Mike Washington Jr. describes game: ‘I can make you miss’

With a stable full of versatile running backs, one who’s caught the eye of Arkansas football coaches and fans in fall camp is senior Mike Washington Jr.

A 6-foot-2, 228-pound native of Utica, New York, Washington transferred to Arkansas after spending his junior campaign at New Mexico State. There, he played in 12 games with four starts and finished with a team-high 158 carries for 713 yards and a team-leading eight touchdowns.

Under-recruited out of Cicero-North Syracuse High School, Washington first began his collegiate career at Buffalo, where he totaled 1,119 rushing yards and 10 scores on 263 attempts in three seasons.

Big touchdown run in Friday’s practice

On the first play of the live tackling period portion of practice that was open to the media Friday, Washington got the offense started with a long touchdown run. Running backs coach Kolby Smith said he thought it was a 50+ yard run, and Washington shared what he saw on the play.

“It was a pin and pull play,” Washington said. “We had a pin to the d-tackle and the ends and we were able to get our pullers to kick out, so I really ran off the first kick out. Then, went for the touchdown.”

Arkansas has a history of successful downhill running backs and Washington could be next in line for that moniker.

“I can make you miss,” Washington said. “I can also break away with speed. Elusive at times. Quick laterally. I think that’s pretty much it.”

What Arkansas saw from Washington in portal

Arkansas had a need for a capable backfield companion to sophomore running back Braylen Russell in the transfer portal and it pounced quickly on Washington.

“I think we hit it off, probably on that second day on his official visit here,” Smith said Friday. “We were just talking about football. We were on the table at lunch and we were just talking football. Didn’t have any paper or pencil. We were just drawing it and (Washington) was able to see what I was writing. I like how he’s able to visualize the game and see it. Which allows him to play fast on the football field.”

Smith, who is entering his second year as running backs coach at Arkansas, kept it simple when asked what he was looking for at the position when the Hogs ultimately landed on Washington.

“Speed,” Smith said. “That’s the No. 1 thing we want at the position, is speed. So that once we break through the hole, we can put it in the end zone. In order to do that, you got to have speed. Got to be able to picture and visualize it and think fast and play fast.”

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Washington compared to former Razorback great?

Fans who remember the days when now-offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino was head coach of the Hogs will also recall ball carrier Knile Davis, who was a strong-statured running back with speed and elusiveness to boot.

The 2010 First-Team All-SEC selection rushed for 1,322 yards and 13 touchdowns as a sophomore and totaled 1,862 yards and 19 scores in three full seasons in Fayetteville.

Though Washington is taller than Davis, it’s easy to see why Arkansas coaches compare him to the former Razorback great.

“After watching (Davis’) film, I could definitely see why they’ve been talking about him a lot,” Washington said. “Watching his film and how agile he is, his breakaway speed, his vision. Really looking at the plays that he ran and trying to understand how he was able to break free. How aggressive he was. So, I do like him as a player and I’ve been trying to mimic my game just a little bit after him.”

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