Florida running back Montrell Johnson is back for his senior season and is expected to lead the Gators’ backfield in 2024. In three seasons at the collegiate level and two in the SEC, Johnson’s totaled 2,496 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns, eclipsing 800 yards and 5.2 yards per carry in each of his three seasons.
The New Orleans, Louisiana native has received at least 152 carries every year, but that number could spike this season as Johnson sits atop the Gators’ depth chart heading into fall camp.
“I expect to get the ball more coming into the future this next season,” Johnson said on managing his workload. “I feel like I can hold the load on my own and just going out there and making sure I play mistake-free football.”
Playing mistake-free football is one of Johnson’s strengths as the 5’11, 213 pound running back has fumbled just two times in 517 combined touches. Johnson hasn’t fumbled since his first game in Orange and Blue against Utah in week one of 2022.
Johnson took significant strides as a pass catcher in 2023, more than doubling his career single season reception total (30), while adding a career high 236 receiving yards on 7.9 yards per catch. Even with the recent spike in numbers, Johnson believes he has more to prove as a pass catcher.
“I would say my catching ability,” Johnson said on the skills he wants to display this season. “Honestly, I just want to catch more balls out of the backfield and just get in space more and show my ability to, you know, make the first defender miss, stuff like that.”
Once the quiet kid in the locker room, Johnson has turned a corner from a leadership standpoint, partly due to veteran quarterback Graham Mertz.
“His first year here I was quiet, because he just got there but that next year he had to fire up,” Johnson said on Mertz as a leader. “I’m here now, I’ve established myself in the offense.”
One of the young running backs Johnson will take part in mentoring is freshman Jadan Baugh, who ranked as a four-star recruit in the 2024 class.
“I would say Jadan Baugh, our freshman running back,” Johnson said on someone who may surprise us this year. “He’s been shocking me every single day the way he preps, coming to work every day, and the way he attacks. Him being a freshman is kind of surprising to me.”
Johnson enters the season as a veteran on a team that’s looking to make a statement in 2024.
“In the looker room it’s very exciting,” Johnson told the media on Wednesday. “The upcoming schedule, I feel like the guys are using it as motivation and looking at it as 12 opportunities to prove ourselves to the nation.”
Florida opens with Miami in week one of the 2024 college football season.