Auburn football running back Bryson Washington revealed how he transformed his body after arriving from Baylor out of shape. Now healthy and prepared for Alex Golesh's fast-paced offense, Washington could become a dangerous weapon for the Tigers in 2026.
Bryson Washington finally looks like the running back the Auburn Tigers thought it was getting.
It just took him a little while to get there.
Washington arrived at Auburn after transferring from Baylor with plenty of experience and production, but the Tigers didn't really get an opportunity to see much of him during spring practice.
Injuries slowed him down.
And apparently that wasn't the only problem.
"When I first got here, I was like out of shape," Washington said. "I wasn't where I wanted to be at like my size weight wise."
Washington knew something needed to change.
So he changed it.
"I took a big step, you know, getting back lean to my body mass," Washington said.
Now Auburn is starting to see the results.
Alex Golesh specifically mentioned Washington's progression following Auburn's recent scrimmage work, including his ability to stay on the field during some extended drives.
That's pretty important in this offense.
Auburn wants to play fast.
Really fast. It's something they hope to use as an advantage.
And Washington admitted adjusting to that tempo hasn't necessarily been easy, even after playing in an up-tempo offense at Baylor.
"Although we ran tempo at Baylor, it's different," Washington said. "Like the mechanics of everything, how they do it here."
Washington has spent the last few months getting himself ready for it.
And after arriving out of shape and dealing with injuries, he's now handling extended drives without needing Auburn to immediately take him off the field.
"Yes, I get tired, but I know how to control it," Washington said.
That's progress.
And it makes Auburn's running back rotation even more interesting.
Jeremiah Cobb is the obvious starter and will get the bulk of the carries.
Omar Mabson has been one of the biggest stories of fall camp.
Larry Porter, the Tigers' running back coach, has repeatedly talked about wanting his entire room prepared to play.
Now Washington is giving Auburn another option.
And he believes every running back brings something different.
"You're going to get something different from every running back that gets in the rotation," Washington said.
That's probably exactly what Auburn wants.
Washington gives the Tigers another experienced back who has already produced at the Power Four level and now appears much more physically prepared to handle what Golesh's offense requires.
And his first opportunity will come against a pretty familiar opponent in the Baylor Bears.
Washington isn't trying to make too much of facing his former team.
"I most definitely look forward to it, you know, playing my old team," Washington said. "But I look at it as just another game."
Maybe it is. But getting Washington physically ready to play in it has been anything but ordinary.
The best part about his slow start is he doesn't have to be rushed. Auburn's running back room might be the deepest on the entire roster; however, he certainly has the experience to be a dangerous asset in Alex Golesh's offense.
Now Auburn might finally get to see the running back it expected when Washington arrived.
