Caple: A look at UW Huskies’ most complete offensive position group

Aug 18, 2024, 9:14 AM

UW Huskies Insider

It will be another two weeks before anybody will know just what the UW Huskies might look like this season, considering they return only two regular starters from a team that played in last year’s national championship game.

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Among the certainties, though, is UW’s talent at running back, which projects as the Huskies’ most complete offensive position.

It’s a blend of veteran experience and younger faces, the likely contributors ranging from sixth-year seniors to true freshmen.

Here’s a player-by-player look at each of UW’s scholarship tailbacks.

Jonah Coleman

The junior Arizona transfer is among the team’s top leaders and, presumably, will be among the offense’s most important players. Coleman, from Stockton (Calif.) Lincoln, rushed for 892 yards and 6.8 per carry as a sophomore at Arizona last season, and was the first player to announce he was following coach Jedd Fisch and his staff to Washington. At 5-foot-9 and 229 pounds, Coleman is compact and muscular, and packs a punch when he lowers his shoulder. As running backs coach Scottie Graham said: “There’s a lot of ice cream on that cone.”

Cam Davis

Davis was poised to enter the 2023 season as UW’s starting tailback, with Mississippi State transfer Dillon Johnson still working back from a nagging knee injury. But Davis was lost for the season to a scrimmage injury in late August, and didn’t get a chance to build on his 13-touchdown performance as a sophomore in 2022. Now a sixth-year senior, he’s fully healthy and looks ready to team with Coleman to form a veteran duo.

“Everybody can go,” Davis said of the Huskies’ running backs. “Everybody kind of has their own style, their own tool bag.”

Adam Mohammed

He excelled as an early enrollee this spring, and Mohammed, initially a 2024 Arizona signee from Glendale (Ariz.) Apollo, also has made big plays during training camp. Listed at 6-foot and 212 pounds, Mohammed already carries a chiseled frame and could hardly be identified as a true freshman on sight alone. He runs tough with good burst, and should have some kind of role in his first college season.

Sam Adams II

It seemed Adams was getting more opportunities the past few practices, and did break off a couple impressive runs. But the fifth-year junior from Sammamish left Thursday’s practice after taking a hard hit near the sideline, so we’ll see what his status might be going forward. Past coaching staffs were intrigued by Adams’ size and running ability, but he’s struggled to stay healthy throughout his college career. So far, Graham said, “he’s taken advantage of the opportunity, because he’s so explosive and so smooth.”

Daniyel Ngata

Ngata was getting regular practice reps as the third or fourth tailback before an apparent injury relegated him to conditioning drills. The former Arizona State transfer carved out a role last season as UW’s primary kick returner, though he saw only seven carries for 23 yards on offense. Graham knows him from his time as an administrator at ASU.

“Daniyel Ngata could be a starter on 25, 30 teams,” Graham said. “I knew Dan when I worked at ASU. I always admired him. He can do everything. He packs a hell of a punch, being 195 pounds. Consummate pro. It’s a pleasure to have him in the room, because at any point in the game, you can put him in, and he’ll show up and show out.”

Jordan Washington

A four-star Arizona signee from Long Beach (Calif.) Jordan, Washington transferred to UW after spring practices. He’s been limited for much of preseason camp, and appears in line for a redshirt, though he is perhaps the fastest player on the team, having run a 10.24-second, 100-meter dash in high school.

This column from UW Huskies football insider Christian Caple is exclusive to Seattle Sports. Subscribe to OnMontlake.com for full access to Caple’s in-depth Husky coverage.