UW Football Spring Preview: Running Backs

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Who’s Gone

Jonah Coleman has been the keystone of the UW running back room for the last two seasons. While nagging injuries prevented him from consistently hitting fifth gear, he still rushed for 1811 yards (5.2 yards per carry) and 25 TDs over his two years in Seattle. He also proved himself an adept pass-catcher, with 54 receptions and two more TDs in his tenure. Coleman is projected as a mid-round NFL draft pick and his graduation will leave a big opportunity atop the Huskies’ depth chart.

The presumption among most UW fans was that Adam Mohammed would slot neatly into Coleman’s place in that room. Mohammed switched his commitment from Arizona to Washington when Jedd Fisch took the Huskies job and earned playing time in year one. He was a staple of the UW attack last year with 523 yards on 4.9 per carry. Instead, Mohammed jumped into the transfer portal and landed at Cal. It was probably the most surprising transfer exit for the Dawgs in the cycle (less surprising than that portal entry, but we know how that ended). While Coleman’s graduation left an opportunity for another RB to step up, the combined departures of Coleman and Mohammed leave a hole on the depth chart and a big question for the Huskies to answer.

Who’s Back

The headliner of UW’s returning RBs and the presumptive favorite to lead the team in carries is Jordan Washington. Like Mohammed, Washington flipped to the Dawgs to follow Jedd Fisch. Unlike Mohammed, he was not ready to play immediately because he came to campus weighing only about 165 pounds. Washington will never be a power back, but he has put on about 15-20 pounds to help hold up in pass protection and against bigger hits. Moreover, Washington’s explosiveness more than makes up for his lack of power. In his limited action, we have seen that Washington is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. He averaged 8.6 yards per carry on 27 attempts last year. His highlight-reel ability will leave Fisch salivating at creative ways to get him in space. Washington took a big hit early in spring practices and was taken off the field in an ambulance. He has since been ruled out for the rest of spring, but all indications are that he will be ready for the season in the fall.

Other than Washington, the Dawgs bring back Quaid Carr and Julian McMahan. Carr saw limited action last year, and was a bit under the radar as a prospect, but reports are that he has consistently impressed the coaching staff. He doesn’t have Washington’s nuclear big play ability, but he is very fast and dynamic in his own right. If Washington misses time, he could be an important part of the depth chart. McMahan also joined UW as part of the ‘24 recruiting class. He’s a big back who can be helpful in short-yardage situations. Lastly, redshirt freshman D’Aryhian Clemons converted from CB and has been playing RB in the spring, a position where he excelled in high school.

Who’s New

The Husky coaches were not shy about filling these gaps and they did it in a way that impressively balances experience, skill, and player type. The Dawgs brought in two transfers and two freshmen, with one of the latter looking like a potential future star.

With Mohammed out the door, UW prioritized bringing in a RB who could share the lead back role with Washington through the transfer portal. Jayden Limar, a native of Lake Stevens, left Oregon to come back come to the Dawgs. Limar had limited opportunities in Oregon’s crowded RB room over his three years in Eugene, but flashed the skill that made him a blue chip prospect last season. He put up 262 yards on 46 carries and found the endzone three times. He saw his most extensive action in September, where he totaled 125 yards on 23 carries in consecutive games against Northwestern and Oregon St. At 205 pounds, Limar has good size for the position and a proven ability to catch passes. He has vision and speed, but lacks the slippery elusiveness that would make him a superstar. Even so, Limar looks set to join Washington at the top of the running back depth chart. We have not yet seen Limar suit up since he is out for the spring while recover from an ankle injury.

The Dawgs also added Troy transfer Trey Cooley late in the transfer process. Cooley originally signed at Louisville before transferring to Georgia Tech and subsequently Troy. He missed all of last season with an injury and will not arrive in Seattle until June, but he’s another player who provides depth and experience.

The Dawgs also hit it big in RB recruiting this cycle. They added bruising power runner Ansu Sanoe early in the process. Listed at 241 lbs, Sanu by himself would have been a viable RB class. However, the Dawgs also added Brian Bonner, who has the potential to join the lineage of great Husky RBs if everything breaks right. Rated as the #7 RB in the country, Bonner picked UW over UCLA and Notre Dame. He will need to add weight before he becomes a lead back, but Bonner has all the tools to be a star every-down back.

Who Will Play

As you can probably tell from this summary, health will be a major determining factor in who lines up behind Demond Williams most often in ‘26. Washington and Limar appear to have the skills to be the top two running backs with a more even time share than what we have seen with Coleman leading the room. However, both are injured and there’s a real possibility that neither is ready to play on day one. If not Washington, Carr could offer some of the big play threat that the offense wants. If Limar misses time, Cooley would be the natural replacement. Due to stylistic similarities, there might be less reason to play both Limar and Cooley or both Washington and Carr. The coaches may want to mix and match more complementary pieces. Even after those four, UW may want to find reps for Bonner. Without Coleman and Mohammed, there are certainly questions about the RB depth chart. However, the coaching staff has ample options from which to draw to answer those questions.

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