Jimbo Fisher reveals Texas A&M running back sidelined for most of spring

As Texas A&M looks to replace star running back Isaiah Spiller this season, spring practice promises to provide a battle at the position. However, one potential contributor will miss significant time after suffering an injury with significant recovery time.

During a press conference which followed Tuesday’s practice, Jimbo Fisher revealed the status of redshirt freshman LJ Johnson and the timeline for his return.

“LJ’s out right now and has a hamstring,” said Fisher. “That’s very disappointing because he’s missed a lot of spring. It’s not his fault, it’s a legit injury and we’ll have to get him – probably will miss most of spring the way it goes. We’ve got to get him healthy, that’s going to be very crucial going into the fall. I hate it that he’s missing those spring reps.”

As a freshman under Jimbo Fisher, LJ Johnson rushed for 76 yards, adding 14 receiving yards in his four appearances before preserving his redshirt. The former four-star recruit ranked No. 58 overall in the 2021 On3 Consensus and chose the Aggies over Alabama, Florida State and others.

Jimbo Fisher adds to roster

Jimbo Fisher knows a thing or two about recruiting, as evidenced by Texas A&M’s 2022 recruiting class, which ranked No. 1 in the country, according to the On3 Consensus rankings.

Fisher helped Texas A&M reel in its best-ranked recruiting class in program history, and the class is highlighted by eight On3 Consensus five-star recruits, the most in the country. Among those top-ranked recruits are three of the nation’s eight Five-Star Plus+ prospects: wide receiver Evan Stewart, defensive lineman Walter Nolen and defensive lineman Shemar Stewart. Fisher has the chance to gain a commitment from a fourth Five-Star Plus+ prospect, too, as defensive lineman Lebbeus Overton — who recently reclassified from the 2023 to the 2022 class — currently has a 97.1% chance of committing to Texas A&M, according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine.

Ratings aside, there remains one other differentiating factor in Texas A&M’s incoming class: Fisher is adding just one player from the NCAA Transfer Portal in former LSU starting quarterback Max Johnson. In his National Signing Day press conference, Fisher was asked about his highly-talented class; particularly, how he turns those top-ranked prospects into impact players, all while knowing they could enter the portal and gain immediate eligibility with the NCAA’s one-time transfer rule.

“Listen, you’re getting an opportunity to play,” Fisher said. “The best players are going to play. Be able to compete, be able to deal with adversity and understand that you want to be on a team, and to get a team, it takes time to work.”