Ladell Betts Confirms Kaleb Johnson Is Iowa Football Team's Best RB

Entering this season, talk of the Iowa Hawkeyes’ running back space focused on its incredible depth and stable of up to four running backs capable of handling the load.

Two games into the season, that narrative is thrown out the window. The Hawkeyes clearly have a lead dog in the running backs room and that’s junior Kaleb Johnson.

After watching Kaleb Johnson have tremendous success on the field through two games, Iowa running backs coach Ladell Betts confirmed that he is the Hawkeyes’ best running back moving forward.

“If KJ’s not here, it’s just because he needs a breather,” Betts told reporters.

Ladell Betts on today’s Zoom on other RBs getting carries besides Kaleb Johnson: “If KJ’s not there, it’s just because he needs a breather.”

Johnson has had plenty of long runs so far this year, his 187 yards on Saturday were the most by an Iowa RB against ISU since 1996 (Tavian Banks).

— Chad Leistikow🆑 (@ChadLeistikow) September 11, 2024

Through two games, Johnson is by far Iowa’s leading rusher. He’s already carried the ball 36 times for 306 yards and four touchdowns. The most impressive statistic is Johnson’s 8.5 yards per carry average.

Last season, Johnson rushed 117 times for 463 yards and averaged just 4.0 yards per carry. His best season came as a freshman in 2022, when he rushed for 779 yards and four touchdowns on 151 carries.

The Hamilton High School product from Hamilton, Ohio, is one of the best in the country. Johnson ranks fourth in rushing yards and 10th in yards per carry.

Contact us/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions.

Follow Riley on Twitter: @rileydonald7

The article was originally published on Hawkeyes Wire