The devastating loss Miami suffered at the hands of Florida State has been compounded by an equally devastating injury. Reportedly.
Citing a source close to the situation, the Miami Herald is reporting that Duke Johnson suffered a broken ankle in the third quarter of the loss to the Seminoles. As a result, the Herald reports, the running back will be lost for the remainder of the 2013 season.
Johnson is expected to travel with the team back to Miami and undergo surgery early next week.
UM has yet to confirm the extent of Johnson’s lower-leg injury, although an update is expected at some point Sunday.
If the report is true, it’s a potentially crippling blow to a Hurricane team that still has the inside track to represent the Coastal division in the ACC championship game early next month.
Johnson is easily the ‘Canes’ leading rusher, topping the team with 823 yards. The U’s second-leading rusher, Dallas Crawford, has just 291. Crawford, who actually leads the team with nine rushing touchdowns, will likely be tasked with carrying the running-game load if Johnson is indeed lost to a season-ending injury.