Johnson Shares What He Can on Mississippi State Transfers Set to Tour UW
Surrounded by people holding out cameras, microphones and smart phones, University of Washington running back Dillon Johnson was his usual cheerful and accommodating self as he answered question after question.
Yet one query came up repeatedly, making the one-time Mississippi State transfer laugh uneasy and shift from side to side.
The first time: Have you been recruiting Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers and running back Jo'Quavious "Woody" Marks, expected in Seattle for a UW tour and sales pitch this weekend, on behalf of the Huskies?
"Look, I can't speak too much on it, but I did put in a good word," Johnson said the first time. "Whatever helps the team."
The second time: Have they been calling you?
"I can't talk too much about it, man, but all I can say is I put in a good word, a very good word, about the school and the coaches," Johnson said. "They're definitely loving it."
The third time: You might have been asked this before, but Will Rogers and Woody, clearly visiting, have you said anything to those guys?
"I told them it's an awesome place to be, an awesome place to play," Johnson said. "I definitely put in a good word for them."
Yes, these guys know each other well. They came in together as freshmen at Mississippi State, with Johnson and Rogers as highly touted in-state recruits and Marks showing up from Atlanta with his own budding reputation.
They played together for three seasons for the late Mike Leach before Johnson entered the portal shortly before the coach's sudden death almost exactly a year ago. They were 20-17, 9-4 in their final season as teammates in 2022 capped by a 19-10 victory over Illinois in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Rogers leaves Mississippi State following a second coaching change in two seasons, from Zach Arnett, Leach's one-year replacement who went 5-7 while in charge, to Jeff Lebby, previously the Oklahoma offensive coordinator.
Rogers was sensational in his time at MSU. He departs with 29 school records, foremost 12,315 passing yards and 94 touchdown passes. He started 40 of 43 games for the Bulldogs.
Marks, a 5-foot-10, 210-pound back, started 32 of 45 games at Mississippi State while rushing 410 times for 1,883 yards and 22 TDs, and catching 214 passes for 1,225 yards and 5 scores.
Johnson, who started 14 of 35 games while at the SEC school, has been a 12-game starter this season for the UW who's rushed for 1,113 yards and 14 touchdowns for a CFP-bound team that will play Texas in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, which is just under 300 miles from Starkville, Mississippi, home of MSU.
That's a lot of selling points to keep this Bulldogs-to-Huskies talent pipeline going.
Anything else?
"Those guys are awesome guys," Johnson said. "Woody, [he's] a hard-working guy, do anything for the team. Will, now that's a leader. Man, he knows how to lead. He was our leader when I was at Mississippi State and he's still a leader. It's great to know they could potentially come here."
If one or both don't sign up for Montlake, Johnson, who likely will be entering the NFL draft rather than reunite with these guys, will have some explaining to do. If he can talk about it.
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