South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Lingard, Wright to leave Gators
GAINESVILLE — Florida’s formidable 1-2 punch of Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne made veterans Nay’Quan Wright and Lorenzo Lingard expendable and eager for a fresh start.
Wright announced Friday he would enter the transfer portal, a day after Lingard expressed similar plans when players can officially start to transfer on Monday.
Wright started the season’s first four games but Johnson and Etienne eventually eclipsed the former 4-star prospect out of Miami Carol City. The 5-foot-9, 202-pound Wright finished this season with 190 rushing yards on 47 carries, averaging for just 4 yards an attempt — more than 2 yards fewer than Johnson and Etienne.
A season after he totaled 504 yards from scrimmage, Wright missed much of the spring with a foot injury requiring surgery and never found his stride. He finished this season with 190 rushing yards on 47 carries, averaging just 4 yards an attempt — more than 2 yards fewer than Johnson and Etienne.
Meanwhile Lingard’s ineffectiveness has baffled since his 2020 arrival from Miami, where he played one season.
The 6-foot, 209-pound Lingard looks the part. The 5-star prospect out of University High School also has the pedigree.
Lingard consequently remained a fascination for a segment of fans.
Consider his Oct. 15 performance against LSU when Lingard capitalized on meaningful snaps during a 45-35 loss. He ran with authority to total 23 yards on 4 touches, including 7 on a 3rd-and-6 screen pass after Lingard dragged a defender several yards.
But Lingard did not build on the effort, totaling 14 yards on 2 carries during the regular season’s final five games.
Despite the losses, no skill position is in better shape.
Johnson and Etienne combined for 1,532 rushing yards, including 42 runs of 10 yards or longer (Johnson 25, Etienne 17) and 16 touchdowns. Jacksonville 4-star prospect Treyaun Webb also committed in the 2023 class. Webb, the nephew of former Florida cornerback Dee Webb, is the nation’s No. 12 running back prospect.