Gators RB Coach Jabbar Juluke Provides Scouting Report on Montrell Johnson

Florida Gators running back Montrell Johnson transferred to the university earlier this year.

Photo: Montrell Johnson; Credit: Alex Shepherd

Never overlooked, the Florida Gators running backs unit will be critical to its success, especially as the team heads into 2022 with a first-year starting QB, likely redshirt sophomore QB Anthony Richardson, who would take over for Emory Jones. Jones, of course, has opted to transfer from the university.

In knowing that, Florida will want to rely on its offensive backfield that goes along with Richardson, the RB unit, one that has already been bolstered since head coach Billy Napier and crew took over.

One of the major additions that have already taken reps in spring practices is former University of Louisiana RB Montrell Johnson, a standout rising redshirt freshman who took the college football scene by storm last season as a young rotational back. Now, he has a chance to factor heavily into a rotation that includes little experience.

In speaking with Gators running backs coach Jabbar Juluke last week, he cautioned that Johnson is still incredibly young, only 18 years old, but has plenty of talent and is excited to have him as he moves up the seen to the Power 5 level.

"He's still got some growing pains that he has to work out, man," Juluke said of Johnson.

"It's his first spring football as a college football player. It's a little different than being in the fall, and it's a different level of competition, as well. He's working extremely hard. I'm proud of him. I'm proud of all everybody in our room, and we're going to continue to work hard and get our best foot forward."

During his time at UL, Johnson carried the football 162 times for 838 yards and 12 touchdowns. That earned him the honor of being named the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year. Still, given his age and the talent-level jump, there's some caution that needs to be used when it comes to how much that will be translated at Florida.

"He has some talent, he’s a talented football player," Juluke said. "He wouldn't be here [if he wasn't talented], but we want to make sure he's continuing to grow daily. That's what it's about, putting one foot in front of the other and continue to build on that.”

And continuing to build on what Johnson has already shown in the past shouldn't take much work. Especially after what Juluke provided as the "scouting report" for a player he clearly thinks very highly of.

“He’s big, he’s faster than you think he is. He has very good patience, balance, right, has a good lower half that gives him [the] opportunity to make cuts and explode through the hole," Juluke said.

"I think that his football IQ has helped him to have success as well. That’s why he was able to come in and play as a freshman, and now the game is slowing down for him a little bit. I'm anxious to see how much he's going to continue to grow because he has a long way to go now."

Still, the early impressions of Johnson are exciting. Currently, he, along with Lorenzo Lingard and Demarkcus Bowman make up the trio that has received the spring reps, with an edge to Lingard and Johnson - though it doesn't appear to be set in stone, of course.

With Nay'Quan Wright still recovering from an injury, it certainly gives Johnson and the other backs an advantage heading into the offseason.

Until then, keep an eye on Johnson, he is bound to make some plays for Florida this season.

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