Johnson Jr., Ruffin, looking to carve out new roles in busy rooms

In college football, the talk is always about roster turnover.

Seniors leaving, athletes in the transfer portal or NFL Draft prospects heading to the pros. What isn't talked about as much is how last season's contributors fight for positions on the depth chart with newcomers, and that applies to West Virginia's running back Justin Johnson Jr. and cornerback Malachi Ruffin.

Every season, freshmen stars or transfers join a team, or a younger player on the roster breaks out and that forces players who had a big role in the previous season to reevaluate and fight for their spot.

The most interesting case comes from Johnson, the junior tailback for WVU. Last season, Johnson was stellar in C.J. Donaldson's absence last year, compiling 430 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 4.4 yards per carry with five catches, 46 yards and another score.

Donaldson despite his injury still paced the group of returners with 526 yards and eight touchdowns on six yards per carry. Alongside Anderson cementing his role with a breakout game of 155 yards and two scores in the season finale against Oklahoma State, repetitions in that backfield will be hard to come by, but Johnson is confident.

"It's really competitive back there but at the same time we're all interchangeable so we're all getting the same amount of time," Johnson Jr. said.

And don't forget about freshmen D.J. Oliver and Jaheim White. Although their roles won't affect Johnson's playing time this season, there are still things that Johnson can learn from his peers.

"Jaheim because he's fast and he's really shifty, so I look at some of his moves he makes and how he makes people miss and I use that in my library of moves as well," Johnson Jr. said.

Also against the odds for Johnson is that the aforementioned Donaldson is now healthy, and sophomore Jaylen Anderson is solidly in the mix, so it will either shift to a committee of rushers or a fierce battle will ensue for that spot.

Johnson is the eldest of the primary three running backs, coming into 2023 as a junior where Anderson and Donaldson are sophomores, but it'll be a battle to capture and really secure his role.

"How last year went, he went with the hot hand, everyone's going to have their game," Johnson Jr. said. "It just depends on who's doing good. We're a confident group and everyone's confident they're going to succeed this year, especially because of last year."

Shifting over to defense, it's another unique situation for Malachi Ruffin. Last season, he started all 12 games for the Mountaineers and was a big contributor at both safety and cornerback, but things have changed.

When you add talented transfers Montre Miller from Kent State, Beanie Bishop Jr. from Minnesota, and Anthony Wilson from Georgia Southern, it's a recipe for a situation like Ruffin's. They also return starters Aubrey Burks, Jacolby Spells, and Marcis Floyd, pushing Ruffin to play primarily at the cornerback position.

"I like learning and knowing all positions. It has helped me to focus on one thing, but how I think of it though, is that I'll just play wherever I'm needed," Ruffin said.

Ruffin made 26 total tackles and recorded three pass deflections, but is that enough for him to make an impact on a busy depth chart this season? As long as his confidence remains intact, there's still a place for him to contribute and he brings that experience.

"Just being able to know what you're good at and using it for your strength and don't let anyone shut it down. Adversity is going to happen and that's where your confidence can build. When you know bad things happen, how do you react off of it? I've experienced a lot of adversity here and in high school," Ruffin said.

Ruffin is a tough case too, especially playing primarily on a defense that struggled for most of last season, ranking 98th in the FBS in total defense and 111th in pass yards allowed. The coaching staff for all we know could potentially be looking for new faces and new ideas, but it's up to Ruffin to carve out his role against all odds.

However as the season progresses, just because a big role is unlikely doesn't mean it's impossible for these two players. Playing time and experience at any level of football is always beneficial and it can be an upper hand for these two guys to make up ground.

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