Texas football: Inside Roschon Johnson's unselfish move to running back

On permanent position change, Johnson and team will 'worry about that at the end of the season'

Texas football started 2019 with a lot of questions at the running back position. Returning letterman Daniel Young was sidelined with a high ankle sprain, Kirk Johnson was out with a shoulder injury and true freshman Jordan Whittington had to have surgery to help heal a sports hernia. 

With all of that attrition at the running back spot, the Texas coaching staff had no choice but to get creative and move third-string quarterback Roschon Johnson over to help fill out depth behind Keaontay Ingram. 

For Johnson the chance for early playing time had to be weighed against potenial development at quarterback. As a true freshman, he would have the chance to most likely run the scout team and learn behind one of the best signal callers in the country every Saturday in Sam Ehlinger. 

That experience would have certainly given him a leg up in a potential quarterback battle with current backup Casey Thompson once Ehlinger's time at Texas is up. It was an unselfish move for Johnson, particularly in the era of the transfer portal. 

Johnson has turned out to be a solid contributor at his new spot, amassing 223 yards and three touchdowns from scrimmage so far this season. 

Now with Young back in the picture and Whittington eying a return sometime in October. There is currently an opening for Roschon Johnson to potentially move back to quarterback and preserve his redshirt season (he is right at the four-game limit for players to keep their redshirt eligibility). 

Yet it appears as though Roschon Johnson will continue in his role at running back, even though increased depth at the position is likely to cut into his carries. 

"He said 'Am I still gonna be able to help the team?' I said 'Absolutely' and he said 'Then we'll worry about all that stuff at the end of the season," Herman said.  

The Longhorns will face some important decisions at the position at the end of the year. The running back depth chart - a barren landscape just a few weeks ago - will be flush with young talent going into 2020. Not only should the Longhorns get Ingram back for what will be his junior season, but Young, Whittington, Kirk Jonnson and potentially a returning Darrien Brown who had to sit out this season after suffering the effects of a stroke in the spring. 

Add to that room a five-star talent in Bijan Robinson - currently ranked the No. 3 running back in the 2020 class - and all-purpose back Ty Jordan and you can see how carries and touches in the Texas backfield might be at a premium next season. 

So what's best for Roschon Johnson in the future? He was the No. 6 player at his position in the country coming out of high school and would certainly be in line for a chance at the starting job along with Thompson and 2020 commit Hudson Card once Ehlinger's time on the Forty Acres is up. However, he's also shown he can compete at a high level for touches as a running back. 

Whichever decision he makes, coaches believe he has already shown leadership and unselfishness far beyond his years as a true freshman. And those are characteristics that will translate to any position.