Is Gaskin/Ahmed the best backfield tandem in UW history?
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, August 1, 2018
By Adam Jude
The Seattle Times
The Washington Huskies, entering a season in which they are the heavy favorite to win the Pac-12 championship, open fall camp on Friday as they begin in earnest preparations for their much-anticipated season opener against Auburn. Today, we continue our fall-camp position preview series with a look at the running backs.
Who’s back
Myles Gaskin, sr., 5-10, 191
Salvon Ahmed, so., 5-11, 191
Sean McGrew, so., 5-7, 174
Kamari Pleasant, so., 6-0, 207
Summer arrival
Richard Newton, fr., 6-0, 183
Jamyn Patu, fr., 5-11, 205*
*walk-on
Note: Heights and weights are from UW’s spring roster.
Outlook
The running game again figures to be the strength of the UW offense with Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed both back (along with the most experienced offensive line in the Pac-12). The combination of Gaskin and Ahmed could wind up being one of the best in program history, which is saying something with the Huskies’ strong tradition at the position. Gaskin, a senior, is the nation’s top returning rusher with 4,055 career yards, and he will begin the 2018 season just 51 yards shy of Napoleon Kaufman’s school rushing record. Gaskin already owns UW’s record for rushing touchdowns (45) and total touchdowns (49). As a true freshman, Ahmed averaged 6.4 yards per carry in 2017 (61 carries for 388 yards, 3 TDs). Behind them, Sean McGrew and Kamari Pleasant will continue to push for change-of-pace carries. Richard Newton (Lancaster, Calif.) and Jamyn Patu, an O’Dea High graduate, are new additions to the backfield.
Star watch
Gaskin, of course, is as big a star as the Huskies have, and it will be interesting to see if his profile grows nationally during his senior season. Gaskin was overshadowed last season while playing in the same division as Stanford’s Bryce Love, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, and could it be that the nation’s two best backs will matchup in Husky Stadium on Nov. 3?
Key stat
Gaskin, a Lynnwood native, has been a model of durability in his UW career, playing in 40 consecutive games since his true freshman season in 2015.
Breakout candidate
Ahmed’s versatility last year allowed UW coaches to line up in the backfield and out wide as a slot receiver, where he posted 13 catches as a true freshman. Coaches have always been mindful of managing Gaskin’s workload — he’s averaging right about 17 carries per game in his career — and that should leave 100-plus carries for Ahmed, who could also break out as a kick returner.
