Virginia went into the spring portal window looking to aggressively add offensive linemen and defensive backs, with an eye on several other positions if the right players came available. At running back, the UVa staff ended up taking two commitments, including Wyoming transfer back Harrison Waylee.

Waylee spent the last two seasons at Wyoming, after beginning his career at Northern Illinois. Between his time with the Huskies and Cowboys, Waylee has started 20 games and played in 36 contests, and has been productive throughout his career, while also battling some injuries. Waylee played in the “free” Covid season in 2020 at NIU, and started the 2021 season strong before missing the final nine games of the season with injury. Waylee was hurt again last fall, and played in the final four games of the season, allowing him to redshirt and preserve his final year of eligibility, and ultimately transfer to Virginia.

When he has been healthy, Waylee has been a very solid, productive back. In 2021, he rushed for 574 yards on 101 attempts with four touchdowns, before getting injured. That stretch included three 130+ yard games, including a 27-carry, 144 yard performance against Georgia Tech that also included a touchdown, in a season-opening upset win. Waylee got to play a full season in 2022, rushing for 899 yards on 165 attempts, with five touchdowns. Waylee had some monster performances that year too, rushing for 230 yards and three touchdowns against Ball State, and 158 yards in a win at Eastern Michigan.

Waylee then transferred to Wyoming, and was productive there, too. He rushed for 947 yards on 164 attempts with the Cowboys in 2023, scoring five rushing touchdowns. He rushed for 110+ yards in his first three games, and had a 128-yard game later in the season. Last fall, Waylee rushed for 323 yards on just 63 carries, playing late in the season. Waylee rushed for 170 yards and a touchdown in a shootout win over Bronco Mendenhall’s New Mexico Lobos.

What stands out about Waylee’s career is his impressive yards per carry average, which has been consistent across two programs, two conferences, and through a few injuries. Waylee has averaged more than five yards per carry in each of the last four seasons. Waylee has caught a few passes out of the backfield here and there, as well. In 2022, the Johnston, Iowa native caught 17 passes for 119 yards in his final season with Northern Illinois.

UVa needed depth at running back, even with what they already have. UVa's other portal running back commit, Colorado's Isaiah Augustave, ended up re-opening his recruitment, which makes the Waylee addition all the more important for the Hoos. J'Mari Taylor and Xavier Brown are both dynamic backs with a lot of potential, but there isn't a lot of experienced depth behind them. Waylee can help with that, as UVa's staff has shown a pattern of rotating backs throughout games, sometimes up to three or four ball carriers.

Waylee's skillset is also a little different than what the Hoos already had with Taylor and Brown. Those two backs are quick hitters that can take a play the distance, and can catch the ball out of the backfield. Waylee can do those things too, but he has more of a history running between the tackles and moving the chains. Between these three backs, UVa should have a solid running back room, and will be further protected from injury issues that appeared late last season, when the staff ended up having to move wide receiver Chris Tyree to running back to cover for those injured in the season finale against Virginia Tech.

This may have been an example of UVa not being willing to pass up an addition of this quality. Waylee has been impressively productive at two good G5 programs, and UVa is betting that he’ll bring that efficiency to Charlottesville, and hopefully stay healthy. UVa added NC Central J’Mari Taylor to the roster in the winter window, and Taylor looked very promising in UVa’s spring practices and the blue/white scrimmage. But he and fellow back Xavier Brown are both smaller, quicker backs that can create big runs, while Waylee is more of a between-the-tackles back at 5-foot-10, 212 pounds. That makes this a natural fit for UVa, who frankly don’t have a ton of depth behind Brown and Taylor at this point.

We expect Waylee to find his way into the rotation this year. He’s been too productive throughout his career to assume he won’t find a way to make a difference for this football team. UVa didn’t really find a replacement for Kobe Pace in the winter portal window, and instead have two similar slasher backs in Brown and Taylor. Now, Waylee can come in and replace a lot of what Pace did, as more of a power back. If Waylee can demonstrate pass-protection skills, that gives him an even better chance to succeed. UVa’s staff has remained committed to the idea of running the football, but results have been spotty so far. There’s a hope now though, with a deep group of running backs and an improved offensive line group, that they can break through and impose their will on opposing defenses. Waylee has a chance to be a big part of that effort this fall.