Does Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson have a shot at Shonn Greene’s 2008 program rushing record?

IOWA CITY — Kaleb Johnson may need to set some new goals this year.

“My goal was to get over 1,200 yards and 12 TDs,” Johnson said after Iowa’s win over Washington earlier this month. “So I guess I’m almost there.”

Johnson’s 1,144 rushing yards already are enough to rank 12th in Iowa program history.

That’s better than any of his position coach Ladell Betts’ seasons as a Hawkeye. (Betts’ best year was 2001, when he had 1,090 rushing yards.) It’s also better than any Iowa running back since Tyler Goodson’s 1,151 yards in 2021.

Johnson’s elevated level of production has posed a question that previously seemed unfathomable for a Hawkeye running back in the 2020s: Could Johnson break Shonn Greene’s Iowa program record for rushing yards in a single season?

Greene set the record in 2008 when he rushed for a staggering 1,850 yards. No other running back has topped 1,400 yards in a single season in the Kirk Ferentz era. Iowa has not even rushed for 1,850 yards as an entire team since 2018 — when Johnson still was in middle school.

Why it’s possible

Johnson has been picking up rushing yards at a remarkably similar pace as Greene did 14 years ago.

Johnson has averaged 143 yards per game this season, whereas Greene averaged 142.3 yards in his record-breaking season.

Through Iowa’s first eight games of the 2008 season, Greene had 1,154 yards. Through eight games in 2024, Johnson has 1,144 yards.

If Johnson continues averaging 143 rushing yards per game in Iowa’s four remaining regular-season games and its postseason bowl game, he would finish with 1,859 yards — nine above Greene’s 2008 record.

That is not entirely unrealistic for a running back who put up 206 yards against Minnesota and 187 yards against Iowa State. The former was especially impressive considering the Gophers have averaged only 120.4 rushing yards allowed per game this season.

The many obstacles

Johnson previously was ahead of Greene’s pace, but the third-year running back’s production has slowed in recent weeks. After averaging 171.3 yards in Iowa’s first four games, he has averaged 114.8 yards in the four games since Iowa’s early bye.

If Johnson continues at the recent pace of 114.8 yards, he would come about 132 yards short of the record.

Johnson needs to average 141.2 yards in Iowa’s four remaining regular-season games plus its postseason bowl game for him to match Greene’s mark. But if Johnson does not participate in the bowl game — something that frequently happens with running backs who have a clear path to the NFL — he would need to average 176.5 rushing yards in Iowa’s four remaining regular-season games.

The level of difficulty is not going to get any easier, either.

Three of Iowa’s four remaining regular-season opponents rank in the top 20 nationally in rushing yards allowed per game. Nebraska is 12th, UCLA is 13th, Maryland is 19th and Wisconsin is 67th.

The best any running back has done against any of Iowa’s remaining foes was when Rutgers star Kyle Monangai rushed for 106 yards against UCLA.

That means Johnson could potentially have four outstanding performances — each better than what any other running back has done this season against those teams — while still not getting the record.

Johnson has not seemed too preoccupied with his individual numbers, though.

“Whatever happens, happens,” Johnson said after the Washington game when asked about adjusting his preseason individual goals. “So just keep my mind straight, keep me focused.”

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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