Florida Football Camp Report: Montrell Johnson Out, Injury Requires Surgery

Johnson Led Gators With 817 Yards Rushing In 2023 And 6 Total TDs

By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com, Football Analyst

Running Back Montrell Johnson (Chris Spears photo)

Florida Gator running back Montrell Johnson underwent a minor arthroscopic knee surgery this weekend for an injury, according to multiple sources. Johnson was expected by to take on the heaviest workload due to the departure of Trevor Etienne in the offseason.

Johnson, the SEC’s leading returning rusher, ran for a team high 817 yards and caught 30 passes for a total of six touchdowns. For the past two seasons Johnson has steadied a backfield that has been rich with talent due to his familiarity with many of the coaches and the offense.

He is expected to miss several weeks but could be back for the home opener with Miami (FL) and maybe full speed for Samford and Texas A&M,m. Florida would look to have Johnson back for its first road test of the season at Mississippi State.

With Johnson temporarily on the shelf, the Gators will look to an inexperienced but talented group of backs that includes sophomore Treyaun Webb, redshirt senior Cam Carroll, former juco transfer Ja’Kobi Jackson, and freshman Jaden Baugh who stood out in the Orange and Blue game. Carroll is still not fully recovered from an injury and his future may be in question.

Baugh dew attention in the sprinf game and has peaked interest lately with a 500-plus pound squat earlier this year. So while the Gators will miss Johnson there are certainly horses in the stable.

Jackson came to the Gators from Coahoma Community College a year ago and was poised to contribute on special teams this season. The injury to Johnson now will offer opportunities for meaningful carries for Jackson early in the season. Jackson led Coahoma in rushing with 661 yards, seven touchdowns, averaging 5.2 yards per carry.

Coach Jabar Juluke found success at Louisiana with a backfield by committee approach with NFL backs Elijah Mitchell, Raymond Calais and Trey Ragas and will most likely employ that approach early with Webb, Jackson, Baugh and Carroll and ride the hot hand. 

In other football news Head Coach Billy Napier echoed the sentiment of many practice observers in regards to the improvement of quarterback DJ Lagway. “He made tremendous growth, knowledge of defense,” said Napier. “ I think he’s improved fundamentally too, I think the ball is coming out more consistently, his feet are polished up.”

It is yet to be determined what Lagaway’s role will be this season but Napier went on to express that that may be dictated on how the offense evolves as a whole.

Napier also stated that he was impressed with Arizona State transfer receiver Elijah Badger who may have had his best day of the young preseason on Friday night. "He's explosive, he is athletic, he can run after the catch, he has a verticle threat to his game. I like the look in his eye."