Head coach Tom Herman announced several position changes at his press availability on Tuesday.
One of the biggest questions surrounding the new coaching staff would be whether Roschon Johnson or Jordan Whittington would remain at running back. Johnson was originally the No. 3 quarterback behind Sam Ehlinger and Casey Thompson, where a redshirt season loomed. Whittington was expected to make an immediate impact as a wide receiver.
Due to an unexpected series of injuries in the backfield, Whittington switched positions during the offseason and quickly climbed the depth chart as the No. 2 running back. When he also was sidelined due to injury, Johnson took the rare opportunity and ran with it. Literally.
Texas had several high-profile athletes make their debut in 2019, but Johnson was without a doubt the most surprising player. Johnson became the emergency fix at running back just one week before the season opener.
Although Johnson appeared in all 12 regular season games, his breakout showing came just five weeks into the season. He recorded his first 100-yard game on the ground with 121 rushing yards against West Virginia.
The true freshman finished the 2019 season with 758 all-purpose yards and was awarded Big 12 Newcomer of the week twice for his performances against West Virginia and Texas Tech. When fellow backs Daniel Young and Kirk Johnson each returned from their respective injuries, Johnson’s production was too impressive to take off the field.
The quarterback-turned-running back has a natural ability to power through contact. In several contests, Johnson provided the missing spark and appeared as the most reliable back on the roster.
Fortunately for the Longhorns, he’s now able to remain at his new position. Herman officially announced on Tuesday that Whittington would be moving back to slot receiver, while Johnson would remain at running back. However, the primary reason the staff is able to leave Johnson in the backfield is due to the promising depth at the quarterback position.
Ehlinger will be returning for his senior season, while long-time backup Casey Thompson will provide depth as the No. 2 quarterback. Incoming four-star quarterback Hudson Card is the No. 57 overall prospect in the nation according to 247Sports Composite.
While Texas’ future is expected to be in the hands of Card, Johnson has a much better chance of receiving more playing time as a running back rather than quarterback. With how productive his 2019 season was, Herman must find a way to get him on the field as much as possible.
Johnson will now be competing alongside Keontay Ingram and incoming No. 1 overall running back in the nation Bijan Robinson. With a full year of experience under his belt, Johnson has a legitimate chance to continue receiving a fair amount of carries.