All-American kick returner Brandon James underwent successful surgery to repair a fractured metatarsal bone in his right foot at Shands Florida Surgical Center on Monday. James will be on crutches from 6-to-8 weeks and a full recovery is expected.
The 2008 Southeastern Conference Special Teams Player of the Year, James ranks first on Florida’s single-season (510 yards in 2008) and career punt return yards chart (1,127 yards). He is tied for the school record for career punt returns for touchdowns with four, a total that ranks third all-time in the SEC. James is fifth all-time in SEC history in total kick return yards, including kickoffs and punt returns, with 3,089 yards.
James, who also earned four starts in Florida’s national championship season at running back, was selected first team All-America honors by the Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News and Phil Steele. He was an honorable mention selection for Pro Football Weekly.
During Florida’s national championship season, James returned 37 punts for 510 yards (13.8 avg.) and two touchdowns and racked up 738 yards on 32 kickoff returns (23.1 avg.). In the 31-20 victory over top-ranked Alabama at the Georgia Dome, he set an SEC Championship Game record with five kickoff returns for 121 yards.
He earned the Special Teams Player of the Week accolade twice (Hawaii and Tennessee) after scoring on 74 and 78-yard punt returns, respectively. His 78-yard punt return against the Vols was the fourth of his career, tying Jacquez Green’s UF record for punt returns. James was one of seven players in the country to return two or more punts for touchdowns in 2008.
The Sports Information Department at the University of Florida contributed to this report.