Miami’s star RB Duke Johnson takes shot to the head

Miami is rolling on offense in the early going against hapless South Florida, but a near-injury to stud RB Duke Johnson highlighted how tenuous the health of Miami’s stars can be.

On Johnson’s sixth carry of the game, he took a glancing blow across the front of his helmet from a USF defender. Johnson got back up but went back down to the turf shortly afterward.

Johnson was taken to the locker room after the hit, but he came back in the game for the Hurricanes’ next possession. On that next possession, though, Johnson dropped a pass out of the backfield then later fumbled at the USF 1-yard line.

Johnson’s ability to return is obviously good news for Miami. In terms of this USF game, it was lopsided with or without Johnson in the game. If he weren’t able to go next week, though, that would have been a major problem; Miami faces Georgia Tech on October 5. Thus, when it comes to monitoring Duke Johnson’s workload for the rest of the game, Miami might be wise to tread lightly.

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