Tag: Kaleb Johnson

Kaleb Johnson cracks On3’s top 10 running backs through Week 6

On3 has RB1 ranked among college football’s finest.

Kaleb Johnson has been putting on a show this season for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

After a pair of solid campaigns in Iowa City, the junior Hawkeye running back has really taken off to start 2024. Johnson has carried 91 times for 771 rushing yards with 10 rushing touchdowns.

The 6-foot, 225 pound running back eclipsed the century mark in each of Iowa’s first four games and has registered a touchdown in every game this season.

On3 is taking notice of his standout performances as one of the nation’s top running backs. On3 ranks Johnson as college football’s No. 7 running back through the season’s first six weeks.

Given Iowa’s challenges offensively, Johnson has been a huge lifeline to the Hawkeyes. He’s able to help them control the clock and lean on the defense and special teams to produce favorable outcomes.

Johnson is coming off his first game of the season without 100 yards rushing, totaling 86 yards and a touchdown in a loss to Ohio State. On the year, though, he’s averaging 7.9 yards per carry with 771 yards and 10 touchdowns. – Thomas Goldkamp, On3.

Johnson is truly having a season to remember for Iowa. His 771 rushing yards rank second nationally and his 7.95 yards per carry rank third.

“I’m not sure I remember anybody in four games doing what he’s done. He just continues to run really well and he’s been really aggressive. You know, he’s always been a big, strong guy and a talented guy.

“But, right now, he’s really just focused and I think really coming into his own in terms of using what strengths and abilities he does have and he’s really using those to his advantage. So, yeah, it’s been a really impressive four games,” Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz said of Johnson after the win over Minnesota.

Johnson might have a good chance for another big game this weekend. Iowa (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) welcomes in Washington (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten). The Huskies rank 58th nationally in rushing defense, surrendering 130.5 rushing yards per game.

Kickoff versus the Huskies is set for 11 a.m. on Fox from Kinnick Stadium.

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Steelers scouts swarm Week 6, Ohio State vs Iowa: Finding future stars

The Steelers are preparing for the future! Pittsburgh sent out scouts to witness some of College Football’s best from Ohio State and Iowa.

From Omar Khan aggressively pursuing a trade for Davante Adams to preparation for next year’s draft, there is a lot to love about this team’s future. Pittsburgh’s scouting team is looking to keep the ‘Khan Artist’ happy with the CFB matchups this week.

It was reported on Saturday morning that Pittsburgh was one of ten teams to send personnel to scout the Ohio State vs Iowa matchup. Pittsburgh made a decision, one that only a select few of these ten teams made, to send more than one scout to the game.

Several dominant and key players from next year’s draft will be showcasing their talent in hopes of becoming top draft selections, such as Ohio State’s WR Emeka Egbuka, EDGE Jack Sawyer, RB Quinshon Judkins, OT Josh Simmons, CB Denzel Burke, and EDGE JT Tuimoloau, to name a few. The University of Iowa also has some aspiring 2025 NFL Draft prospects, like OG Sebastian Castro, DB Xavier Nwankpa, and RB Kaleb Johnson.

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Iowa running back gives Ohio State defense bulletin board material

Adding fuel to the fire #GoBucks

Iowa running back, Kaleb Johnson is a very good football player. Through four games he’s rushed for nearly 700 yards, is averaging over eight yards per carry, and already has nine touchdowns. But going into Ohio Stadium to face the No. 3 team in the land will be a different animal than what Johnson has seen before. And he may have just thrown gasoline on what will already be a raging fire for the Hawkeyes.

Johnson is an Ohio native hailing from Hamilton, Ohio. However, Ohio State never came calling when it was time to recruit. Maybe the Buckeyes should have given Johnson a look as Dallan Hayden was the only running back in that 2022 recruiting class, and he — of course — has since moved on to Colorado.

