we can for sure use," Grubb said.

The 6-foot, 218-pound Johnson, the Mississippi State transfer, is beginning to show high value as a running back after getting bogged down by a troublesome knee injury that he brought with him to Montlake. He comes off a 16-carry, season-high 91 yard, 2-touchdown rushing effort at Arizona, which included a 45-yard run. 

With his speed and power, Johnson doesn't often go down on the first hit.

"Dillon the last few games, has come on pretty strong and gotten healthier every week and we feel good about where he's at," Grubb said.

Nixon, the one-time Nebraska wide receiver and now a solidly built 5-foot-11, 202-pound running back, drew the start against Tulsa when Johnson wasn't able to go that day. He's been fairly effective in advancing the ball as a runner and a receiver, and probably gained an edge as the No. 2 guy because he can block, too. 

Will Nixon scored on this 5-yard run at Arizona.  :: Zachary BonDurant/USA TODAY Sports

Against Arizona, Rogers came onto the field as the third back for the first time while playing in his third consecutive game. His elusiveness tempts the coaches to use him more. His blocking ability, necessary at a high level in the UW's pass-minded attack, has been his limitation.

"Tybo is good in open space, has speed, has very good instincts in the run game," Grubb said. "He has to continue to improve in his pass pro, and he has."

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HUSKY RBS BY THE NUMBERS

Dylan Johnson — A 4-game starter, he's the team's leading rusher with 41 carries for 240 yards and 4 scores, with 91 of his yards coming against Arizona and representing a career high for him at two schools. He has that long run of 45 yards. He's caught 9 passes for 77 yards. He sat out the Tulsa game.

Will Nixon — The only UW back to carry the ball in all 5 games, which included a start against Tulsa, he has 20 carries for 130 yards and a score. He has a long run of 21 yards. Also, he's caught 7 passes for 61 yards. 

Tybo Rogers — Playing in three consecutive games, the freshman has run 24 times for 92 yards. He led the Huskies in rushing against Michigan State with 74 yards on 15 carries. His long run is 15. He has 2 catches for 43 yards. 

Daniyel Ngata — The Arizona State transfer played in the first 2 games, but hasn't made an appearance since. He has 7 carries for 23 yards and a 1-yard TD run against Tulsa. His long run is 9.

Sam Adams II — He played in the first four games before sitting out against Arizona. He has 9 carries for 20 yards and a 9-yard TD run against California. He has a long run of 11. He has a catch for 6 yards.

Richard Newton — A special-teamer on kickoffs in each game, Newton has carried the ball in just one outing, at Michigan State. He has 4 rushes for 29 yards, with a long run of 17.

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Ngata and Adams each have been the third back for the Huskies but continue to move in and out of that role. To stay on the field more, it is presumed they need to block and understand the playbook better. In the UW's pass-minded offense, it's imperative the running back has pass-protection skills to keep opponents away from quarterback Michael Penix Jr. 

Finally, there's Newton, the 2021 UW starter before he suffered a season-ending knee injury. He plays on special teams this season. He's more of power back than the Huskies prefer, but they've found ways to use him in the past.

In the Alamo Bowl last December, the 6-foot, 223-pound Newton was the No. 2 back behind the graduated Wayne Taulapapa that game because of an injury to Cam Davis. He helped keep the offense moving in the 27-20 win over Texas by rushing 11 times for 44 tough yards. He also had a memorable 36-yard touchdown catch at Cal in which he twice stiff-armed defenders in the 28-21 victory in Berkeley.

Tybo Rogers led all UW rushers with 74 yards on 15 carries against Michigan State :: Dale Young/USA TODAY Sports

At Arizona, Grubb considered sending Newton onto the field when Johnson might have been tiring and the Huskies were in the red zone late in the game, but he didn't do it. Considering a receiver fumbled the ball away at the 5 and kept the UW from wrapping up another one-sided victory, he might go with that first impulse the next time. 

"Honestly, there was a situation there where I thought we could have got him in inside the 10-yard line and got him some touches down there, because I think he is a good threat to run in short-yardage situations," the offensive coordinator said.

Newton might be limited in advancement because he has a lot of running-back miles on him, might even have lost a step over six wearing seasons and he probably could be a better blocker, but Grubb still has long-range plans for him. 

"Rich is doing a great job at prep and beyond just the short-yardage stuff," Grubb said. "He's got a great attitude. He'll still make some plays for us this year."

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