Redistributing the Carries in the Florida Gators' Running Back Room

Montrell Johnson Jr. may be one of the most-experienced backs in the SEC, but is he the best option for the Florida Gators?

Sep 21, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Florida Gators running back Jadan Baugh (13) runs the ball against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the fourth quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images / Matt Bush-Imagn Images

With the way all of the Florida Gators running backs ran the ball on Saturday against Mississippi State, it feels like it might be time to redistribute the amount of carries in that room. 

In this game against the Bulldogs, the Gators rushed for 226 yards on just 36 attempts, which comes out to be 6.3 yards per carry. That’s definitely a good average to maintain. 

And while Montrell Johnson Jr. led the unit with 68 total rushing yards, he was also last in yards per carry (4.5). The leader in this category was true freshman Jadan Baugh with 13.3 yards, who only had four carries in this game compared to Johnson Jr.’s 15. In second was Ja’Kobi Jackson (6.0), and third was Treyaun Webb (5.1). 

So, after looking at these numbers and seeing how things have panned out over recent weeks, is it time to reallocate the carries in this unit? It seems like a reasonable answer. 

This is no indictment on the feature back Johnson Jr., but rather praising the guys behind him on the depth chart. The trio of Webb, Baugh and Jackson have all played very well in their limited touches through four games this season. All have been very physical runners who have been as good as Johnson Jr when put on the field. 

Baugh has totaled 98 yards on just 10 carries this season, Webb has racked up 93 yards on 21 carries and Jackson has rushed for 68 yards on 11 carries. As for Johnson Jr., he leads with 234 yards on 48 carries. So, it is not like the Gators number one has been far and away the best back on this team based on averages. 

If anything, the best has been Baugh. His average yards per carry is at an astounding 9.8. He has shown in his limited time on the field that he is a dangerous back who can cause opposing defenses problems by making tacklers feel all 227 pounds he boasts and yet he has a just over a fifth of the carries Johnson Jr. does. 

Simply, Baugh, along with all of the other backs, needs more carries as the season progresses. College football, or even sports in general, is supposed to be a meritocracy and it doesn’t feel like that’s happening in Gainesville. Talent is great, but production is even better. 

Leaving these guys on the bench more often than not helps no one other than the Gators opponents and this group should be tweaked when they return to action against UCF.