In 2019, the Longhorns running game was largely inconsistent. Sophomore running back Keaontay Ingram received the majority of the carries, along with freshman, Roschon Johnson, who volunteered to play running back after a slew on injuries to Texas’s backfield. However, with a lack of depth at the position, the Longhorns made the most of what they had.
Following the season, the Longhorns added five-star prospect, Bijan Robinson, from Arizona. Now, the running back position seems to be one of the team’s strengths. Today, we will take a look at Texas’s running back situation heading into the 2020 football season.
2020 Running Back Options:
Keaontay Ingram (Junior)
2019 Stats: 144 carries, 853 rushing yards and 10 total TDs.
Last season, Ingram struggled to to have his presence felt every week. Ingram rushed for over one hundred yards in four games, but was held to under thirty yards in five contests. However, injuries did took their toll. Against eleventh-ranked Utah, Ingram finished the season with a bang as he totaled 134 yards and 2 TDs, leading the Longhorns to an Alamo Bowl victory. Heading into the 2020 season, expect Keaontay to remain as the starting running back. If Texas’s passing game clicks under new offensive coordinator, Mike Yurcich, Keaontay will be in a better position to succeed.
Roschon Johnson (Sophomore)
2019 Stats: 123 carries, 649 rushing yards and 8 total TDs
Talk about taking advantage of an opportunity. First of all, Johnson stepped up when the team needed depth at tailback. Then, Roschon not only found his way into contests, but also injected speed into Texas’s backfield. Now, Johnson is fully committed to being a running back. Prior to this upcoming season, Roschon is in a prime position to make an impact on the field as part of Texas’s running back tandem.
Bijan Robinson (Freshman)
2019 High School Stats: 126 carries, 2,235 rushing yards and 42 total TDs.
Robinson was ranked as the 12th best recruit in the class of 2020 by the 247Sports Composite. One thing is for sure, if Robinson lives up to the hype, the Longhorns will be in great hands. The shifty running back will look to add his name to the end of “Campbell-Williams Field” by the end of his playing career. However, all hype aside, it will be up to Bijan to claw his way into receiving a large portion of the carries at running back. It will be interesting to see how the Longhorns will be able to utilize Bijan early on, especially with the already established duo of Ingram and Johnson.
Daniel Young (Senior)
2019 Stats: 16 carries, 63 rushing yards and 2 total TDs.
With every season that passes, Young has been less and less involved. He tallied 373 rushing yards during his freshman season, however a combination of injuries and competition has helped to change his placement on the depth chart. In 2020, you can expect to see Young be used as an insurance option.
Outlook:
Fans should be excited to see Texas’s arsenal of running backs weapons. The duo of Ingram and Johnson was an exciting one to watch in 2019. However, with the addition of Robinson, the Longhorns backfield could be electrifying. If the Longhorns passing game is able to get in rhythm, the running back tandem will feast. Keep an eye on how the backfield’s workload changes throughout the season as there could be a major shift in playing time down the road.