When asked if he ever wanted to go to OSU, Johnson’s response might raise some eyebrows saying “Even if they would’ve offered me, I wouldn’t have like went because I feel like I want to beat them.” Take a listen for yourself.

The defense knows in order to stop Iowa, it has to stop Johnson and that’s exactly what it’ll key on doing … maybe now with a little extra motivation.

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‘It’s my turn now’: Kaleb Johnson talks NCAAF rushing champion race

Kaleb Johnson is embracing the challenge ahead of him.

Kaleb Johnson has grabbed the eyes of America and the college football world with his All-American start to the 2024 season. The Iowa Hawkeyes back has taken the reins as the lead back and has not given up an inch.

Through four games, Kaleb Johnson has amassed 685 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Quite possibly more impressive is that Johnson is averaging an astounding 8.4 yards on his 82 carries.

Kaleb Johnson has himself in the thick of the NCAA football rushing champion race against Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and when asked about how he feels about it, he didn’t shy away from the competition.

“That man is crazy. 260, 4 TDs, that’s crazy, bro, but me and him are competing back and forth and I like it, so keep going.”

“It’s my turn, now,” Johnson said when asked about Ashton Jeanty’s success and their rushing yards race.

Johnson now sits as the No. 2 rusher in the nation as Iowa was on a bye week which saw Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty overtake the top spot. He has 845 yards and 13 touchdowns on 82 carries averaging 10.3 yards per rush.

Iowa and Kaleb Johnson get their next chance to make a statement this Saturday, Oct. 5, when they take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS.

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Pro Football Focus has Kaleb Johnson’s NFL Draft stock trending upwards

Kaleb Johnson’s stock continues to skyrocket.

Some say stocks go up and down. Kaleb Johnson’s stock continues to trend upwards like a bright red line on the graph. His season is off to a stellar start and has gone from conversation among Iowa Hawkeyes fans to a national topic of discussion.

Through four games, Johnson has emerged as Iowa’s top offensive threat with his ability to run through defenses each game this season. The new offense under Tim Lester has Johnson seeing his best year yet.

Among those taking notes is Pro Football Focus. Kaleb Johnson is one of their players with their stock trending up the most ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Johnson is finding his success against all sorts of defenses as well. Offensive coordinator Tim Lester talked about the success he is still seeing even when defenses load the box against the Hawkeyes.

“Yeah, it’s interesting when you say stacked boxes, because you’re right, but we also run different formations than most teams. We’re in a stacked formation if you can call it that. Our wide outs are involved now. They’re right there to handle a stacked box.”

“A lot of times you don’t see the spacing, which is kind of natural in our offense. Which does make the passing game a little bit more difficult. It actually makes it better once our guys figure it all out. There’s the same amount of space out there no matter how we line up. Lining up a little bit tighter does help our run game. It helps our receivers get involved in those stacked boxes and those corners are going to have to be ready to make some tackles because of some of the stuff our receivers have been able to do,” Lester said of Iowa running against stacked boxes.

Through four games, Kaleb Johnson has ran the ball 82 times for 683 yards, averaging an 8.4 yards per carry and 171.3 yards per game. He has found the endzone nine times.

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Iowa OC Tim Lester chronicles Kaleb Johnson’s emergence as elite RB

Kaleb Johnson has shown the drive and desire to be great.

No back in America has run the ball better than Kaleb Johnson has for the Iowa Hawkeyes this season through four games. The nation’s leading rusher has freshly been named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and was named the Doak Walker Running Back of the Week.

Through four weeks he has been the catalyst for the Iowa offense that has so desperately needed one. He is bailing Iowa out of bad situations and is putting up points on the scoreboard in a hurry.

Johnson was not always expected to be this good, though. He has found success in Tim Lester’s new offense and it was recently chronicled by the Hawkeyes’ offensive coordinator.

“I think you notice Kaleb is a special athlete the moment you meet him. The first time you see him run. The combination of size and speed and balance and physicality is rare. My biggest question for him was just going to be learning how to see the mid-zone run game. And, it took a while.

