New and old faces, same mentality: the camaraderie of Northwestern’s running back room

DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 26: Northwestern Wildcats running back Caleb Komolafe (5) celebrates after running the ball for a touchdown during the GameAbove Sports Bowl between the Central Michigan Chippewas and the Northwestern Wildcats on December 26, 2025, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Despite an up-and-down offensive season for Northwestern in 2025, the running backs really showed up and showed out. Caleb Komolafe had a breakout campaign, in which he finished eighth in rushing yards (941) and ninth in rushing touchdowns (11) among Big Ten players. Even with the chaos that is the transfer portal nowadays, Komolafe stayed loyal to the Wildcats and is coming back for his fourth season.

“I had no reason to leave,” Komolafe said. “They’ve done a good job in helping me build as a player and move me up academically, so couldn’t beat it.”

Alongside Komolafe is Joseph Himon II, who ran for 486 yards in just 99 carries in 2025. He has improved each year and has developed into a key piece for the Wildcats’ offense as a dynamic threat from the backfield. Like Komolafe, Himon II decided to come back to Northwestern and not enter the portal as he now enters his fifth season of college football.

“I love being here,” Himon II said. “Coming out of high school, I made the decision to come here based off the education that I would be receiving and playing Big Ten football.”

Himon II also mentioned how the relationships he has built with his teammates, coaches and other people in the broader Northwestern community is “second to none.”

“For guys like me, it’s just about being loyal to the process and committing yourself to it,” Himon II said.

With the new Ryan Field set to be ready for Northwestern’s Big Ten home opener, Himon II (and Komolafe) will have played in the old Ryan Field, on the lakeside field and in the new Ryan Field. It’s also a unique case for the Wildcats this upcoming season as their first two games will still be played on the lakeside field, which Himon II said was a “quite intimate environment.”

As a team, the Wildcats finished eighth in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (160.2). With the departure of Dashun Reeder in the transfer portal and Cam Porter graduating, David Braun and company looked to the portal to add more talent to the running back room. Gavin Sawchuk from Florida State and Mar’Kel Porter from Bowling Green were the two gets in that aspect.

“It’s good to have these new faces,” Komolafe said. “Ultimately, they’re going to help us be successful this year.”

For Sawchuk specifically, he’s had two standout seasons across his four-year collegiate career. In 2023, his sophomore season, Sawchuk led Oklahoma in rushing yards with 744 and was second in rushing touchdowns with nine. He did this while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. 6.2! After a disappointing 2024 season with the Sooners, he made the move to Florida State for the 2025 season, in which he finished second on his team with 486 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns behind quarterback Tommy Castellanos. Notably, the Seminoles rushed for 218.7 yards per game, which was 11th-most last season. Now, entering his fifth year of college football, Sawchuk brings experience to an already experienced group.

“Working with vets is always great,” Sawchuk said. “They’re great leaders on the team and great athletes, so it’s great having some other vets around to go back and forth and learn from each other.”

In addition to the “vets” Sawchuk is referring to in Komolafe and Himon II, Northwestern’s new-look coaching staff, particularly on the offensive side with new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, brings even more veteran leadership. Combine that with returning running backs coach Aristotle Thompson, who was recently promoted to assistant head coach along with being running backs coach, and the experience is there and was a big drawing point for Sawchuk.

“My goal is to get to the NFL,” Sawchuk said. “I want to be under somebody who has been in the NFL, knows what it takes to get there and has put running backs specifically in the league.”

The motivation displayed by Sawchuk meshes well with the already existing running back room for the ‘Cats as they look to take their offense to new heights in the 2026 season.