Wayshawn Parker and NaQuari Rogers have been a solid one-two punch in the backfield for the Utes this season.
Now they just need a nickname.
Detroit Lions running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are “Sonic and Knuckles” from the Sega video game, while Tennessee Titans running backs LenDale White and Chris Johnson were called “Smash and Dash.”
“That one-two punch, me and NaQuari, just having a back like that is a dual threat. That chemistry that we have is there. I know there’s a squad out there, the Lions, Jahmyr Gibbs, ‘Knuckles and Sonic.’ I mean, we got to come up with a name,” Parker said.
The nickname for the duo will come in time, especially if Parker and Rogers continue to do what they’ve done through two games.
Last season, Micah Bernard carried the Utes’ running backs room, rushing for 1,009 yards. Bernard fought through injury and stacked tackle boxes, turning in a valiant performance and becoming one of the few consistent contributors on Utah’s 2024 offense.
After the season, every scholarship running back either graduated or transferred and Washington State’s Mark Atuaia replaced Quinton Ganther as the Utes’ running backs coach.
Utah would have a blank slate at running back in 2025.
With Atuaia in place to head up Utah’s running backs, all eyes turned toward Parker’s decision after entering the transfer portal. After rushing for 735 yards and four scores on 137 carries in his true freshman season, 247Sports rated him the No. 4 running back in the transfer portal, and Parker had plenty of offers, including ones from USC, Tennessee and Ole Miss.
In the end, the draw of running behind Utah’s offense line — one of the best in the nation — and playing for Atuaia was too much for Parker to pass up.
After rushing for 735 yards and four scores on 137 carries in his true freshman season, 247Sports rated him the No. 4 running back in the transfer portal, and Parker had plenty of offers, including ones from USC, Tennessee and Ole Miss.
“It means a lot,” Parker said of his relationship with Atuaia. “I mean, he’s not only just a coach, he’s also a father. When I first went to college, him right there, when we took that visit to Washington State, he asked my parents if they can hand over the torch and it was like, yes, we put enough trust. So when they put that trust into him, I feel like I can put that trust myself.”
Parker said that the relationship between the two meant so much that he wanted to follow Atuaia wherever he went. That happened to be Salt Lake City, and it’s worked out well for him thus far.
Through two games, Parker has totaled 112 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries, adding a 52-yard touchdown reception as well.
Parker made an early impression on Utah’s first play from scrimmage against UCLA with a key block to clear the way for Smith Snowden.
“Our whole 2025 season started off with a block by Wayshawn and you could hear it on the sideline ... Wayshawn just gave his whole heart to it and the outcome was really good to start off our season,” Atuaia said.
“I mean it just set the standard on what we should do this season,” Parker said.
After his block, Parker was rewarded with a 12-yard carry, and later in the drive, the sophomore scored his first touchdown in a Ute uniform.
Offensive linemen Spencer Fano, Michael Mokofisi and Jaren Kump set the edge perfectly, with Tanoa Togiai knocking a blitzing cornerback off of his path. The result? Parker had a wide-open running lane to the end zone.
“They’ve been so great. They get to the second level so fast. It’s like no other team that I’ve ever had before,” Parker said about Utah’s offensive line.
Parker would finish the contest with 62 yards and a score on 11 carries as Utah’s rushing attack, which totaled 286 yards, wore down the Bruins.
Rice-Eccles debut
In his Rice-Eccles Stadium debut against Cal Poly, it didn’t take long for Parker to hear his name called over the PA system and soak in the cheers from the Ute crowd.
“Once the game started, how sold-out it got, it’s a great feeling,” Parker said. “I mean as soon as the game was over, I even went to the side. Everybody was like, ‘That’s the quietest it’s been.’ I said, ‘Really? That’s louder than what I ever had.’
“So I can just imagine what it’s going to be like (vs.) Texas Tech. I mean we go to Wyoming, we got a lot of fans that travel as I’ve seen at UCLA, so I feel like he’s going to be more there. “
Dampier hit Parker on the screen pass on Utah’s first drive and there was nothing but green turf in front of him. Parker raced 52 yards down the left sideline for his first score at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
“As soon as I looked over and I seen Tobias (Merriweather) do his job, distracted the linebacker, Devon already knew where to put the ball and just from there I just scored the touchdown,” Parker said.
Parker later scored his third touchdown of the season on a 43-yard run. Once again, he had a clear path due to the offensive line doing their jobs.
He finished Utah’s 63-9 win over Cal Poly with six carries for 50 yards and a score, plus the 52-yard receiving touchdown.
Unlike last season, when Utah couldn’t find a reliable No. 2 running back, Parker has had help in the backfield.
‘Handle the job’
Rogers, who played with Dampier last season at New Mexico, has been the other half of Utah’s running-back duo, rushing for 92 yards on 23 carries this season.
“It’s great knowing that he’s right there and that I can depend on him when I get tired. It’s like the same with me and him,” Parker said. “If he gets tired and he already knows he can depend on me. We know we going to handle the job,”
Rogers shouldered the bigger part of the workload against UCLA, toting the ball 16 times for 61 yards and a touchdown. He scored his first touchdown for his new school following a Trey Reynolds interception of Nico Iamaleava set the Utes up on the Bruins’ 29-yard line.
Utah advanced the ball to the goal line, then it was Parker powering his way through to give the Utes a 43-10 lead.
Against Cal Poly, Rogers had seven carries for 31 yards, scoring twice — first on a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter to put Utah up three scores. Rogers wasn’t done yet, as after Utah’s defense forced a three-and-out and got a 51-yard punt return by Rayshawn Glover, he had his name called again on the goal line.
Facing fourth-and-goal, Rogers plowed his way ahead to find pay dirt once more, giving the Utes a 35-6 halftime lead.
“It was real good, I’m not going to lie. The fan base was good and the environment was good. Everything was just welcoming, felt like I’ve been here before so everything was amazing to be honest,” Rogers said of his first time playing in Salt Lake City.
“I can depend on him just like he can depend on me, just whoever in there, we do what we do, positive results are going to happen.”
— NaQuari Rogers on playing with Wayshawn Parker
Having Parker with him in the backfield so he doesn’t have to shoulder the workload entirely himself will be a benefit. It will keep both running backs fresher for longer and when one needs to come out, there won’t be a dropoff.
“I can depend on him just like he can depend on me, just whoever in there, we do what we do, positive results are going to happen regardless,” Rogers said. “I feel like we built the trust from our OC and our running back coach and I love playing with Wayshawn.”
Utah has employed the “running back by committee” approach in the past, and it’s what’s working right now.
“Really the bottom line is the overall output and we’ve rushed for nearly 300 yards both games and so we’re getting what we need right now,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “...As long as they’re 1 and 1a, we will continue with it. If one of them separates themselves, then we’ll go that direction.”
