Cover Two: One strength and one question for the Florida Gators’ running backs

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — This past offseason saw the Florida Gators‘ running back back room lose Trevor Etienne but will the Gators’ actually miss Etienne? Today we broke down the Gators’ running back depth chart without Etienne and now will go into how Florida’s backs should fare in 2024.

Past Cover Two Breakdowns
Quarterback

Depth isn’t an issue

Losing Etienne to Georgia was worse, at the time, for the perception of Florida’s program than it will be for the production of the unit on the field. Montrell Johnson has put together three-consecutive 800-plus yard seasons and will go over 3,000 career rushing yards this year. He’s joined in the backfield by sophomore Treyaun Webb as well as freshmen KD Daniels and Jadan Baugh.

The Jacksonville native only carried the ball 26 times in 2023 but should see his carries increase as Johnson’s backup. Juluke gave Webb credit for understanding his role as a freshman and making the most of his opportunities. Now, with a year under his belt, Webb is ready to take on a bigger role.

“When I say things are slowing down, I mean that he understands what others are doing now. He’s not just a runner,” Juluke said. “So he has to know exactly what’s taking place and how things are unfolding as they go.”

Both freshmen arrived this spring and neither looked ready to just accept that Webb would be Johnson’s backup. Baugh went off in Florida’s spring game for rushing 12 times for 77 yards,. He showed patience and burst and an ability to make defenders miss … all while weighing nearly 240-pounds.

“This No. 13, Jadan Baugh, whoa,” ESPN sideline reporter Cole Cubelic said on his podcast. “This is the part that probably takes me most off guard because … when I just watched it, I thought he looked good and I was like, ‘Man, that jump cut was incredible.’ Or like, ‘Look at that. Wow, this kid got some power or his kid can get North and South in a hurry.’ I didn’t realize he was 237 pounds doing the things that he was doing.

“He looked explosive, he looked agile, had great body control, change of direction seemed to be easy for him. I don’t know why more people aren’t talking about No. 13 Jadan Baugh for Florida coming out of that spring game. Because what I saw wowed the hell out of me now and I think a lot of other people should probably feel the same way.”

The Gators have a veteran in Montrell Johnson and three young players eager to make a name for themselves. The room is healthy and I’m not expecting any drop off.

How do the carries shake out?

For the last two seasons the running back carries were basically split evenly between Johnson and Etienne with the two of them taking 89.6% of the carries by running backs in 2023. In 2022, the duo accounted for 81.7% of the carries from the running back room. Johnson carried the ball a carrer-high 162 times as a true freshman for Napier at Louisiana. That year at UL, Johnson accounted for 37% of the carries from running backs but the Cajuns had three running backs all carry the ball at least 100 times.

Without a true 1A/1B running back situation like Johnson and Etienne, how will Napier and running backs coach Jabbar Juluke work the running back rotation. There is belief inside the building that Johnson is a back who can carry the ball 20-plus times a game and will get stronger as the game goes on. But you do have three talented, young players behind him.

It’s no question that Johnson will receive the lion’s share of the carries but how the coaching staff elects to divvy out the total carries among the running backs is something to keep a close eye on this season.

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