#20

JJ Garner

Freshman running back for Louisiana. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.

RB · Louisiana · Fr. · #20

5′10″ · 210 lb · Timpson, TX · Timpson

Returning to Louisiana for 2026

via ragincajuns.com ↗

Next upSat Sep 19 · 8 pm ETvs UABCajun FieldLouisiana by 7.5

How he plays

Yards / carry: 63rd percentile.

The full scouting read

The numbers

rushing yards · 2026

5.2 per carry · 2 catches

2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 21 rush yds, 6 rec yds, vs Lamar

His career numbers, season by season

The story

1 running back for Louisiana. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.

Signed as a 3-star recruit to Louisiana in 2025.

His career, year by year

JJ Garner

RB · Louisiana · Fr · #20

The receipt: 26 rush yds against USC — Week 2, 2026.

47 RUSH YDS · 0 RUSH TD · 9 CARRIES

Low coverage — composed from the verified record.

season totals
game log

2026 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2026Louisiana1-1HC: Michael Desormeaux · Run-heavy

Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort

Box-score percentiles

7 metrics · season cumulative

Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).

Box-score rates (7)

Yards / carry#6 / 15 · 63rd pct

5.2

Receptions#12 / 15 · 17th pct

Long run#14 / 15 · 13th pct

Rush TDs#13 / 15 · 10th pct

Rec yards#14 / 15 · 10th pct

Rush yards#16 / 15 · 0th pct

Carries#16 / 15 · 0th pct

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Splits & context

Splits

Per-game splits

Through 2 games: 23.5 YDS/g, 5.2 YPC, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Michael Desormeaux

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2026

Backup

On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career stats

Season	Team
2026	Louisiana	9	47	5.2	0	--
Career		9	47	5.2	0	--

Season	Team
2026	Louisiana	2	6	3.0	0	--
Career		2	6	3.0	0	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026

W 38–7

vs Lamar

21 rush yds (4 car)

Dominant 31-point win at home against Lamar.

With L. Winfield — 189 yds · 0 TD · 2 INT · 84 rush yds (8 car) · 1 TD · M. Golding — 43 AVG · 2 IN 20 · 44 LONG

Signature plays

Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|

The plays that mattered most

fact

Week 2 · USC · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +1.61(12:31) Shotgun #20 J.Garner rush middle for 18 yards gain to the UL43 (#16 P.Brown; #6 C.Pierce), 1ST DOWN
Week 2 · USC · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -0.91(02:22) No Huddle-Shotgun #20 J.Garner rush middle for 1 yard gain to the UL41 (#94 L.Wafle)
Week 1 · Lamar · 2&11 · Q3 · EPA -0.61(11:32) No Huddle-Shotgun #7 L.Winfield pass complete short right to #20 J.Garner caught at LU49, for 2 yards to the LU41 (#9 M.Wuenschel)
Week 2 · USC · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -0.59(03:19) Shotgun #20 J.Garner rush middle for 1 yard gain to the UL26 (#97 J.Abasiri; #94 L.Wafle)
Week 1 · Lamar · 3&1 · Q4 · EPA -0.46(06:29) No Huddle-Shotgun #20 J.Garner rush middle for 0 yards to the LU13 (#99 I.Solomi)
Week 2 · USC · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -0.45(01:19) Shotgun #20 J.Garner rush right for 2 yards gain to the UL27 (#17 D.Bryant)
Week 1 · Lamar · 2&4 · Q4 · EPA +0.28(08:27) No Huddle-Shotgun #20 J.Garner rush right for 12 yards gain to the LU22 (#10 J.Bandy), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
Week 1 · Lamar · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA +0.19(07:46) No Huddle-Shotgun #20 J.Garner rush right for 6 yards gain to the LU16 (#3 C.Holmes; #21 M.Richardson-Giddings). #3 C.Holmes injured on the play
Week 2 · USC · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -0.17(12:12) No Huddle-Shotgun #20 J.Garner rush right for 4 yards gain to the UL47 (#17 D.Bryant)
Week 1 · Lamar · 1&15 · Q3 · EPA -0.15(12:18) No Huddle-Shotgun #7 L.Winfield pass complete short left to #20 J.Garner caught at UL48, for 4 yards to the LU43 (#3 C.Holmes)

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2026 season · 2 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	CAR	YDS	AVG	LONG	Note
Wk 1	W 38-7vs Lamar	4	21	5.3	12
Wk 2	L 30-49@ USC	5	26	5.2	18	Season-high 26 yds
Total		9	47	5.2	18

The backfield · Louisiana

#24Steven BlancoRB · So.156 rushing yards · 2025
Darrell SmithRB · Fr.7 rushing yards · 2025
#22Anthony Reagan Jr.RB · Jr.2 games · 2026
#25Hutch SwilleyRB · Fr.3 games · 2026
#20JJ GarnerRB · Fr.2 games · 2026

2 more on the roster · Louisiana team page

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology

2025