A Look Inside Baylor’s Running Back Room for 2026
In this story:
The Baylor running back room was viewed as a massive strength heading into the 2025 season. But after a season-ending injury to Dawson Pendergrass in the summer and a barrage of smaller injuries to starter Bryson Washington and backups Caden Knighten and Michael Turner, the Baylor running back room left something to be desired in the 2025 campaign.
Departures and Arrivals
OUT: Bryson Washington (Transfer Portal), Joseph Dodds (Transfer Portal)
IN: Ryelan Morris (High School), HD Davis (High School)
Projected Depth Chart
RB1: Dawson Pendergrass (RS Jr.)
RB2: Caden Knighten (So.)
RB3: Michael Turner (So.)
RB4: Ryelan Morris (Fr.)
RB5: HD Davis (Fr.)
What if I told you Dawson Pendergrass scored on this play?#SCTop10 | 📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/opT34vhkXx
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) October 26, 2024
What I like about the room
The room is very talented. Dawson Pendergrass is a do-it-all running back, and Caden Knighten was a strong number two running back last year. Michael Turner was dealing with injuries all last season and still showed elite flashes in moments. The potential is there with all three running backs, and Khenon Hall will no doubt get them in shape to supplement the DJ Lagway-led offense. Dawson Pendergrass is widely underrated in my opinion. In his freshman year, 2024, he totaled 671 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards per carry.
He was also a threat in the air, with 103 receiving yards and a touchdown. Caden Knighten also brings returning production as a second running back. He had 469 rushing yards in 2025, averaging 4.5 yards per carry and a rushing touchdown. He was also a threat in the air with over 134 yards and a touchdown. Michael Turner will also be a sophomore next season. In his freshman campaign, he had 320 rushing yards, averaging 4.9 yards per carry.
The room also adds talented freshman Ryelan Morris, a four-star who the coaching staff is very excited about. He will no doubt be used in multiple ways in 2026, both as a receiver and as a back. The room is deep with talent, and if they stay healthy should be able to produce for Jake Spavital like the room did in 2024.
@espn @barstoolsports @BarstoolSicEm pic.twitter.com/mGEHfJiECL
— Caden Knighten (@cadenknighten) November 2, 2025
What I don't like about the room
The room lacks experience. While Dawson Pendergrass and Caden Knighten both saw meaningful action in recent seasons, much of that work came behind star running back Bryson Washington. That context matters. Each has flashed in complementary roles, but neither has yet been asked to consistently shoulder the full workload. There’s a clear difference between contributing within a rotation and being the focal point of an offense.
Michael Turner's first-career TD puts us ahead 👏
— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) October 4, 2025
Baylor 17, K-State 10 | 1:57 2Q #SicEm | @MichaelTurnerj pic.twitter.com/aXyJT9vHdN
Injury history adds another layer of uncertainty. Pendergrass was available throughout the 2024 season but missed the entirety of 2025 due to injury, creating a long gap between live reps. Meanwhile, Knighten and Turner were available for most of 2025, though both dealt with lingering injuries that limited consistency. None of this is disqualifying, but it has prevented the room from building continuity. For Baylor, the question isn’t talent, it’s whether this group can stay healthy long enough to establish defined roles and sustain production over a full season.
This article is part of a series where we break down every Baylor position following the transfer portal cycle—while the Bears could still add players.
You can see the following position groups:
- Quarterbacks
More from Baylor on SI
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- Why Baylor still sits in prime position for five-star guard Dylan Mingo
- Baylor lands commitment from former Auburn, LSU CB in transfer portal
- Baylor adds a Swiss Army Knife after landing Delaware LB Anthony Crenshaw Jr.
- Ranking Baylor football's incoming transfer portal additions
Jacob is a contributor for Baylor Bears On SI. A lifelong sports fan, he started writing game reactions and opinion pieces during Baylor football and basketball seasons, turning that hobby into a growing presence in sports media. He brings an authentic, fan-driven voice to his work and is excited to keep building his voice and breaking down the topics Baylor fans are talking about every day.
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