BROOKINGS — South Dakota State has had a run of elite running backs over the past decade. Now, a pair of roommates look to continue that tradition in the 2024 season.

Amar and Angel Johnson arrived on campus in 2021 and have waited for their opportunity to be the one-two punch in the SDSU backfield. The pair of Johnsons, who are not related, share a similar story to all of the Jackrabbit running backs since Zach Zenner set the standard a decade ago.

Put in the hard work behind the scenes so that when it’s your time to carry the rock you’re ready to live up to expectations.

Amar Johnson broke onto the scene two years ago during a game in his sophomore season at the Fargodome. He ran for what was then a career-high 89 yards and scored his third rushing touchdown of his career in a 23-21 win against North Dakota State. Amar would go on to score a touchdown in six of the next eight games and ran for a new career-high (126 yards) in the Jacks first National Championship victory.

During Amar’s freshman season in 2021 he sat behind future NFL running backs Pierre Strong Jr. and Isaiah Davis. Amar was then the primary backup for Davis over the next two seasons before becoming the starter this year.

“I really think it’s about being patient and waiting your turn,” Amar Johnson said. “I always harp on it. I had Pierre [Strong] and Isaiah [Davis], and after my sophomore season, I had a strong season and could have left, but that wasn’t ideal. You take guys like Pierre and Isaiah and see how they work and train. When your time comes, it’s going to be easy for you because you’ve seen it for three years now.”

Amar has run for 311 yards and three touchdowns so far this season. His backup is now his roommate Angel Johnson, who is in his fourth year at SDSU but is a junior because he redshirted in 2021.

Angel started his career as a special teams player in 2022. Last season Angel ran for 381 yards on just 43 carries. He had five touchdowns on the year and three of them were longer than 50 yards, which is why Amar and the coaching staff have deemed him the “home run hitter” of the offense.

Just like Amar, Angel has learned from those that were before him.

“[I’ve learned from the guys in front of me] how to carry myself. Not only on the field, but also off of the field as well. Isaiah was a great mentor for that with the way he took care of his body, the way he studied film, prepped, and got extra treatment. Stuff like that. It’s one thing to be patient, but you also have to be available when your time comes,” Angel Johnson said.

Davis has yet to play a snap in a regular season game, but is on the New York Jets 53-man roster. Pierre Strong Jr. joined Zach Zenner in 2021 as SDSU running backs to have played a snap in the NFL. SDSU head coach Jimmy Rogers said the success that those three had has resulted in the Jackrabbits not missing a beat at that position.

“When you are able to have success in college football, it opens other great players’ eyes up to [what they can do if they] come here and have that same type of success. Success breeds success. You get another player that’s just as talented and wants that opportunity to go to the next level, they take interest in your program because they have visual proof that they can do it as well. We have many guys that can take that step to do it again in that room, but that takes work,” Rogers said.

Robbie Rouse became Amar and Angel’s position coach last season. He replaced Andre Crenshaw and has continued to make sure that there is a culture of success in the running back room

“I think [the culture] is important. Running back is a position where you typically have one guy on the field. So, turning [the running back room] into a brotherhood of one ball, we all ball, one fail, we all fail, and carrying that relationship [on the field] but off the field as well. … It makes the bond even deeper than football and we’re truly brothers. It’s really special,” Rouse said.

That bond is even more apparent between Amar and Angel. The two became roommates halfway through their first year in Brookings and have become very close over the years.

Angel is from Irene, S.D., and played 9-man football at Viborg Hurley High School, which meant he was not on the radar of many Division I schools coming out of high school.

“Coming out of high school I knew I had the capabilities to play DI ball but this was one of the few schools that took a chance on me,” Angel Johnson said. “That was one of the biggest things. They took a chance on me and believed in me and from there I told myself I had to work my way [onto the field], however it may be. Between special teams or in the running back room, however it needed to be, I knew that they took a chance on me and I was forever grateful for that.”

In his first fall camp at SDSU Angel was initially a wide receiver as he had set the South Dakota high school record for both the 100 meter and 200 meter dash. Amar said Angel immediately turned heads and eventually made his way into the running back room and became Amar’s roommate.

“Coming from Viborg and being from a small town, he came in as a wide receiver, we were like ‘dang, who’s this big jacked up dude?’ He converted to running back and a lot of guys don’t come in like that. With him learning the running back room that fast and coming out here and showing what he can do and watching his progress from freshman year to now has been amazing. I’m happy for him,” Amar Johnson said.

The relationship between Amar and Angel has stretched beyond the football field. Amar said the bond that him and Angel have developed has made him not only a better player, but a great person.

“He’s like a little brother to me. I treat him like family and he treats me like that [as well]. I love that dude to death and he makes me a better person,” Amar Johnson said.

With that bond, it’s an exciting time for both Johnson’s as they’ve made their way to the top of the depth chart. Rouse said he’s noticed that in practice and is interested to see how the rest of the season plays out.

“They’ve always been pretty tight. I’m sure they’re super excited because now they can really piggy back off each other. Angel had opportunities last year and took advantage of them, but now he’s going to get even more opportunities,” Rouse said.