RBs carrying leadership burden
AUSTIN — The mood heading into Texas’ 2021 regular-season finale against Kansas State was bleak.
Quarterback Casey Thompson’s throwing hand was an inflamed mess, and his backup’s ankle wasn’t holding up any better. Dynamo running back Bijan Robinson was out with a dislocated elbow. Waning faith and a strain of let’s-get-this-over-with apathy circulated around RoyalMemorial Stadium after six straight losses.
With limited options, coach Steve Sarkisian decided to deploy the Wildcat offense and put the ball in then-junior running back Roschon Johnson’s hands over and over again. He finished with a career-high 179 rushing yards on 31 carries and scored once in Texas’ skid-snapping 2217 win.
Afterward, Johnson fielded a question about whether he’s comfortable being not just a leader but the leader of the Longhorns.
“Most definitely,” he answered without hesitation.
Ask just about any Longhorn, and they’ll name Johnson as the team’s linchpin. Coaches harbor similar love for the former fourstar quarterback who, just a week before his freshman season, converted to running back to help restock an injury-ravaged position.
That’s why Johnson is heading to Big 12 media days this week as one of four Texas player representatives. Fifth-year senior linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and edge defender Ovie Oghoufo will represent the defense. Johnson and the man he backs up will be the faces of the offense.
Texas isn’t bringing any quarterbacks to Arlington. But it is the only program bringing two tailbacks to the league’s annual summer gathering, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday at AT&T Stadium. That speaks both to Johnson’s on-field importance and his immeasurable offfield impact.
Robinson doesn’t exactly need a veteran to tutor him at the position. He’s one of the most electric offensive talents in the nation, a bona fide Heisman hopeful and potential first-round draft pick who has averaged over 122 yards from scrimmage through 19 career games. But Robinson’s demeanor is far more muted than his game. Don’t let the Lamborghini sponsorship fool you — Robinson is humble, thoughtful and quick to cite scripture.
This is where Johnson comes in.
He’s the impassioned leader, the by-any-means veteran who dishes tough love and incisive critiques, the one who organizes extra workouts for whoever’s willing to keep toiling. Everybody quiets down and perks up when Johnson speaks, because his tenacious play and presidential demeanor merit it.
“Every guy in that locker room respects No. 2 ( Johnson),” Sarkisian said. “He’s a warrior, but he also stands true to what he believes in. And the only way he knows how to demand more of others is to give more of himself.”
Sarkisian doesn’t want Robinson to just copy Johnson. Rather, Sarkisian wants Robinson to watch the way Johnson leads, whether it’s in the locker room or public events like media day, and develop his own effective style.
And after stumbling through a 5-7 season last year, Sarkisian needs more Longhorns to break out of their cocoons and create a player-led program that preaches on-field accountability and dodges off-field drama. So who better to take a more active leadership role than Texas’ most visible player?
“We did some different things in winter conditioning to try and empower more leaders on the team — Bijan being one of those guys,” Sarkisian said at spring practice. “I think that pretty much all of those guys embraced that role. As coaches we’re trying to lead, but player-led teams ultimately become the best teams
I’ve ever been a part of, when they hold each other accountable in the locker room.
“To do that, you have to empower people to do it. Like I said,
we tried to empower those guys in winter conditioning. Bijan
was one of those guys, and I think he got more comfortable in that role.”
Sarkisian has harped on players “being accountable” plenty this offseason.
It might be coachspeak, but it was clear to anyone watching in
2021 that Texas lacked the discipline and mindset needed to finish games.
The Longhorns led at halftime in four of their eight losses and committed more penalties than their opponent in eight of nine Big 12 games. Those kinds of miscues and collapses can’t happen in 2022, not with top-ranked 2023 recruit Arch Manning and Texas’ other current verbal commits watching for tangible signs of improvement before December’s early signing period.
The power of Johnson coupled with a more expressive Robinson might just help Texas avoid repeating those mistakes this coming season. That’s what Sarkisian is banking on, at least, as he implores what could be the best 1-2 backfield punch in the nation to take command and steer this program onto the right track.