Florida needs more running backs in the stable moving forward, and it got a big one on Friday. Former Miami (FL) running back and five-star prospect Lorenzo Lingard announced Friday on Instagram that he will transfer to Florida after two seasons with the Hurricanes.
"I am extremely blessed with the opportunity to maximize my education and athletics at the University of Florida," he wrote in the post. "I asked God to show me what's best for me he showed me, the [Gators] all year long. I am very thankful for the helping hands it took to get me to become a Gator and closer to my family. I will never forget what the University of Miami has taught me, Jeff Ruiz and the training staff along with the strength staff that have worked 24/7 to get me back to myself again."
Lingard, a 6-foot, 190-pound all-purpose running back, was the second-ranked running back and No. 25 overall prospect in the Class of 2018 according to the 247 Sports Composite.
Lingard played in six games as a true freshman in 2018, with 17 carries for 136 yards and two touchdowns. He suffered a knee injury in practice in the middle of that season, which limited him to just two games in 2019. He will be classified as a redshirt sophomore due to the four-game redshirt rule that counts toward his 2019 season but will need a waiver from the NCAA to be eligible in 2020.
If he is eligible in 2020, he'll join a Gators offense that will be looking to replace leading rusher Lamical Perine, who rushed for a team-high 676 yards and six touchdowns last season. No other running back on Florida's roster had more than 305 rushing yards during the 2019 season.
