By Elizabeth Keen
Mississippi State football standout Dillon Johnson took the opportunity to be an underrated force in the SEC and ran with it... literally.
The junior running back is one key piece of head coach Mike Leach’s "air raid" offense, despite filling a position that isn’t traditionally known for its usage in the pass-heavy offensive scheme. So far this season, Johnson has notched 68 rushing attempts for 407 yards and three touchdowns — just 78 yards and one score less than his end-of-year total from 2021. With five regular-season games and a possible bowl appearance on the line, it’s safe to say that he should surpass those career highs, barring any setbacks.
There’s no doubt that much of the program’s recent success rests on Johnson’s shoulders. At 6-foot-0 and 215 pounds, the student-athlete is too much of a threat to push to the side. He has recorded at least 50 rushing yards in six of seven games this season, including a career-high 89 yards against Arkansas on Oct. 8. The running backs unit as a whole notched 162 yards that morning, the highest total rushing yardage under Leach at Mississippi State. Those numbers came just one week after the Bulldogs outrushed Texas A&M, recording 144 yards in the afternoon matchup.
Speaking to media members after the victory over the Aggies, Johnson shared his opinions regarding opposing defenses that don’t see MSU as a rushing threat.
“People don’t have to respect us,” Johnson said. “They really don’t respect us running the ball, you know, they’re more worried about the pass.”
Leach aims to pass the football as much as possible, as proven through his first two years with MSU. During his inaugural 2020 campaign, the Bulldogs rushed for an average of 43.9 yards per game while passing for roughly 296.37 yards in each contest. Those numbers improved in 2021, with an average of 63.2 yards on the ground and 378.31 through the air in each game.
Things are a bit different this year: the total number of passing yards per contest is lower than in previous years, but the team averages 93 rushing yards in each game. Johnson might not be permanently changing the ideologies of the air raid, but his abilities have undoubtedly encouraged Leach to steer slightly from tradition. He ranks among the top 10 in the SEC in yards per rushing attempt and total rushing yards, with numbers higher than plenty of athletes from programs that run a more balanced offense.
Johnson explained his satisfaction during a Mississippi State press conference, crediting his offensive line for attributing to the rushing unit’s success on the gridiron.
“Every running back wants to run the ball,” Johnson said. “When we get out there, and they’re moving bodies, and we’re getting yards, it just builds confidence for the whole offense.”
Despite being capable of going above and beyond, Johnson does not selfishly desire to be the offensive centerpiece. He recognizes the success of quarterback Will Rogers and understands how vital the passing game is. After all, the speedster has also recorded 215 yards through the air. Johnson explained to media members how his offense could reach the next level.
“We’ve got to have a whole bunch of passing yards and a whole bunch of rushing yards,” Johnson said. “When we’re able to be two-dimensional, we’re a great team.”