Bonner Grows Up In a Hurry as UW Running Back

Of the more accomplished modern-day University of Washington running backs, current all-time leading rusher Myles Gaskin, he of 5,323 career yards, didn't start a game for the Huskies until his sixth outing as a freshman.

Doak Walker Award winner Greg Lewis started just once as a first-year tailback late in the season.

Napoleon Kaufman, formerly the UW's all-time leading rusher before Gaskin with his 4,106 yards, opened no games as a freshman.

So here comes Brian Bonner Jr., who was thrust into that role as the No. 1 running back a month ago for the second game of the season against Utah State, with no prior experience whatsoever after he wasn't used in the opener against Washington State.

In Saturday night's 25-21 loss to USC, Bonner was one of the bright spots for the Huskies as he went home to the Los Angeles area and rushed for a game-high 89 yards on 19 carries, or nearly 5 yards a run.

UW coach Jedd Fisch liked his young player's fortitude in the face of a negative vibe surrounding a struggling offense.

'If you're a typical 18-year-old kid that's on social media a lot, you've been told for a few weeks you can't run the ball, that we're not running the ball," Fisch said. "He just keeps getting better and better and better."

Bonner had best runs of 13 and 16 yards at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as he looked comfortable in finding holes to pop through and running through them with authority.

"It gives us a lot of confidence in moving the ball and calling plays," Fisch said. "Because we felt really good that we had a back back there this week who felt really good in running the ball and confident."

The 6-foot, 205-pound Bonner, up nearly 20 pounds since first reporting to Montlake, was the fourth-string running back to begin the season, behind second-year player Quaid Carr, Oregon transfer Jayden Limar and Troy transfer Trey Cooley.

Brian Bonner Jr. leaps over an Eastern Washington defender. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Once Carr and Limar went down with opening-game injuries, and Cooley looked extra rusty after not playing for most of the past two seasons, Bonner was immediately installed as the starting Husky running back for the second game against Utah State.

He went into that match-up as the No. 1 guy without having played a down for the Huskies.

Bonner made his debut by rushing 9 times for 22 yards against the Aggies. He finished with 81 yards on six carries against Eastern Washington, which included a 55-yard run. He had seven carries for 23 yards against Minnesota as the Huskies played catch-up all game.

Brian Bonner Jr. gets loose on a 55-yard run for the Huskies against Eastern Washington. | Dave Sizer photo

Now after four starts, he leads the Huskies in rushing, giving them someone other than quarterback Demond Williams Jr. to lead in this catergory, with 41 carries for 216 yards.

"I'm really proud of him," Fisch said. "I don't want to sound like the proud dad type of thing, but Brian is young and fun to be around and learning."

And gaining yards.

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