GAINESVILLE — Florida senior tailback Montrell Johnson Jr. is week-to-week following arthroscopic surgery for a minor knee injury sustained at fall camp.
A source confirmed the injury, first reported by On3.com.
Johnson was expected to shoulder much of the workload in the Gators’ running game, having led the team in rushing yards the past two seasons. The 5-foot-11, 213-pound did so sharing carries with Trevor Etienne, who transferred to Georgia after the 2023 season.
While Johnson lacks Etienne’s extra gear, he is a powerful, determined and durable runner who has appeared in all 25 games at UF since transferring from Louisiana to join Napier after the 2021 season. There, Johnson emerged a key contributor and the team’s second leading rusher.
He enters 2024 with 2,496 career rushing yards and 27 touchdowns.
While Napier planned to lean on his longtime tailback, UF’s coach has options and a history of using multiple runners.
Sophomore Treyaun Webb, a coveted 4-star prospect in 2023 from Jacksonville, is poised to breakout; true freshman Jordan Baugh rushed for a game-high 77 yards during the spring game; and true freshman Kahnen Daniels was a record-setter in Mississippi.
The 5-foot-11, 211-pound Webb rushed for 2,903 yards and 31 scores, averaging 7.83 yards per carry, during his final two seasons at Jacksonville’s Trinity Christian Academy.
The 6-foot ¾, 237-pound Baugh was a 3-star recruit who rushed for 1,583 yards on 113 carries (14.0 ypc) with 19 touchdowns in 2023 at Georgia’s Columbia High. He chose UF over Alabama.
The 5-foot-11½, 196-pound Daniels rushed for 2,737 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2023, highlighted by a 253-yard performance in the state title game.
The success of Napier’s run begins up front. UF averaged 1.24 yards fewer per carry than 2022.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
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