Dillon Johnson may not be as notable a name as his teammate Michael Penix Jr., but he's been just as vital to Washington during its championship run.
The running back has the most yards on the ground (1,162) by any Husky this season by nearly a thousand yards. He has 16 touchdowns, including two against Texas in the Sugar Bowl. There's no doubt Washington will want to get Johnson as many touches as they can against Michigan in the championship, as the Wolverines will monitor Penix closely. They have the No. 2 best passing defense in the country.
Whether or not Washington can rely fully on Johnson is still up for question. After going down with an injury late against Texas, the running back may not be at full force on Monday.
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Dillon Johnson injury update
Johnson went down with a lower leg injury in the final minute of the Sugar Bowl.
On third down of Washington's final possession, Johnson ran up the middle in an attempt to run the clock out. Instead, he went down and needed to be carted off the field, as he was unable to put any pressure on his left foot.
dillon johnson injury pic.twitter.com/EJG3qSP6fM
— ◇ (@2MANYBRIDGES) January 2, 2024
Coach Kalen DeBoer clarified it was a nagging foot injury that Johnson had been dealing with for months. He did not give details regarding the initial cause of the injury, but said Johnson has played through it before.
“He’s playing through it. There’s nothing as far as above and beyond what’s happened in the past. He’d throughout the game, reaggravate it, shake it off and go back out and play. My thoughts are he’ll be ready to go," DeBoer said Wednesday. "Knowing when we landed, as long as everything came out alright with everything, he was going to do everything he could to be on that football field next Monday.”
Johnson was carted off the field as time expired and the Huskies eventually beat the Longhorns 37-31.
Dillon Johnson was hyped for Washington's win even as he was being carted off the field.pic.twitter.com/PZNrTzY5ms
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) January 2, 2024
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Fortunately for the Huskies, Johnson's X-rays taken at the Superdome came back negative. The running back is expected to play Monday when the Huskies take on top-ranked Michigan in the CFP Championship game in Houston.
Johnson transferred to Washington after three seasons with Mississippi State. He earned second-team All-Pac 12 honors this season after leading the conference in rushing touchdowns and finishing third in rushing yards per game (89.4).
