The Washington Huskies have an exciting playmaker in running back Jonah Coleman, who was very productive at Arizona under Jedd Fisch, where he averaged 7.5 yards per touch as a sophomore last season. At 5-foot-9 and 229 pounds, Coleman has proven to be a powerful runner who can be very tough to tackle.
Running backs coach Scottie Graham values big, strong running backs, and even though Coleman is on the shorter side, he fits Graham’s mold perfectly.
“We like big dudes, we’re in the Big Ten, they call it ‘Big’ for a reason,” he said after practice. “We can’t get arm tackled and I think big guys are important because a two-yard run becomes a four-yard run. Big guys make a big difference, and Jonah’s short, but he’s still big.”
Graham also offered a unique comparison for Coleman, who earned an All-Pac-12 honorable mention in 2023.
“There’s a lot of ice cream on that cone,” Graham said, which got a big laugh from all the media members in attendance.
As for Coleman, he credited his size and strength to Washington’s strength and conditioning staff, which followed Fisch from Arizona to Seattle and is led by Tyler Owens.
“We competed throughout the offseason,” Coleman said. “The program is built on competition, so we competed, and that’s what it’s all about: getting each other better, coming closer, and getting to know one another.”
“Big shoutout to T.O., [director of speed and performance] Ed [Thompson], [assistant strength coach] Cadillac Mitchell, and the strength staff. I’ve been with [director of sports science] Ben [Creamer]in the boxing gym and doing extra cardio. Everybody’s doing extra and doing something to get better outside of the weight room hour”
With Washington’s first game a little over two weeks away, Coleman is expected to be an important part of the Huskies’ offense and physically seems ready to compete in the Big Ten. If he can prove to be just as productive as he was with the Wildcats, he could end up being regarded as one of the best running backs in the conference this year.
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