With the departure of former Gators’ running back Trevor Etienne back this offseason, the door is wide open for second year running back Treyaun Webb to make a name for himself this upcoming season. Despite sitting third on the depth chart, the Jacksonville native shined as a true freshman with limited opportunities, totaling 163 yards on 26 rushing attempts with two touchdowns.
Webb is aiming to take full advantage of an increase role in 2024.
“It’s here now, it’s a big opportunity, I plan on taking full advantage of it, that’s kind of 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,” Webb said on his opportunity next season. “I plan on just being me, going out there and doing what I was recruited for.”
Webb is one of the smartest players on the team coming from Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville. Gators’ running back coach Jabbar Juluke doesn’t just see promising talent from Webb, but a high football IQ as well.
“It’s gonna be a great opportunity for him, I think he’s very excited about the opportunity that he has. Treyaun is very tough, he’s physical, he’s smart. I’m talking about extremely smart,” Coach Juluke said. “He’s a 4.3 grade point average, he’s gonna graduate in two and a half years from college. So that helps him to play a lot faster than when you would think that a young player would play. So I’m excited about what he’s going to do and he’s ready for the opportunity. And he’s been, for lack of a cliche, he’s been born for this because he’s a true Gator. So he’s been looking for his opportunity to play in The Swamp and have an opportunity to excel in front of his family and friends and the Gator Nation. So, I’m excited about what he’s going to do.”
The ability to learn quickly while memorizing different plays and schemes is what can put a player like Treyaun Webb three steps ahead of everyone else. Part of it has to do with passion for the game, and the other part some players are just born with.
“I felt like I’ve always been blessed with the ability to like, think fast, think quick on my feet, kind of memorize stuff so I kind of use that to my advantage,” Webb said. “Just seeing stuff before it happens, seeing the defenses, seeing how they rotate, on different motions, I feel like it all comes with being a student of the game, so it kind of helps me a lot.”
With Webb looking to take on a bigger role in year two, the expectations will rise. There are always several things to work on after the season, especially as a true freshman running back.
“After the end of the season I met with Coach Juluke, Coach Napier, kind of gave me little things to work on, so I’ve kind of been working on that, just little things helping me on and off the field. I’d probably say, like, getting my body back down, working on my short area quickness,” Webb said. “Just the little stuff to nit-pick on to make me a better overall player.”
Everything the 5-11, 215-pound running back learned and accomplished in year one is going to mold him into a better player in his second year as a Gator. The sky is the limit for Webb, and he has a golden opportunity in front of him this season.
“In my eyes I felt like, really. I’d probably say just being able to go out there and get my feet wet, get a feel for the game, now I feel like in year two I’ll be able to play faster. I kind of have a feel for the game so I feel like that’s going to help me a lot in year two,” Webb said on what he learned last season. “I felt like I have room for improvement in all phases of my game, so I’ve been working on that, as far as practice, especially spring practice, kind of like reading the defense, kind of seeing things before it happens and just working on my game overall.”
The workload for running backs in the passing game took a major leap forward last season with Montrell Johnson and Trevor Etienne both doubling their receptions and receiving yard totals when compared to 2022.
In 2023, Montrell Johnson and Trevor Etienne combined for 408 receiving yards on 51 receptions. In 2022, the two backs only combined for 124 receiving yards on 21 receptions. The Gators’ running backs should be active in the passing game in 2024.
“I feel like that’s going to help us a lot,” Webb said on running backs in the passing attack. “I felt like we had been incorporated more in the passing game, I feel like with year two of Graham and this offense, I feel like we’ve kind of accelerated our offense more and just kind of spread it out more and really get more involved and going faster.”
The Gators have a total of six scholarship running back’s heading into next season, with Montrell Johnson and Cam Carroll as the only two seniors, and Ja’Kobi Jackson as the only junior. The three remaining running backs are redshirt freshman Treyaun Webb, and incoming freshmen KD Daniels and Jadan Baugh. This room is still young, but they should make a big impact for the Gators in 2024.