Washington Huskies Running Back Room Needs to be Sorted Before Big Ten Play

SEATTLE — The year 2026 has not been kind for Washington Huskies running backs.

Since the turn of the calendar year, the team's 2025 leading rusher, Jonah Coleman, was selected in the NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. The Huskies' second-leading rusher from the running back room last season, Adam Mohammed, transferred to the Cal Golden Bears.

Following the departures of Coleman and Mohammed, third-year running back Jordan Washington entered spring practice as the presumptive starter, but suffered a neck injury that has led to his status this season still being undetermined.

Washington's injury led to second-year running back Quaid Carr and fourth-year Jayden Limar being the top two running backs on the depth chart. Both players suffered injuries that will keep them out for a significant time, with Carr's potentially keeping him out the rest of the season.

The list of injuries to the running back room has led to the Huskies being shorthanded, and that was on display in the team's 16-14 win against the Utah State Aggies on Saturday.

No. 19 Washington went with a running-back-by-committee approach with the reps being shared between sixth-year Trey Cooley and a pair of first-years, Brian Bonner and Ansu Sanoe.

The trio combined to run 21 times for 49 yards and a touchdown. The pair of true freshmen combined to run 14 times for 27 yards, with Sanoe accounting for the 1-yard touchdown.

Due to the amount of injuries in the running back room, the blame for the room's poor showing through the first two weeks of the regular season can hardly be placed on ability or coaching decisions. However, it's become clear that the group is the biggest position that needs to be sorted out before the Huskies get into the thick of their Big Ten schedule.

Through the first two weeks of the season, Washington's rushing yards per game (120.5) ranks 15th in the 18-team Big Ten. Third-year quarterback Demond Williams Jr. has accounted for 117 of the team's 241 rushing yards through the first two weeks of the season.

The lack of a running game has exacerbated the team's struggles on offense against its nonconference schedule, which has also seen injuries beyond the running back room. Sixth-year wide receiver Christian Moss and fourth-year Rashid Williams went down in Weeks 1 and 2 respectively, with injuries.

The Huskies will have one more nonconference game, which will come against Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) team, the Eastern Washington Eagles, on Sept. 19. After that, UW will begin its Big Ten schedule against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Sept. 26.

Following Washington's game against Minnesota, the former will have two-straight games against teams currently ranked in the Associated Press Top 25: Southern California (No. 14) and Iowa (No. 21).

Whether it's Bonner, Sanoe, Cooley or another running back still in the room, the Huskies need to find a consistent answer before it heads to Los Angeles to take on the Trojans.