Washington running back Jonah Coleman ran straight through UC Davis and into the record books on Saturday night. The 5-foot-9, 228-pound bruiser took 15 carries for 111 yards and five touchdowns, a record-equaling four of which came in the first half.
The only other Husky to officially achieve such a feat was Corey Dillon, who scored four first-half rushing touchdowns in a five-touchdown effort against UCLA in 1996. In 1919, Ervin Dailey tallied 350 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns in a 120-0 rout of Whitman College, but official statistics were not kept.
Coleman also joins Dillon and Hugh McElhenny as the third Husky to officially run for five scores in a game. McElhenny took 20 carries for a program-record 296 yards and five touchdowns in the 1950 Apple Cup. Records don’t confirm whether or not McElhenny tallied four first-half scores, but it’s known that his fifth, an 83-yarder, came in the fourth quarter.
It’s been a fantastic start to the season for Coleman, who carried the ball 24 times for 177 yards and two touchdowns in the Huskies’ Week 1 win over Colorado State. As a result, he was named the Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week.
Coleman’s stellar Week 2 showing gives the Stockton, California native an excellent chance at repeating. Through two weeks, his 288 total rushing yards are the most by a Power 4 running back (3rd in FBS), while his seven rushing touchdowns lead the nation.
Washington’s offense rallied behind Coleman, finishing with 324 combined rushing yards. The Huskies’ eight rushing touchdowns tied a program record from 1951, and the 70 points Washington scored against the Aggies on Saturday also equaled a program-best.
“I’m really proud of the way we’re running the ball right now, but I know we’ve got our work cut out for us the rest of the way,” coach Jedd Fisch said postgame.
Coleman and the Huskies have a bye in Week 3. They’ll next take the field in Pullman, Washington, where they’ll face the Washington State Cougars in the 2025 Apple Cup. Both Coleman and Fisch, who came to Montlake from Arizona after the 2023 season, are still in search of a first win over the Huskies' in-state rivals.