Jameson McCausland
Staff Writer
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Fall camp has officially kicked off, and we continue our series previewing the 2021 Texas Longhorns by turning our attention to the running back position.
Departures
Keaontay Ingram (Portal)- 1,811 career rushing yards, 11 career rushing TD's
After flashing big time potential his freshman season, Ingram was never able to put all the pieces together to become the dominant running back many expected him to be. Injuries plagued him throughout his career and his 2020 season ended following an ankle injury against Oklahoma State. Ingram's injury opened the door for Bijan Robinson to receive more touches and the true freshman took full advantage, cementing himself as the lead back heading into 2021. Ingram opted to press the reset button and head west to USC.
Additions
Jonathan Brooks- #359 overall player in the country, #24 ranked RB
Keilan Robinson- Transfer from Alabama; sat out the 2020 season
With Ingram's departure, Steve Sarkisian and Stan Drayton looked to the portal for someone who could provide an immediate impact at the RB position. Sarkisian found the perfect fit in Alabama transfer Keilan Robinson, who he was familiar with from his time has the offensive coordinator with the Crimson Tide. Robinson opted not to play in 2020 due to concerns about Covid-19, but appeared in 8 games as a true freshman in 2019 and scored a pair of touchdowns while rushing for 254 yards. It is doubtful he will carry a heavy load for the Longhorns this year, but he is likely in line for a handful of touches per game as Sarkisian looks to utilize his elite speed.
Brooks joins the RB room after a decorated high school career at Hallettsville where he scored 70 total touchdowns as a senior. He is likely headed for a redshirt year but has the potential to make a big impact down the road.
Returning Players
Sophomore Bijan Robinson (2020 stats)- 86 carries, 703 yards and 4 rushing touchdowns
Junior Roschon Johnson (2020 stats)- 80 carries, 418 yards and 6 rushing touchdowns
Senior Daniel Young- Opted out of the 2020 season
Bijan Robinson certainly lived up to the hype he had coming out of high school and enters 2021 as the clear number 1 back for Texas. Sarkisian has made it clear he is not afraid to give Robinson up to 30 touches in a game if the situation calls for it. The sophomore will also see an uptick in receptions as Sarkisian and offensive coordinator Kyle Flood have a history of getting running backs heavily involved in the passing game.
Johnson enters his 3rd year at the running back position after originally arriving on the 40 acres as a quarterback. He has shown to be a physical runner his first two seasons and could carve out a role as a short yardage back this year.
Daniel Young is back on the team after opting out of the 2020 season. He is the biggest unknown in the RB room. Young saw significant playing time in 2017 but saw his playing time decline in 2018 and was pretty much only played special teams in 2019. Similar to Johnson, he is known for his power and ability to get tough yards. Fumbling issues and staying healthy have been big question marks. How he performs in fall camp will likely determine if he is in line to receive any meaningful carries this season.
Outlook
Running back is easily one of the deepest positions on the Texas roster. Bijan Robinson receives the majority of the hype (deservedly so), but the type of players Texas has behind him is equally as impressive. If Keilan Robinson picks up where he left off in 2019, the Longhorns will have 3 running backs they can feel comfortable handing the ball to in any given week
Steve Sarkisian will likely look to lean on the running back unit early in the season as he breaks in a new QB, but he has to feel good about what he has at his disposal to make life a little easier for Casey Thompson or Hudson Card.
