Johnson got injured in the final minute of the Sugar Bowl against the Texas Longhorns. It raised plenty of concerns about his status for the National Championship after their win, especially since the young back had to be carted off to the locker room.
Kalen DeBoer’s update after the game didn’t help as well, as the Washington Huskies head coach confirmed that it was related to a foot injury that Johnson dealt with at the end of the regular season.
“It’s related, I think, to what he’s been going through the last couple months. Obviously he was down and in some pain, but he’s been in pain he last couple months,” DeBoer explained, via On3. “He’s a tough, tough guy. He’s been so strong and keeps pushing forward. It goes back to two or three weeks left in the season, when really this injury happened.”
Losing Dillon Johnson would be catastrophic for a Washington Huskies team that has been relying too much on its passing game to succeed.
In their 37-31 win over the Texas Longhorns on Monday, Johnson actually tallied 21 carries for 49 yards and two touchdowns. He was a big reason why the Huskies were able to dominate the game all night long. And so if he’s out in the College Football Playoff National Championship against the Michigan Wolverines, the Washington offense would be crippled.
Fortunately, according to the latest updates, Johnson will not need to be sidelined for the game. Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb revealed in a radio appearance on Tuesday that they “do expect him to play” when they go to Houston for the title showdown.
