Washington searching for answers after losing star RB for season

The Washington Huskies got bad news as they look to begin their quest for a second straight 10-plus-win season to kick off the Kalen DeBoer era in Seattle.

Last season's leading touchdown-getter and expected starter, running back Cameron Davis, has been lost for the season because of a lower-body injury he suffered last week, according to ESPN's Kyle Bonagura.  

Davis is coming off a season that saw him rush 107 times for 522 yards and 13 touchdowns as a freshman. He averaged a healthy 4.88 yards per carry and was expected to be one of the major pieces of Washington's offense with last season's top running back, Wayne Taulapapa, now playing in the NFL.

In fact, heading into 2023, he was the only returning running back in the Pac-12 who had rushed for at least 10 touchdowns in 2022.

DeBoer also announced on Tuesday that along with Davis, sophomore offensive lineman Gaard Memmelaar will miss the rest of the season due to injury, and walk-on safety Sean Toomey-Stout decide to retire due to medical reasons. 

“Cam is a huge part of [the offense],” DeBoer told Mike Vorel of the Seattle Times. “It’s his second year in the system, works so hard, leads the right way, disciplined guy. He not only does a great job with the ball in his hands but in pass protection he knows everything inside and out.

“But we’ve got guys who have come into the program, guys who have already been here. It’s a competitive room, and guys are going to have opportunities to step up. We need that from them, and they will [step up]. That’s what every football season brings, times of adversity. Our team is going to respond in a great way. We’re going to support Cam and Gaard and Sean.”

Because of a redshirt year in 2019 and additional eligibility due to COVID-19 in 2020, Davis will still have two seasons to play for the Huskies.

The Huskies will lean on junior Dillon Johnson, a Mississippi State transfer, and sophomore Will Nixon in Davis' stead. Johnson had accumulated 1,198 yards and 11 touchdowns in three seasons with the Bulldogs.