As college football cements itself back into our lives, it’s time to make sure you’re prepared for this season. Part of this prep is understanding the MAJOR injuries that will shape the NCAAF landscape. Here are the most impactful college football injuries heading into the 2024 season, Week Zero Edition!
Here is everything you need to know regarding the BIGGEST injuries on both sides of the ball. However, injury news happens fast and can change quickly, so for the most up-to-date news and analysis, follow me on X @TheDegenDoc!
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Most Impactful College Football Injuries Heading Into 2024
Cam Rising (QB) Utah Utes
Injury: ACL Tear
Injury Date: 1/2/2023
Expected Recovery Timeline: 10-12 months
Time from injury to Week 1, 2024: 20 months
Players Year: RS Senior
We’re kicking off this College Football injuries article with some positive news! Let’s talk about a player in a prime position to have a great 2024 season. Utah Utes QB Cam Rising enters this year as his fifth college football season as a 25-year-old red shirt Senior.
He suffered an ACL tear in the Rose Bowl at the end of the 2022 season. Despite my warnings (see last year’s article), there were rumblings he would be ready for the start of last season, but ultimately, he missed the entire 2023 season.
An ACL tear is a very significant knee injury that takes around 10-12 months to recover. Despite fading Rising last season, I am ready to back him as a much healthier player heading into this season. Research shows that normal pre-injury movement can take up to two years to return to players post-ACL tear.
With about 20 months of recovery time at this point, with no major setbacks, I am projecting Rising to be playing at the level we last saw here. A veteran QB on a team with a great coach, solid defense, and awesome home field advantage. Expect Rising to light it up in the air and on the ground this season!
Montrell Johnson (RB) Florida Gators
Injury: Knee Scope
Injury Date: 8/3/2024
Expected Recovery Timeline: 4-6 weeks
Time from injury to Week 1, 2024: 4 weeks
Players Year: Senior
This next college football injury hits a bit close to home. Gators undisputed RB1 Montrell Johnson picked up an injury at the beginning of August. It was reported that he needed to have a scope done to his knee for a minor procedure.
In college football, teams do not have to disclose nearly as much information as the NFL. So, all we know is that he had a minor knee surgery and that Florida plays Miami in The Swamp at the end of the month.
Thankfully, context clears helps provide us with a bit of clarity here. About a week after the surgery, Johnson was spotted at practice in full pads, not limping, not wearing a brace, and standing on the leg with no issues.
Additionally, next week, he was reported to be running hard on the treadmill, and the expectation is that he will return to practice soon. Despite an initial injury scare, it seems things are trending toward giving Johnson a real shot at being ready for next weekend.
This will definitely be an injury to monitor up until final rosters are announced next week, but I do have some optimism at this point. Johnson is coming off back-to-back seasons of over 800 yards on the ground, averaging over five yards a carry. There’s a reason Trevor Etienne ran scared to Georgia after he couldn’t beat out Johnson for the top RB spot.
Great sign for Gators RB Montrell Johnson 📈
Had a minor knee surgery recently & called week to week
Not practicing yet but he’s
✅ Fully suited up
✅ Standing with no issues
✅ Not wearing a braceWith 25 days from Miami in the Swamp, Week 1 looking realistic#GoGators 🐊 https://t.co/71Y3k9HvWh
— Sebastian Fearon DPT, CSCS, OCS (@TheDegenDoc) August 6, 2024
Mohamed Toure (DE) Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Injury: ACL Tear
Injury Date: 8/20/2024
Expected Recovery Timeline: 10-12 months
Players Year: RS Senior
This next college football injury does not provide nearly as much optimism. Senior LB Mohamed Toure recently tore his ACL, ramping up for the season. He will miss the entire year and look at a long 10-12 month recovery timeline. Whether Toure decides to pursue the NFL or use this year as a redshirt is to be seen. However, we know this Rutgers defense will be missing a key piece.
Toure was a senior defensive captain and the team’s second-leading tackler last season. He also led the team in tackles for loss and sacks. This deep Rutgers defense is returning eight starters on that side of the ball, but Toure is a hard guy to replace.
