Coleman Remains Mr. Touchdown, Point-ed Toward End Zone

Jonah Coleman doesn't always get the rushing yardage he probably deserves, not while teaming with a run-minded quarterback in Demond Williams Jr. cutting into his carries, but nobody shorts him on touchdowns these days.

As the senior running back and his University of Washington teammates take a bye week off, Coleman remains the college game's national leader in TDs scored with 15 -- which is three more than his nearest competitor.

He also ranks No. 1 in FBS play with 13 rushing scores, one more than the next guys chasing him.

He's not purposely trying to pile up points to satisfy any needs on his behalf. He's just doing what he can to make the Huskies win.

"Personal accolades and personal praise comes when you're a really good team, so we're trying to do that," Coleman said. "I'm just trying to be the best teammate I can be."

Coleman has scored against every team he's faced this season except for No. 1-ranked Ohio State. He received only one real shot to score from close range with the ball on the Buckeyes 2, but was dropped for a 1-yard loss in the opening quarter.

It was a rare defensive upper hand held over this likely NFL-bound back running to cross that threshold someday.

Jonah Coleman tries to get around the corner against Illinois. | Dave Sizer photo

With his 15 six-pointers, the 5-foot-9, 220-pound ball carrier from Stockton, California, maintains a healthy scoring lead over the four nearest players chasing him, though he's played one more game than all of the others except for Ole Miss sophomore running back Kewan Lacy,

Others with a dozen touchdowns are Navy senior Blake Horvath, Georgia Tech senior Haynes King, and Notre Dame junior Jeremiyah Love.

Of this group, only Coleman and Love have scoring receptions among their totals, with the Husky back catch TD passes from UW quarterback Demond Williams Jr. and, in a bit of trickery, from wide receiver Denzel Boston.

Love has three TD catches for the Fighting Irish to go with nine rushing scores.

Jonah Coleman peeks at the sideline while his teammates huddle and Demond Williams Jr. calls for a play. | Dave Sizer photo

Coleman has scored the most touchdowns in the second quarter with five, followed by four in the third quarter.

Three of his first four TDs came in the first quarter over the first two games.

Coleman's longest touchdown has a been a 34-yard catch in the Apple Cup at Washington State.

His longest rushing TD covered 26 yards in the season opener against Colorado State and provided the Huskies with their first points of the season coming just three minutes and 52 seconds into it.

He has four 1-yard runs for scores.

Coleman provided a game-winning score with one of the short ones, putting the Huskies ahead of Maryland 24-20 with 3:21 remaining, which, of course, became the final score.

Against Rutgers and Illinois, he gave the Huskies leads for good at 17-13 in the third quarter and at 21-17 in the second quarter, respectively.

In his most prolific afternoon, Coleman put up five touchdowns on UC Davis to tie a modern-day Husky record shared with Corey Dillon in 1996 and Hugh McElhenny in 1950.

"I don't think I had a five in a game in high school," he said.

With at least five games remaining, counting a bowl, Coleman needs 10 more touchdowns to tie the single-season record of 25 set by Dillon nearly 30 years ago.

Who's to stop him?

No one, so far.

JONAH COLEMAN TDS IN 2025
1. 26-yard run, 1st quarter, 11:08, 7-0	Colorado State
2. 3-yard run, 4th quarter, 6:57, 38-21	Colorado State
3. 15-yard run, 1st quarter, 12:17, 7-0	UC Davis
4. 1-yard run, 1st quarter, 8:28, 14-0	UC Davis
5. 9-yard run, 2nd quarter, 10:27, 28-3	UC Davis
6. 7-yard run, 2nd quarter, 2:36, 35-10	UC Davis
7. 5-yard run, 3rd quarter, 11:31, 49-10	UC Davis
8. 12-yard run, 2nd quarter, 10:02, 21-7	Washington State
9. 2-yard run, 3rd quarter, 8:16, 31-17	Washington State
10. 34-yard catch, 4th quarter, 10:08, 52-24	Washington State
11. 1-yard run, 4th quarter, 3:21, 24-20	Maryland
12. 1-yard run, 3rd quarter, 1:54, 17-13	Rutgers
13. 1-yard run, 2nd quarter, 4:31, 7-7	Michigan
14. 12-yard catch, 2nd quarter, 1:15, 21-17	Illinois
15. 7-yard run, 3rd quarter, 5:37, 28-17	Illinois

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