Nixon Has Been Healthiest, Most Consistent Husky Running Back

As the University of Washington coaching staff reshuffles its running backs to replace Cam Davis, Will Nixon is firmly in the mix.

In fact, he was always in the mix, even before Davis suffered a season-ending injury in the Huskies' final fall scrimmage.

Nixon presents himself as a very serious-minded player, as the son of an NFL running-backs coach, as an accomplished Texas high school rusher, as a one-time Nebraska wide receiver.

He's one of six players who will be given every opportunity to become the Huskies' lead back in Davis' absence, joined in the competition by Mississippi State transfer Dillon Johnson, Arizona State transfer Daniyel Ngata, returnees Richard Newton and Sam Adams II, and freshman Tybo Rogers.

"I've just got to do what I do — is be me," Nixon said. "Catch the ball. Make people miss. Be real consistent. Be me."

Throughout spring and fall practices, Nixon has been the Huskies' most consistent and healthiest of the running backs.

Johnson is coming off a pair of minor surgeries over the past year. Ngata, Newton and Adams each missed practice time in spring ball with assorted ailments. Rogers briefly drew a suspension this month for breaking team rules. This past week, Davis had surgery for an unspecified lower-body injury.

With a determined offseason makeover, Nixon showed up for spring football sporting a solid 5-foot-11, 202-pound physique, some 15 pounds or more heavier than he was the year before.

"His body looks way different," UW coach Kalen DeBoer said.

After missing a pair of games in 2022, Nixon put on the added weight to better withstand the pounding that comes with his position.

He was slightly undersized after spending two seasons at Nebraska as a pass-catcher, initially going that route because he thought he was too small to be a college running back.

At Midway High School in Waco, Texas, Nixon rushed for 1,837 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior in 2019, drawing scholarship offers from Notre Dame, Penn State, Purdue, Baylor and Kansas State in the process.

At the time, Nixon's dad, Jeff, was the co-offensive coordinator for Baylor. A former West Virginia and Penn State running back, the elder Nixon currently is the running-backs coach for the New York Giants, his fifth NFL team.

Will Nixon ended up in Montlake because of his previous connection to Huskies wide-receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard, who tried to recruit him to Purdue in that role.

He looks much better suited to be a UW rusher, demonstrating ample quickness while shooting through holes and he's sure to be a big contributor this season.

"It feels good," Nixon said, "to be back at running back."

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