Through two years of his tenure, the strength of Billy Napier’s offense has been the running game. Napier leaned heavily on his feature backs, Montrell Johnson and Trevor Etienne.
While Etienne left seeking greener pastures (Georgia), Johnson returns to Gainesville for his senior season as the clear-cut, RB1. Behind the former Louisiana running back, a stable of young talent is looking to carve their own legacy in the orange and blue.
Johnson has rushed for over 1,600 yards in his first two years with the Gators. In 2023, Johnson averaged 5.4 yards on the ground (same average as 2022) and scored five touchdowns. He also caught 30 balls out of the backfield. Unfortunately, Johnson underwent knee surgery this month and is currently listed as week-to-week. Said Napier this week, “he’s already on his feet. He’s made significant progress.” The head coach also emphasized that the procedure was “very minor.”
Sophomore Treyaun Webb saw action in eleven games as a freshman. He rushed the ball 26 times for 163 yards and a pair of touchdowns. His 6.3 yards per carry was the highest mark amongst the running backs to see game action.
Previewing: Quarterbacks
Cam Carroll enters his seventh season of college football. The former Tulane Greenwave running back missed the entire 2023 campaign after transferring to Florida due to a torn ligament in his knee. In 2022, while still in New Orleans, Carroll rushed just one time for three yards before suffering a season-ending leg injury.
In the four years leading up to 2022 (including redshirting as a true freshman), Carroll amassed 1,638 yards on the ground and 19 touchdowns. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry.
Two incoming freshman that are expected to see some reps are KD Daniels and Jadan Baugh. Daniels was a four-star prospect out of Mississippi in the 2024 class. Baugh was a three-star recruit originally committed to Arkansas before choosing to switch his pledge to Florida.
The Gators will be led by Montrell Johnson in the backfield. The veteran leadership he can provide will benefit the offense immensely. He’s put up solid numbers against the best of the SEC and will continue to do so. Webb and Carroll will provide a good 1-2 punch in relief of Johnson. The freshman will also get some touches and Napier likes to put the ball in the hands of his receivers at times, as well. Expect Eugene Wilson to get quite a few carries as the season plays out.
The backfield is certainly a strength of this team heading into 2024, even if they did lose a talented player to a rival.
This is part two of our 2024 Florida Football Preview. Stay posted for our receiver room preview coming later this week.
*Photo by David Rosenblum | Getty Images
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