of Florida Gators A year ago, the SEC had two top running backs, but with the departure of their star running back, they now have just one. Trevor Etienne.
Former Gators guard Trevor Etienne has crossed state lines to join the Gators' rival, the Georgia Bulldogs, in December 2023.
That leaves the Gators with just one year of experience in running back Montrell Johnson Jr. and a bunch of largely untested players so far in their careers.
For the Gators to perform better than normal, their young players will need to step up strongly and demonstrate that they will be missed without Etienne.
Star of the show
Montrell Johnson Jr. He will be the face of this position group, he has the most experience and will be one of the best running backs in the SEC heading into next year.
Johnson Jr. is second among returning running backs in the SEC. Rush yards in 2023 817 yards. Only Auburn's Hulkez Hunter (909) had more yards.
But with Etienne gone, it's not too far-fetched to project Johnson to surpass 1,000 yards next year.
Etienne and his teammates are still in the early stages of their careers and will be relied on more than in previous seasons as they need more playing time, but rushing isn't the only important aspect of Billy Napier's attack.
Another aspect Johnson brings to the table is his physicality in pass protection. He doesn't hesitate when called upon and can give the quarterback a second or two in the pocket, which is crucial.
For Florida to win next season, Johnson Jr. will have to have an even better season than he did his first two years in Gainesville.
That may be a lot to ask of Johnson Jr., but he is more than capable of doing it.
There's a new face in the room
He may not be a shiny new toy, Treyan Webb Still working his way up in the SEC, Webb has shown in his limited playing time that he has a bright future in the Orange & Blue.
He rushed 26 times for a total of 163 yards, a healthy 6.3 yards per carry and better than Johnson's 5.4 in 2023.
Additionally, Webb had multiple games last year where he rushed for 70+ yards in a single game, with one of the more impressive games coming against McNeese in early September, when Webb rushed 14 times for 71 yards and two touchdowns.
Behind Webb are two freshmen. Jayden Bowe and KD Daniels Join the Gator Program Class of 2024.
The Atlanta, Georgia native looks more intimidating than Daniels, standing at 6-foot-75 and weighing 237 pounds. He's a tall player who shouldn't have a hard time overpowering defenders, and he's also a tailback who can block for the quarterback.
Additionally, Bo rushed 113 times for 1,583 yards and 19 touchdowns during his senior year of high school.
Bo's freshman duo, KD Daniels, is from West Point, Mississippi.
He may not have the same build as Bo, standing 5-foot-11.5 and weighing 196 pounds when he arrived in Gainesville, but he was one of the most impressive freshmen to come out of Mississippi State last year.
Daniels was named MHSAA 5A Mr. Football after leading West Point to the 5A State Championship and being named the MVP of the finals. He rushed 288 times for 2,737 yards and scored 29 touchdowns in his final year of high school.
Neither will be asked to serve as the lead ball carrier in their first year with the Gators, but the expectation is that they will get some carries throughout the season before one or both of them redshirt.
This position group has a lot of potential heading into the 2024-25 season, but they need to deliver or this offense could become monotonous like last year and falter in key moments.
