FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas junior running back Dominique Johnson tore his ACL last week in practice, Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman said Monday.
It was the second time Johnson suffered the injury to his right knee in less than a year. He was initially injured during the Razorbacks’ 24-10 victory over Penn State in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1.
“I believe it might have been (last) Tuesday, he made a cut…and tore his ACL again,” Pittman said. “So it's really unfortunate for the team, and certainly for him.”
Pittman said Johnson practiced last Wednesday, but underwent an MRI last Thursday that revealed the severity of the injury.
“It's certainly disheartening for him because he had worked so hard to try to get back there,” Pittman said. “The silver lining, if there is one — and there is one — is he can use this as a redshirt year for him. We’ve kind of approached it that way.”
Pittman said Johnson is expected to be ready to practice again by fall camp in 2023. He will have three seasons of eligibility remaining due to this redshirt year and the bonus year given to athletes who played in 2020.
“We’re going with all the positives out of certainly a negative situation,” Pittman said.
Johnson, 6-1 and 247 pounds, rushed for 575 yards and a team-high 7 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2021.
He missed most of the Razorbacks’ pre-season practice while rehabbing the injury and made his season debut during a Sept. 24 game against Texas A&M. He rushed 8 times for 43 yards while playing in 4 games this season.
Scottie Bordelon contributed