Miami’s Duke Johnson runs for 156 yards in first half of rout of Florida Atlantic
Duke Johnson's sleeper candidacy for the Heisman Trophy might have cracked an eyelid open against Florida Atlantic.
Johnson rushed for 156 yards on 12 carries in the first half of the Hurricanes' game against Florida Atlantic and finished with 19 carries for 186 yards overall, both career highs. And that's not counting Miami's first offensive play of the game, which was a 38 yard reception for Johnson from Stephen Morris off of a flea flicker.
On that play, Johnson pitched back to Morris, who didn't find anyone open downfield. In the time it took Morris to scan the field, Johnson leaked out of the backfield into the wide open flat.
Then on his third carry of the game, Johnson took a handoff to the right and cut upfield for 43 yards. Though that wasn't his longest run of the night. With Miami up just 3-0 after the first quarter, Johnson received a handoff moving left and cut almost instantaneously upfield and through the heart of the line for a 53 yard touchdown.
However, his night was cut short in the third quarter after he was removed from the game following Herb Waters' 63 yard touchdown on an end around. Waters took the pitch from Johnson, who immediately went to make a cut block on the defenders trailing the receiver and the side of his helmet hit the leg of a defender.
After being removed from the game, Johnson passed all baseline concussion tests. But at that point, with the Hurricanes up 27-6, he wouldn't be needed the rest of the evening.
Last season, Johnson rushed 139 times for 947 yards and 10 touchdowns and topped over 9 yards a carry in three of his last four games.
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