Running Back Bryson Washington Set to Return against Air Force
Baylor will be getting some reinforcements in the backfield this weekend with the return of running back Bryson Washington (RFr.). Washington, a three-star prospect from Franklin High School, redshirted the 2023 season and sat out the first two games of 2024.
“We're looking forward to getting Bryson Washington back,” head coach Dave Aranda said in his weekly press conference. “I think he will help us in the running back room. During the spring and fall, he was one of our top performers, and I think he'll add to the depth we already have there. This offense starts with running the ball.”
Across two games without Washington, Baylor’s rushing attack hasn’t been as dynamic as anticipated. Against Tarleton, running backs Richard Reese (Jr.) and Dawson Pendergrass (So.) combined for 140 yards on 35 attempts for an average of four yards per carry.
In the loss to No. 11 Utah, Reese and Pendergrass combined for 84 yards on 18 carries for an average of 4.6 yards per carry.
Outside of a 46-yard rush from Pendergrass in the third quarter, the Bears had limited success against the talented Utes front seven; it also didn’t help that quarterback Dequan Finn (6Sr.) struggled in the contest and that running back Dominic Richardson (Sr.) took just seven snaps.
“Bryson is one of the better players on our team; he will make a significant difference for us [against Air Force],” Aranda added. “He’s really physical and has good speed. Dawson Pendergrass brings some of that for us right now, and I think Bryson continues in that mold of hitting it downhill and making contact and going forward and not going back. He also has the ability to make people miss in the open field, which I think separates him a little bit. I have really high hopes for him.”
At Franklin, Washington was a work-horse back for the Lions. He totaled 70 touchdowns and rushed for over 5,000 yards on the ground while collecting back-to-back State Championships in 2021 and 2022.
“We used to have Abram Smith in the past, where if the ball was on the perimeter and it was a one-on-one thing, Abram would fall forward, which would engage the sideline and roll,” Aranda said. “Bryson has a little bit of that in him.”
Baylor (1-1) will return to Waco and take on Air Force (1-1) at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at McLane Stadium. The Bears will wear their new anthracite jerseys during the game, and fans are encouraged to wear black.