With the loss of starting running back Quaid Carr and his counterpart Jayden Limar, the Washington Huskies' running back room will need to rely on their depth to carry them through the coming weeks. While many are speculating about who will take the lead role alongside quarterback Demond Williams Jr. in the backfield, freshman Brian Bonner Jr. will be a key part of the rotation.
The former four-star recruit was one of the most highly-touted backs in his class, receiving offers from all over the country, including Notre Dame, Georgia, and Michigan. Bonner ultimately chose the Huskies over finalists UCLA, Penn State, and Nebraska, and now, the California native will be the next freshman in Jedd Fisch's 2026 class to see significant time on the field.
"It just happened to fall a certain way that we went with Quaid earlier because he was here a year before," said Fisch during Monday's Husky Football Coaches Show. "But you're looking at a back that has probably about 15 more pounds on him than Quaid; he's probably about a 210 back. You're looking at a guy with 10.4 speed in the state of California, one of the fastest guys in the state. You're looking at a guy that can run the wide zone but can also run the gap scheme."
Jedd Fisch says that Brian Bonner and Trey Cooley will share the carries moving forward, with Ansu Sanoe getting involved as well.
— Nick Lemkau (@nicklemkaucfb) September 7, 2026
Fisch also expressed that Bonner won't be the only one assisting Washington's rushing attack, as veteran transfer Trey Cooley and freshman Ansu Sanoe are also expected to take on key roles. Although the trio hasn't seen much action on the field, Fisch noted in his interview that Bonner received more carries in fall camp than anyone else in the room, including those higher on the depth chart, Carr and Limar.
Although losing the first two players on your depth chart is never a good thing, the Huskies offense has ways to replace the production. Along with the trio of running backs mentioned above, Williams will certainly be part of Washington's ground game.
"Where we're different is that we have a quarterback that, you know, is going to lead the team in rushing most games," Fisch said.
Fisch and his offense will have two weeks to get an idea of what the running game will look like before entering Big Ten play on September 26 at home against Minnesota. Until then, Washington will round out its non-conference schedule with a pair of home games against Utah State and Eastern Washington, where they will look to rely on the blue-chip freshman to help establish an identity on the ground.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Freshman Brian Bonner Jr. To See Larger Role in Washington Backfield
