Adam Mohammed's Husky Exit Just Feels Different Than the Others

If the University of Washington football team was playing the 2026 season opener against Washington State this weekend -- yes, everything begins with the Apple Cup next fall -- the Husky Stadium public-address announcer would offer the following:

"Starting at running back for the Huskies, Quaid Carr."

That's Quaid Carr, not Dennis Quaid.

That's Carr, as in the 5-foot-11, 190-pound redshirt freshman from Riverside, California, who has all of four career carries for 14 yards, with three coming in the LA Bowl, and could use some seasoning at the college level.

That's not Adam Mohammed, who was fully expected to take his turn in the Husky backfield for the next season or two, with the UW fully invested in him, and then let Carr and others have their shot at the lead role.

Adam Mohammed meditates before the Penn State game last season. | Skylar Lin Visuals

This just wasn't the plan for Jedd Fisch's staffers who had to be stung somewhat by the departure of Mohammed, their great recruiting find, their carefully groomed replacement for the graduating Jonah Coleman and their potential big-numbers back.

Yet the 6-foot, 220-pound sophomore reportedly cut against the grain and ran through the hole to the transfer portal.

In a college game with really no allegiances anymore, which threatens to turn off a lot of its dedicated fan base nationwide at some point -- after all, what if Mohammed winds up at Oregon, which he had great success against? -- because people aren't sure who to root for anymore.

College football always has been a game of tradition, not a smaller version of the more cold-hearted and professional NFL.

Adam Mohammed gets creative with his personal message. | Dave Sizer photo

Mohammed is a nice, young kid, always polite, sometimes a little quirky with his big black glasses and his multi-hued dyed hair, which sometimes included a gold base with a purple W painted on his noggin.

He was helmet head, a Husky in body and soul.

He made his connection personal for people to see.

Providing there's no change of heart, Mohammed has gone off to join a new football program. Off to entertain another fan base. Off to collect a reasonable financial incentive and turn that Bo Jackson body of his into an NFL career.

Adam Mohammed breaks a tackle running up the sideline against Oregon. | Dave Sizer photo

His departure just seems totally different from all of others who are leaving Montlake -- now 10 overall and counting -- because he had patiently waited for Coleman to finish up before supposedly taking over.

Because he seemed to have a longstanding relationship with Scottie Graham, the Arizona and now UW running-back coach, who admittedly tried to hide his interest in this kid from Glendale, Arizona, so others wouldn't find out what he knew.

Because he painted his head purple and gold.

Yet Mohammad must have an opportunity to collect a much bigger financial incentive elsewhere, which continues to dilute everyone's sense of college football reality, and go play for an established blue blood, not a program trying to become one.

He also talked about coming from a big family of college athletes -- with one brother is a running back playing at Minot State, another brother a basketball player at S.F. Austin and yet another walked on for football at Arizona -- but none of them had the potential earnings power that he does. Maybe he's going elsewhere to pay for everyone else.

Brian Bonner, new UW running back, on sign day. | Bonner

In Montlake, he'll be replaced by one or more of any number of running backs on the roster who include Carr, sophomore speedster Jordan Washington, redshirted freshman Julian McMahan and incoming freshmen Brian Bonner and Ansu Sanoe, with Bonner the Huskies' highest-rated running back recruit ever coming in.

Someone such as Bonner is so fast and elusive he might come in and immediately make people forget about everyone else who has carried the football recently in Montlake, including the guy with purple and gold head.

Yet Mohammed is a lot like that high school boyfriend or girlfriend who suddenly breaks up with you right before the prom. After you had ordered a tux or bought the dress.

Some how you have to get over it and go to the dance with someone else.

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