A 10-Player Primer on the UW Running-Back Competition

With this University of Washington football team, everything seems so straight forward with player rotations at most positions. For 11 spring practices, it's largely the same guys who come out first for the 11-on-11 competition.

Running back, however, is the one place that continues to keep people guessing.

Eight scholarship guys. Three injured. Five redshirt freshmen and freshmen. Two walk-ons.

With spring ball down to three practices and the spring game, the window is closing on a bunch of these candidates.

This is the tryout period.

Fall camp in August basically will be used for identifying who can help and how fast, with at least two of the injured in transfers Trey Cooley and Jayden Limar needing to show right away they're completely mended from respective knee and ankle surgeries.

With that in mind, here's where each of these running backs stand with the season opener against Washington State in the Apple Cup at Husky Stadium just 135 days away.

QUAID CARR

The 5-foot-11, 186-pound redshirt freshman is being groomed for the job, put on a fast track since Jordan Washington suffered a neck injury in the third practice. Last season, he played in games against Purdue and Boise State and carried the ball four times and caught a pass.

Originally committed to San Diego State, Carr is the team's second-fastest back behind Jordan Washington. He had 1,000-yards seasons as a junior and senior at Servite High in Southern California. It could be his job to lose.

"He's a complete football player," running-backs coach Scottie Graham said.

ANSU SANOE

This 6-foot-2, 235-pound freshman, down 10 pounds since arriving, more often than not is second in the rotation. He's a punishing runner, as shown when he took linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale off his feet last week.

The Oregon product has been somewhat of a surprise in that he appears more ready to play right away than his fellow freshman Brian Bonner Jr. His drawback would be a couple of scrimmage fumbles that brought him penalty laps.

BRIAN BONNER JR.

Bonner, at 5-foot-11 and 196 pounds, is a 4-star recruit who sort of glides when he runs. The potential is obviously there, yet he probably needs a good year in the weight room to become a finished back.

Still, he's got a shiftiness to him that shows up when he navigates the line of scrimmage.

JULIAN MCMAHAN

This 6-foot-1, 234-pound guy and Sanoe could be bookends as the Huskies' bigger backs. He didn't play in any games as a freshman in 2025 and still seems to be in development, running behind the others.

D'ARYHIAN CLEMONS

This converted cornerback who appeared in the Huskies' first and last games last season is behind the others as he tries to settle in as a ball carrier. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Clemons was a 1,000-yard rusher as a sophomore at Spanaway Lake before concentrating on defense.

JORDAN WASHINGTON

He was the Huskies' No. 1 back entering spring ball, but injured his neck in a freak accident that ended his spring. He's the fastest player on the team, In two seasons, the sophomore has played in 12 games and run 30 times for 240 yards, which includes a 68-yard touchdown burst against Purdue.

With the way the coaches have described his physical state in concerned terms, it's unclear how badly Washington was injured and whether his career is in doubt.

TREY COOLEY

This former Louisville, Georgia Tech and Troy running back hasn't really played in two seasons because of injuries. Yet he has appeared in 34 career games, gained 1,010 yards and scored 6 times. He ran for 112 yards against Boston College in 2021. He even started once as a freshman.

When the 5-foot-10, 208-pound senior shows up at spring practice, Cooley seems upbeat as he mixes with his new teammates in his recovery. He's not limping at all either.

JAYDEN LIMAR

He had ankle surgery after arriving from Oregon, where he started three of 33 games, rushed for 442 yards and 4 touchdowns. He was on a cart to get around and now wears a protective boot.

Similar to Cooley, the 5-foot-10, 205-pound Limar has been trying to act like a leader at practice in his new setting.

RYKEN MOON

The son of Warren Moon, the 5-foot-11, 214-pound redshirt freshman walk-on has received more of an opportunity to play than most in his non-scholarship situation. Last season, he appeared in three games and rushed 5 times for 22 yards.

When he first arrived, some thought was given to making him a safety because he's a physical player. Graham has encouraged him to pursue special-teams duties.

BECK WALKER

This 6-foot-1, 216-pound senior redshirted in 2025 for the UW after playing two seasons of California junior-college ball.

The Huskies use him ahead of the scholarship guys sometimes, with Walker even drawing a couple of carries in Thursday's practice.

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