Florida Gators Suffer Injury Blow in Backfield

The Florida Gators could be without All-SEC running back Montrell Johnson for the first few games of the season.

Florida Gators running back Montrell Johnson Jr. had work done on his knee. / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

Florida Gators’ running back Montrell Johnson Jr. is out with a minor knee injury, Gators Illustrated has learned. His injury is considered week-to-week after having a routine scope procedure, according to 247 Sports’ Jacob Rudner. 

A career 2,500-yard rusher, Johnson Jr. has led the Gators in rushing with back-to-back 800-yard seasons and turned down an opportunity to declare early for the NFL Draft in favor of one more season with the Gators. Johnson Jr. was named second-team All-SEC at media days last month.

Johnson Jr. is expected to lead a group of young players in sophomore Treyaun Webb and freshmen Kahnen Daniels and Jadan Baugh, especially after becoming the feature back following Trevor Etienne’s transfer to Georgia. 

“To me, it don’t really feel any different. I think that, you know, I feel like the team is gonna kind of lean on me more and I’m gonna be more responsible to kind of uplift the team and be more in leadership for the team,” Johnson Jr. said during spring camp. “I kind of feel like me and Graham (Mertz) have been talking about it a lot and I’m ready for it.”

During Florida’s spring camp, running backs coach Jabbar Juluke spoke highly of Johnson’s previous production as well as his current leadership role. 

“For a young man to be able to play three years of college football, to have the production he has as a part-time rusher, leading runner, right? He split the backfield for three years. Just think if he was getting more carries, what he'd do. So I'm excited about what he's going to be able to do as a leader,” he said. “Montrell is the ultimate pro, right? He works hard, he practices the right way. He's being a leader, he's been a mentor. He's given the young men a great example of what it's supposed to look like.”

Should Johnson Jr. not be ready for the season’s start, the Gators will have to turn to a rotation of Webb, Daniels, Baugh and veteran Cam Carroll, who’s returning from an ACL injury that ended his 2023 season. 

Webb spoke in the spring about his plans for being the secondary back behind Johnson.

“It’s here now, it’s a big opportunity, I plan on taking full advantage of it, that’s kind really about it, I mean, playing in Trinity Christian in Jacksonville I’ve always played in big games, so I feel like no opportunity is too big for me,” he said. “I plan on just being me, going out there and doing what I was recruited for.”

Meanwhile, Juluke spoke on the freshman duo in spring about how he wants to slow the game down for them while complimenting their individual talents. 

“Honestly, Jadan's been a running back his entire life. He decided to play linebacker and defense more because they had a good running back at his high school. Jadan Baugh is going to be a really good player. Kahnen Daniels is really good as well,” Juluke said. “He was very productive where he came from as a Wildcat quarterback so he's going to have to learn the nuances of being a running back. It's different from being a Wildcat quarterback and just running. 

“Now you have to be a running back and understand what things are doing. I can see the growth. I see it developing right in front of our eyes so I'm excited about what they're going to do.”

The Gators take on the Miami Hurricanes on August 31st. Johnson Jr. is in danger of missing that game before the Gators take on Samford on September 7th.