“I knew as soon as he could find the holes and understand the vision and the timing of this thing, because the talent is there. He’s been working hard. I don’t think there’s been a day he’s on the field that he’s not going 100 miles per hour. So, it’s fun to watch a guy that’s been so focused on learning this system and what to do, to watch him get to where he needs to be. And then there’s a point in every play where it’s like, okay, now you’re gifted, go do your thing.”

“I’ve got to get him to the right place first and he definitely has been gifted in that arena and has done some unbelievable things leading our team and making, turning some runs that should’ve been probably tackles for loss and turned them into big plays. And then there’s sometimes he’s not even touched for 20 yards and he always gives credit to those linemen and the receivers.”

“He’s still working hard and humble and that’s what will keep him there,” Lester said regarding Johnson’s determination and desire to be great.

Through four games, Kaleb Johnson has toted the rock 82 times for 683 yards, averaging an astounding 8.4 yards per carry and 171.3 yards per game. He has punched it into the endzone nine times.

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Kaleb Johnson honored as Doak Walker Award Running Back of the Week

Iowa football junior Kaleb Johnson was honored as the Doak Walker Award Running Back of the Week.

Kaleb Johnson picked up another honor after his torrid start to the season and his latest sensational performance against Minnesota.

Johnson was named the Doak Walker Award Running Back of the Week after rushing for a career-high 206 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries in Iowa’s 31-14 win over the Gophers.

It represented the second 200-yard rushing performance of Johnson’s Hawkeye career. His other 200-yard rushing performance came during Iowa’s 24-3 win over Purdue on Nov. 5 in 2022.

It was also the eighth 100-yard rushing performance of Johnson’s career and his fourth straight to start the 2024 season. Johnson’s four straight 100-yard rushing performances made him the first Hawkeye to accomplish that feat since Mark Weisman in 2012.

The Hamilton, Ohio, product is the first Iowa tailback with multiple touchdowns in the first four games of a season since Tavian Banks tallied 12 touchdowns in the first four during the 1997 season. Johnson’s two or more touchdowns in four straight games is also the first for a Hawkeye since Weisman had multiple touchdowns in five straight games in 2014.

The 6-foot, 225 pound running back leads the nation in rushing with his 685 yards on 82 carries.

Since 2000, Johnson is now one of three Big Ten players with 680-plus rushing yards and nine-plus rushing touchdowns through a team’s first four games. Johnson joined Javon Ringer with Michigan State in 2008 and Mohamed Ibrahim with Minnesota in 2020.

In the win over the Gophers, Johnson registered runs of 21, 23, 24, 33 and 40 yards. It ran Johnson’s tally of 20-plus yard rushes to 12 on the season so far.

Iowa and Johnson get a week off with a bye before returning to action at No. 3 Ohio State on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS.

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Iowa football’s Kaleb Johnson among ESPN’s early-season surprising stars team

Iowa football running back Kaleb Johnson finds his way among ESPN’s early-season surprising stars team.

There’s just not enough good things one can say about the start to Kaleb Johnson’s 2024 season.

The 6-foot, 225 pound running back is authoring one of the greatest starts to a season in Hawkeye history.

Through the Hawkeyes’ first four games, Johnson leads the nation in rushing with 685 rushing yards on 82 carries. Johnson has eclipsed the century mark in every game this season—including the season opener where he sat out the first half—and he has multiple rushing touchdowns in all four games.

ESPN is taking notice. Bill Connelly featured Johnson among his early-season surprising stars team.

