RENTON — NFL coaches consistently preach to players that a big part of getting ahead is being prepared when an opportunity arises.
Through two weeks of training camp, the Seahawks might have no player who has followed that teaching more effectively than second-year running back George Holani.
When camp began July 23 it was hard to tell where Holani might fit.
Veterans Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet were entrenched as the top two running backs, and Kenny McIntosh was back for his fourth season after ending the 2024 campaign as the third running back.
Seattle also added Damien Martinez in the seventh round of the NFL draft to compete with McIntosh for the third spot.
That left Holani, who played in five games as a rookie in 2024 but mostly on special teams, to compete with a couple of other undrafted rookie free agents to catch the coaches’ eyes.
And with the Seahawks reintroducing the fullback to their offense and drafting Robbie Ouzts in the fifth round to fill that spot, three running backs is likely all they might keep on their initial 53-man roster.
But if the season began today, Holani would almost certainly be on the 53-man roster as the third running back.
That’s partly because of an unfortunate reality of football — injury. McIntosh is out for the season after suffering an ACL injury.
And part of it is preparation.
Martinez came in with high expectations after averaging 6.2 yards per carry in three college seasons (the 2022-23 seasons at Oregon State and 2024 at Miami), but Holani simply has had the better camp.
That was apparent in Thursday’s preseason opener when Holani got the first reps at running back with Walker and Charbonnet sitting out.
Holani responded with 61 yards on seven carries, 24 coming on a touchdown run on third-and-one. He read an opening to the left sideline and evaded a tackle attempt by Raiders cornerback Darien Porter, then outraced the defense to the pylon.
Martinez had 10 yards on six carries, also all coming in the first half.
Holani also impressed Macdonald by making a tackle on a kickoff.
“I feel like we don’t talk about George enough,” Macdonald said after the game. “But he’s just the guy that does everything right all the time. It’s great to see him have success because of how hard he works. You saw the runs, but the kickoff tackle was a big play for us. I think he’s a pretty well-rounded player.”
Holani figures to get ample work again Friday night when the Seahawks play their second preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Lumen Field.
Though Macdonald has said some starters could play, Walker might not be one of them.
NFL starting running backs often get little if any work in preseason games. Walker hasn’t had a carry in the past two preseasons.
Walker also is on a snap count in practices, as the team is managing a foot injury. He sat out again Monday. Macdonald maintains there’s no reason to be alarmed about Walker’s practice absences.
“We have a plan for Ken, and we’re sticking to the plan,” he said.
That plan has opened an opportunity for Holani, who in recent practices has worked behind Charbonnet with the No. 1 offense.
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Holani signed with the Seahawks in 2024 as an undrafted free agent out of Boise State — where he shared time his final year with Ashton Jeanty, the sixth overall pick of the 2025 draft by the Raiders — and said he understood he’d have to earn playing time.
“Not knowing what’s ahead for me, just being able to stay prepared, be a pro in how I take care of business on and off the field,” he said.
That attitude helped him impress in camp a year ago. He rushed for 66 yards on 15 carries with two touchdowns in the preseason.
Still, that wasn’t enough to get him a roster spot, and he ended up on the practice squad. Injuries to others and practice-squad elevations meant he played in five games, with three carries for 10 yards (all late in a loss to Green Bay).
Holani dealt with adversity during the season when he suffered a high-ankle sprain in the second game at New England.
That landed him on injured reserve for two months. Holani impressed coaches with the way he approached his rehab, making it back by the end of November.
Macdonald also cited Holani as an example of how an NFL player can improve from his first season to his second.
“I think of these guys that are in the developmental part of their career, the offseason program is critical, and George is here every day,” Macdonald said. “He works extremely hard, he gets after it, he’s got a great attitude. He always knows what to do, even though reps are limited in some capacity, and when he’s given his opportunities, he’s done a great job with it.”
Macdonald said that left him unsurprised by Holani’s performance Thursday.
“It’s expected because of what he’s done,” Macdonald said.
Holani also might be a good fit for the outside zone running scheme the team is emphasizing under first-year offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Correctly reading blocks and holes along with the ability to cut and accelerate quickly and decisively are vital in the outside zone scheme. And they are attributes the 5-foot-10, 208-pound Holani seems to possess.
“Nothing changed for our aiming points or our tracks, but it’s the details of what we see up front, what the defense lines up in and how they shift and adjust as the game goes on,” Holani said. “Being able to make the right calls.”
On his touchdown run, Holani said he saw the Raiders line up with eight defenders in the box, appearing to expect a run up the middle. Holani said he decided at the snap to bounce it outside, making the right read and showing the speed to pull it off.
He had to wait for a replay review to confirm the touchdown — and got a little bit of a stiff-arm from former Seahawk Marshawn Lynch, who was on the sideline taking photos. (Holani said he didn’t know then it was Lynch.)
“I didn’t know what to expect coming out,” he said of Thursday’s game. “Not knowing how many reps I’m getting, what’s the snap count. (I was) just going out there and executing one play at a time, just trying to make one play come to life.”
Bob Condotta: bcondotta@seattletimes.com. Bob Condotta covers the Seahawks for the Seattle Times. He provides daily coverage of the team throughout the year.