Charles Jagusah (LT) Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Injury: Pec Tear
Injury Date: 8/3/2024
Expected Recovery Timeline: 4-6 months
Time from injury to Week 1, 2024: 4 weeks
Players Year: Sophomore
The University of Notre Dame has rightfully been in the conversation of “O-Line U” these past several years. They always have highly rated linemen shooting up NFL scout’s draft boards.
The most likely candidate for that this season was Sophomore LT Charles Jagusah. Unfortunately for him and Notre Dame, Jagusah will miss the entire 2024 season with a pectoralis muscle tear. He suffered a Grade 3 tear, meaning the muscle was torn off the bone and required season-ending surgery.
Not only is Jagusah the highest-rated piece on the offensive line, but he was also filling in a much-needed hole. Both offensive tackles from Notre Dame were drafted in the first two rounds last season. Now, only a month from the start of the season, the Irish have to replace their top THREE tackles from last season.
That’s not what new QB Riley Leonard wants to hear, coming off an injury-ridden year himself. The Fighting Irish open the year at Texas A&M in what will be a hostile environment for whoever is the new LT.
Injury: Multi-ligament Knee Injury
Injury Date: 8/6/2024
Expected Recovery Timeline: 6-9 months
Time from injury to Week 1, 2024: 3.5 weeks
Players Year: Sophomore
Alright, Alright, NOT right. The University of Texas begins their SEC career losing the injury battle. A season after losing their star RB in Jonathon Brooks, to a major knee injury, it appears lightning has struck twice. Projected RB1 CJ Baxter suffered an MCL and PCL tear in practice earlier this month.
This is a major knee injury, with damage to two of the four main stabilizing ligaments. It requires season-ending surgery, followed by a 6-9 month recovery.
As a talented freshman last season, Baxter cemented his role behind Brooks, picking up 138 carries and over 650 rush yards. Unfortunately, Baxter will be unable to carry this momentum into next season. To make matters a little worse, fellow RB Christian Clark also tore his Achilles a week later.
Clark will also be out for the season and faces a 10-12 month recovery. College football injury luck is NOT on the side of the Longhorns. Texas will look for RB Jaydon Blue to step up this season. Blue is a Junior back who had just under 400 rush yards last season.
Injury: Knee Scope
Injury Date: 8/10/2024
Expected Recovery Timeline: 6-? weeks
Time from injury to Week 1, 2024: 3 weeks
Players Year: RS Senior
The coaching staff has told us that they expect him to miss season time but not the entire season. This leaves a huge gap in the variability of potential returns for the senior RB.
Waylee is a dynamic back who rushed for over 850 yards and just under 6 yards a carry in his first season at Wyoming. As the focal point of the Cowboys offense, this will be a big loss for a team that leans on the running game. It remains to be seen just how long this hole will be in the backfield.
Injury: ACL Tear
Injury Date: 8/20/2024
Expected Recovery Timeline: 10-12 months
Time from injury to Week 0, 2024: 1 week
Players Year: RS Senior
This next injury will impact college football this weekend. Georgia Tech fifth-year senior TE Brett Seither will be out for the season with a torn ACL. This major knee injury requires season-ending surgery to repair the stabilizing knee ligament. Seither is looking at a 10-12 month recovery timeline with this brutal injury.
Despite only having 7 catches for just over 100 receiving yards last season, the Senior TE is expected to have an expanded role in the offense this season. He was a proven redzone threat, as four out of his seven catches last season went for TDs. This leaves Georgia Tech thin at the TE position as they prepare to head for Dublin to take on Florida State.
Injury: Foot Injury
Injury Date: 8/10/2024
Expected Recovery Timeline: 4-6 months
Time from injury to Week 1, 2024: 3 weeks
Players Year: Sophomore
Injury: Dismissed From Team
Injury Date: 8/1/2024
Expected Recovery Timeline: Indefinitely
Time from injury to Week 1, 2024: 4 weeks
Players Year: Senior
We wrap up this college football article with not really an injury but important nonetheless. Senior WR Rara Thomas is projected as the WR2 for the Georgia Bulldogs this season. Unfortunately, he was arrested on family violence charges for his second time at Georgia.
He has since been dismissed from the team. Thomas started eight games for Georgia last season and was the second-leading returning receiver. He will be missed.
