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Andrea Adelson, ESPN Senior Writer
NEW ORLEANS — Washington running back Dillon Johnson said Thursday his foot is feeling “a lot better” after playing through significant pain in his last three games.
Johnson had his foot stepped on against Oregon State on Nov. 18, requiring him to wear a walking boot the week leading up to the regular-season finale against Washington State. Though he was questionable to play, Johnson gutted it out and led the Huskies with 82 yards.
Though he was feeling a little better against Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game the following week, Johnson revealed during his first availability Thursday before the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl that he was heavily medicated to be able to play.
He said the month break between the Pac-12 championship victory on Dec. 1 and the matchup against Texas in the semifinals has been great.
“It’s the first time that I’ve been able to get my foot back together, and it’s been a blessing because the resting time came at the perfect time,” Johnson said. “God blessed me with some strong high pain tolerance because there’s no way I would have been able to play if I didn’t. And whoever made medicine, bless their heart because I wouldn’t have been able to play without that, either. So I appreciate them, too.”
Johnson emerged as a force this season, rushing for a career-high 1,113 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first season with Washington after transferring in from Mississippi State. He played through hamstring and knee injuries earlier this season, too, and is one of several Washington players who has played through pain this year to never miss a start. He also mentioned receiver Rome Odunze, who sustained a fractured rib and collapsed lung earlier this season.
“We’ve got guys that are willing to do whatever and he’s one of those guys,” Johnson said. “Like we say, ‘We don’t care if we lose an arm, leg, knee. We’re going to be out there playing.”
Johnson described his own performance in the championship game against Oregon this way, “I was out there struggling. I had to take so much medicine. I was kind of out of it.”
He specifically noted the final play of the game to clinch the win — an 18-yard run on third-and-9 with 53 seconds left. Johnson ended up with 152 yards and two touchdowns, and recalled what coach Kalen DeBoer told him before the play.
“When I slid, the medicine had me so low, that I really didn’t even know what happened,” Johnson said. “I was just holding onto the ball because I just remember that’s what they told me. Coach DeBoer, he was like, ‘Just hold on to the ball. If you get tackled for a loss, it’s OK.’ I looked up. I was already tired. I was like, ‘Nah, we’re [going to] finish the game right here. So o-line did a great job, I made a good cut, and the game was sealed.”