Despite playing just one quarter, quarterback Demond Williams Jr. led the Washington Huskies in rushing in their 17-10 win over Nebraska. The dual-threat signal-caller carried the ball just four times for 28 yards, but with the Huskies putting up a total of just 32 yards on the ground, the junior carried the load in a short but clutch appearance in Lincoln.

Now expected to return to his starting duties after battling a fractured rib that he suffered in the 41-24 Week Six loss to Iowa, Williams adds another dimension to Jedd Fisch's rushing attack. It's common knowledge by now that UW's running back room has been plagued with injuries, but with Williams in the backfield, he provides an additional weapon to make plays with his legs.

Although he's only played just over a half of football in the last three games, the second-year starter is tied for the most carries on the team (68),with true freshman running back Brian Bonner Jr., and ranks second on the squad in rushing yards with 211. Back at full health, the Washington run game will look to have a bounce-back performance following their sluggish outing against a sturdy Cornhuskers defense.

Set to welcome Penn State on homecoming weekend, the Nittany Lions defense offers a tough yet vulnerable unit. While defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn's crew is only allowing 18 points per game, they rank No. 76 in the nation in rushing yards allowed, giving up 154 yards per contest on the ground. While Washington has an opportunity to run the ball effectively on Saturday, it has been lacking in that department this season.

Through nine weeks, UW ranks No. 133 out of 138 FBS schools, posting a mere 87.4 rushing yards per game. In its eight games this season, Williams has led the rushing attack in three of them, with his best showing coming in the Apple Cup, where he ran for 61 yards. If the Huskies want to have any chance to push their winning streak to three, they will need their mobile quarterback to be effective in the running game just as much as the passing game.

The junior quarterback won't be alone, though, as the return of veteran Jayden Limar has added another body to Washington's backfield. The Oregon transfer has been dealing with an elbow injury he suffered in Week One, but returned in limited action last week. As Washington's offense looks to capture the lightning in a bottle from the final moments of last week, it starts with finding a way to establish an identity on the ground.