Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson’s after-contact production has fueled breakout 2024 season

IOWA CITY — Kaleb Johnson picked up the nickname “Superman” as he grew up in the Cincinnati area.

“When I was in like sixth grade, I used to just run past people and have my head up like this running,” Johnson said last week while pointing his chin up. “So (my coach) just felt like I got a cape on my back, so he called me ‘Superman.’”

The third-year Iowa running back obviously has not leaped over opponents in Superman-fashion, but when he does face contact from defenses, he has been one of the best in the country at staying on his feet and continuing to make plays.

Johnson has a whopping 1,004 yards after contact. That’s more than any Iowa running back had total — before or after contact — in the 2022 or 2023 seasons. The only running backs across the country with more are Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton.

Most recently, he had more yards after contact against Maryland (113) than the Terrapins had total rushing yards (98).

Johnson’s ability to run through contact is not entirely new to this season. He averaged 3.34 yards after contact per rushing attempt as a true freshman in 2022, again per PFF — a key part in his early success behind an offensive line that was quite inexperienced at the time.

But it has been at a much higher level in 2024, averaging 4.5 yards after contact per carry. The only other Big Ten backs (with at least 100 carries) to exceed 4 yards after contact per attempt are Washington’s Jonah Coleman with 4.58 and Minnesota’s Darius Taylor with 4.13.

To put Johnson’s 4.5 yards after contact per attempt in perspective, 73 of the 133 FBS teams have not even averaged 4.5 yards per carry before or after contact this season.

Johnson’s ability to break through contact and continue to make plays is one of several impressive aspects of his 2024 season — a season where he received midseason All-America honors from the Associated Press and will be a strong contender for postseason honors as well.

Johnson’s 1,492 total rushing yards this season already rank third in program history behind Tavian Banks in 1997 and Shonn Greene in 2008. He needs another 200 yards to surpass Banks and 359 yards to break Greene’s record.

Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said Johnson is “putting his experience to good use.”

“He's running smarter, better, stronger,” Ferentz said. “Everything about it is better right now. He has a great attitude. He's really fun to be on the field with and fun to be in here with or anywhere else. He's a good young man. Yeah, it's been fun to watch his maturity and growth take place.”

Johnson, who has one more year of NCAA eligibility remaining, will have a decision to make as his draft stock continues to rise. PFF ranks him as the 29th-best prospect in this year’s draft class, and ESPN draft analyst Field Yates ranked him as the second-best running back in the class behind Jeanty.

Johnson has not made any announcements about his plans following the 2024 regular season. But playing in bowl games is hardly a given in the current era of college football for running backs with NFL potential.

Florida State’s Trey Benson, USC’s MarShawn Lloyd and Tennessee’s Jaylen Wright were among the many running backs drafted last year who did not participate in their teams’ postseason bowl games. Oregon’s Bucky Irving was one of the exceptions when he decided to play in the Fiesta Bowl against Liberty.

Whatever the future holds, Johnson’s teammates have plenty of appreciation for what he has already accomplished for the 2024 offense.

“He’s worked really hard, and he’s definitely earned every part of it,” tight end Luke Lachey said. “The great thing about Kaleb is he’s not letting it go unnoticed on anyone else. He’s appreciating us all for blocking and everything like that.”

Those teammates will have at least one more opportunity to help “Superman” pad his record of 21 rushing touchdowns in a single season.

“We’re trying to do our best to get him in the end zone,” Lachey said. “Hopefully we can get him in there and extend the record for him. So it’s really cool to be a part of something like that.”

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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