Why Hawkeyes Are Struggling To Replace Kaleb Johnson In Fall Camp

You don't just replace a running back like Kaleb Johnson in one afternoon. The Iowa Hawkeyes are finding that out as fall camp rolls on.

Johnson rushed 240 times for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns last season for Iowa. It was always going to be tough to replace that kind of production. Iowa undoubtedly came into this 2025 season knowing that would be the case.

Interestingly enough, though, offensive coordinator Tim Lester recently revealed that it's not just the production that the Hawkeyes are trying to replace. They also need to replace the workload that Johnson was able to carry in 2024, and that's hard to do in practice when the August sun is blazing down — even in Iowa City.

"We really have been rotating the running backs a ton. Every day, we run the ball a lot and we have long practices," Lester explained on Wednesday, according to Josh Helmer of Hawkeyes Wire. "That was one of the cool things about Kaleb last year. He could handle 20–25 carries, and I have some guys in the room that maybe could, but it’s hard to find that out without killing them in practice. We are just trying to keep them all healthy."

Iowa may not have a true "bell cow" heading into the 2025 season, but the Hawkeyes have to feel like they've got some good depth they can work with. Specific attention should be paid to sophomore Kamari Moulton, who is technically the team's returning leading rusher after totalling 473 yards and three touchdowns last season as a backup to Johnson.

Also in the running for carries are junior Jaziun Patterson, sophomore Terrell Washington Jr., redshirt freshmen Xavier Williams and Brevin Doll and true freshmen Nathan McNeil and Braeden Jackson.

All of Johnson's 240 carries could technically be spread around that group, though if history is any indication, Iowa will land on two or three of the above names to be the main ball carriers in 2025.

In the meantime, while Iowa doesn't have a true featured back just yet, Lester relayed that he feels pretty good about the varied skillsets his running back room brings to the table. Right now, it's just about getting everyone reps while keeping them healthy and upright as well.

"The thing about our running back room is that they’ve all done a great job, and they are all different. We can use the talents of each of them. Some of them are great route runners, some of them have unbelievable hands, some are big and can bull over people. There is just such a unique mix in there that it’s going to be fun as that competition continues," Lester said.