I am once again trying not to alarm people, but … Iowa is up to 88th in offensive SP+! Don’t laugh: The Hawkeyes were 129th last season. This is a massive improvement, and it hasn’t come from the passing game. (Cade McNamara: currently 113th in Total QBR behind benched players such as Michigan’s Davis Warren and Oklahoma’s Jackson Arnold.)
Nope, it’s just come from the fact that, when Iowa runs the ball, it goes a long way. Johnson leads the nation with 685 yards and carried the Hawkeyes to a 31-14 win over rival Minnesota on Saturday evening thanks to a 21-carry, 206-yard, 3-touchdown performance. He has been one of the most efficient and explosive backs in the country thus far. – Connelly, ESPN.

At the rate that Johnson is going, he is going to wind up as the Doak Walker Award winner and should be up for a number of other awards as well.

Obviously, Johnson has to keep it rolling, but it’s been a special start to the season. It’s something that’s not lost on his head football coach, Kirk Ferentz.

After the win over Minnesota, Ferentz was asked how this compares to Shonn Greene’s historic 2008 season with the Hawkeyes.

“I’m not sure I remember anybody in four games doing what he’s done. He just continues to run really well and he’s been really aggressive. You know, he’s always been a big, strong guy and a talented guy. But, right now, he’s really just focused and I think really coming into his own in terms of using what strengths and abilities he does have and he’s really using those to his advantage.

“So, yeah, it’s been a really impressive four games. But, Shonn Greene did it, whatever it was, 12 games. I think we were 12-game seasons back then. If it wasn’t, it was 11. But, he did it each and every week and that’s a challenge. It’s easier to talk about that stuff than do it. But, have every reason to think that Kaleb’s just going to keep getting better and he’s got a great attitude, so really, really happy for him,” Ferentz said.

Iowa and Johnson return to action with a road date at No. 3 Ohio State on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS.

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Iowa football’s Kaleb Johnson named B1G Offensive Player of the Week

Kaleb Johnson finally gets his rightfully deserved recognition.

What Kaleb Johnson is doing for the Iowa Hawkeyes this season has become impossible to ignore. What may have been thought of as taking advantage of an early-season slate has transformed into the start of a special season.

After rushing for 206 yards and three touchdowns against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in Iowa’s 31-14 victory in their Big Ten opener, Johnson has received some rightful praise and recognition.

Following his electrifying performance, Kaleb Johnson has been named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week.

Through four games, with action in just 3.5 of those games, Johnson is up to 685 rushing yards on just 82 carries. He is averaging 8.4 yards per carry and has found the end zone nine times already this season.

Johnson is leading the Hawkeyes’ strong run game with 171.3 rushing yards per game. He is also pitching in when he can in the passing game with seven receptions on the year.

Johnson is the leading rusher in America right now through four weeks with a 99-yard lead over Boise State’s star running back, Ashton Jeanty.

Iowa and Kaleb Johnson now head into a bye week that is coming at the right time to allow him and the offensive line to get healthy before another tough Big Ten road test.

Iowa resumes action on Saturday, Oct. 5 with a road trip against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

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Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson near top of major Pro Football Focus RB stats

Kaleb Johnson is near the top in major statistical categories proving he does it all.

There may not be a more pleasant surprise for the Iowa Hawkeyes so far in the 2024 season than the emergence of junior running back Kaleb Johnson.

Johnson, the nation’s leading rusher through three weeks despite only playing two and a half games, has started his year explosively with long touchdowns, and tons of yardage, and has proven he can carry the load.

After three weeks, Johnson has shown he can do more than just run in green grass. He is making the most of his opportunities with his ability to stay on his feet and make life hard for defenders.

Johnson’s six rushing touchdowns are third in the nation. Two stats that stand out even more are his yards after contact and the amount of missed tackles he has forced. He is among the best in America according to Pro Football Focus.

Of his 479 rushing yards, 308 have come after contact, which is good for second-best in America. Johnson also proves he can do his part to help his offensive line. Johnson has forced 20 missed tackles which is third in all of college football.

Through three games, Johnson has carried the ball 61 times for 479 yards and is averaging a whopping 7.9 yards per carry. One area Iowa could continue to see Johnson grow is the passing game. He has two receptions for 27 yards.

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