Four days removed from sustaining a season-ending injury, graduate student running back Cam Porter remained an important figure at Tuesday’s practice for redshirt sophomore Caleb Komolafe, who will likely be taking on a larger role at the position in Porter’s absence.
Komolafe smiled as he called Porter his “big brother” and described how his presence has been imperative to his time at Northwestern, whether it be helping him break down film, supporting him through his own injury or simply showing him where his new classes are.
“Even right now, while he’s injured, being able to tell me what he sees and tell me where I could better myself in running lanes, passing, pass blocking — all that kind of stuff,” Komolafe said.
Committed to backing up his teammate, Komolafe said he was in the training room with Porter when he first heard about the long-term consequences of his injury Saturday. From there, he said, he just tried to repeat positive messages and remind Porter he still has “a long career ahead of him.”
When coach David Braun first announced at his Monday press conference that his team would be without Porter for the remainder of the season, he was quick to reference the relationships he’s seen Porter forge with some of the younger players in the running back room, particularly Komolafe.
Braun has repeatedly emphasized the importance of a solid ground game as NU’s Big Ten slate looms. Now as he looks toward younger players like Komolafe to step up, he said he’ll continue to lean on Porter’s leadership from the sidelines.
“Caleb (Komolafe) would be the first one to tell you that Cam (Porter)’s influence on him has had a tremendous impact on his ability to be where he’s at right now,” Braun said Monday.
Before he was carted away from the field with a lower body injury in the third quarter of NU’s Friday night contest with Western Illinois, Porter led the team in carries and rushing yards this season, as he did in both 2023 and 2024.
But behind Porter’s 137 rushing yards in the early season, Komolafe was making a jump of his own, tallying 97 yards — just 42 less than he had across 10 games last season — in only two contests.
Over the last offseason, he said he’s tried to slow the game down in film review, focusing on correcting the “little mistakes and intricate things” to improve his play. Following a redshirt 2023 season where he received just four carries, Komolafe averaged 2.8 yards per carry last season and has averaged 4.8 so far this season.
The Katy, Texas native said he had never been to the Midwest before college, but couldn’t turn down the academic opportunity when he received a scholarship offer from NU.
He described himself as “destined” to play football, having grown up in a “football family” where his dad signed him up for his first snaps on the gridiron at age 3. Though Komolafe knew his place on the field was predetermined, he didn’t feel the same sense of fate when it came to his position.
Komolafe was recruited out of high school more as a safety than a running back. He said he received just three offers to join a program’s offense, one of which was NU.
“Playing offense or defense wasn’t a big issue for me,” Komolafe said. “I would say that the big deciding factor was just education, scenery, coaching staff … just where I feel like I could thrive.”
Komolafe initially committed to Memphis as an athlete, rather than limiting himself to either his offensive or defensive position, but ultimately decided that playing in Evanston was a better fit, citing the “Northwestern family” feel as a key factor.
Now, years later, Komolafe’s people-oriented approach to the recruiting process is still paying dividends. He said Tuesday that he’s “confident” he’s ready to carve out a larger role in Porter’s absence because of the faith his coaches have instilled in him.In offensive coordinator Zach Lujan’s second year, Komolafe said he’s benefited from a “better understanding” of NU’s point-scoring strategy.
Describing conversations with running backs coach Aristotle Thompson, he said that “backing each other up” has always been a key priority. That mindset only intensifies with Porter sidelined from here on out.
“Nothing’s really gonna change as far as just stepping up in a bigger role,” Komolafe said. “It’s just me being myself.”
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