'Phenomenal Practices' Increasing Opportunities for Gators RB Lorenzo Lingard

Photo: Lorenzo Lingard; Credit: Alex Shepherd

The college football future for Lorenzo Lingard didn't appear overly bright when he was noticeably absent from Florida's depth chart to begin the 2022 season.

The fifth-year redshirt junior and third-year Gators running back, having transferred to UF in 2020 following two seasons with the Miami Hurricanes, appeared on track to resurrect his career this past spring after Florida's new coaching staff was put in place. 

Lingard opened Billy Napier's first offseason training camp as the team's No. 1 running back, first in line for reps in practice and the spring scrimmage. But a hamstring injury at the end of the Orange and Blue game put Lingard behind the 8-ball once again, a position he was well familiar with.

As Lingard recovered from the wound over the summer, redshirt sophomore Nay'Quan Wright made his way back to full health after breaking his ankle in 2021 and true freshman Trevor Etienne enrolled in the program.

Fall camp came and went with Wright's experience and Etienne's practice flashes resulting in their leaps up the depth chart, not to mention Louisiana transfer and sophomore running back Montrell Johnson Jr.'s presence giving the Gators three quality players at the top of the position.

Lingard, by default, was Florida's running back No. 4 in Week 1, not to be found on the two-deep depth chart that was extended to three players at running back already. That changed in Week 2 with Lingard named behind Wright, Johnson and Etienne, but did not lead to inclusion in the offense for several more weeks.

The lineup has proven effective through seven games. Johnson (7.2) and Etienne (6.3) are two of the SEC's top six qualifying rushers in yards per attempt, and quarterback Anthony Richardson (7.1) is nestled between the two at No. 3. 

Wright has seen his usage decrease in recent weeks, however, and while the majority of his touches have been split among Johnson and Etienne, Lingard has benefitted from Wright's step back in the game plan. His work ethic has been a large factor in the ascension, too.

“Lorenzo’s worked extremely hard, in particular as of late," Napier said of Lingard on Wednesday's SEC coaches teleconference. "He’s had phenomenal practices. He’s been much more intentional in the meetings and the walk-throughs.

"That’s where we’re at as a program, we’re in the first year. Every day is competitive, these challenges are constant and certainly from a players’ standpoint we’re rewarding what we see in practice — from a playing time and role on the team, contribute to the team."

The product of Lingard's strong showings in practice has been eight carries and two receptions over Florida's last three games, after failing to see the field offensively through Week 4. He's tallied 83 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown in Week 5 across those ten touches.

His 8.3 yards per touch this season are a current career-high. 

Lingard's career got off to a hot start when he averaged eight yards per carry on 17 rushing attempts as a freshman at Miami, but he matched that count over the next three years with only 17 touches. Lingard missed the end of his 2018 rookie campaign and the following season due to a knee injury, and after suffering another injury in a 2020 practice as well as Florida's consistent running back depth since his arrival, Lingard struggled to ever break into the rotation at his position.

Now, almost four years removed from his setback with the Canes, Lingard has begun to emerge once again.

His four touches against the LSU Tigers this past weekend were meaningful, the first being a five-yard rush that set up a manageable 3rd and 1 which Florida converted en route to a touchdown two plays later. He also secured two rushes and a catch in the third quarter while Florida attempted to pull off a two-possession comeback.

"Again, I can’t emphasize enough, inside of our walls it means a lot. It’s a privilege to represent the University of Florida," Napier expressed. "To be one of 11 players who goes between the lines is very important. 

"Lorenzo’s earned that, and when given an opportunity I think he did a really nice job.”