Few teams have accumulated the kind of depth at running back the way Arkansas has under head coach Bret Bielema. The Razorbacks will need it. Jonathan Williams will not play during the 2015 season, Bielema announced Monday.
The senior running back must undergo surgery on his left foot. The procedure figures to keep him off his feet, at least running on them, through December. In all likelihood, that could mean his career is over at Arkansas, although there is always room for a potential return for a bowl game. He can also still use a redshirt to come back and play one more season next fall, which may be advisable after deciding to skip out on the NFL this year in order to return to Arkansas.
Williams was the leading rusher for the Razorbacks last season, rushing for 1,190 yards and 12 touchdowns as one half of the dynamic duo at Arkansas. The other half, Alex Collins, also rushed for 1,000 yards last season and will now be looked upon to carry a bit more of the load this fall. He should be more than capable of handling primary running duties, but Bielema will likely find ways to help reduce the workload for Collins.