If it is going to take a huge NIL offer to get JJ back

Agree. Love him, but got other needs.

I respectfully disagree. If healthy, he is an elite level RB. Our offense needs someone who can break tackles. We also need to set a precedent of blocking teams from coming after our best players.

Especially need to block conference foes.

From a fan perspective, I disagree. The narrative of our team is so much better with JJ. There’s a lot of history. If we get to the CFP next season, it would be so much sweeter with JJ.

Utah is a better team with JJ, that’s a fact. At the same time, having JJ by itself isn’t going to catapult you to the CFP or even the CCG. So, if someone wants to overpay for a RB that’s frequently injured and really hasn’t lived up to his potential, so be it. It’s not like JJ is Barry Sanders or Earl Campbell. I also doubt that his injury history will completely disappear once he gets to his next destination.

Johnson has NFL potential at running back. This season he was fighting a high ankle sprain all season and was still productive. I don’t see him as injury prone in his time at Utah. He will be a key contributor next season.

FWIW if the rumors are true and we are competing against Okie lite for his services word on the street is the “attempt” to keep Spencer Sanders last season was a Raptor and a bass boat. If they are going to “pony up” like that to keep their starting QB imagine what they are throwing at Jackson… A moped, perhaps an electric scooter?

I agree that the stats don’t back up my comment. We have to remember he was injured all year. It’s less a matter of stats for me and more about the eye test.

Maybe I’m getting old. I don’t remember JJ getting injured last year. This year it was the same injury all year and he couldn’t heal because he was playing through it.

JJ is definitely worth it. We have seen what a healthy version of him can do and WILL do when healthy. This year was just a combination of injuries that led to us having a poor offense.

Anybody trying to claim JJ is expendable based on stats after this season needs to have their ability to post comments withdrawn.
Just delete your account and go watch Jazz bball.

JJ is a huge part of the offense. 4+ yards on first down makes us more difficult to defend. RBs with his size and speed don’t come around often.

It’s hard to put a value on his worth. If he stays healthy and puts up big numbers and we get to the CFP then he’s worth it. If he gets hurt or we have another8-4 year he isn’t worth it. If we only had a crystal ball. Miami has valid points.

Another angle to consider. How about the people (collective) putting up the money. When do they step in and say we’re tapped out. Their pockets are only so deep and they don’t have the means to get in to bidding wars. What is their incentive?

Congress has to step in and help because the courts have shown the law is on the players side. Agents and attorneys running the show.

I hope something gives Miami. This level of money and disarray is not sustainable. A friend of mine was a big donor at Utah State for years. He said every year they hit him up for more. He felt pressured and finally walked away completely. The money being paid out to 18-21yr olds (now 25-26) could go a long ways towards providing shelter and mental health facilities. We need a reality check. Let’s not lose sight of the cost of a full ride education at a great school. Pay the players a monthly income to compensate them for their time.

Let us also not forget that Jackson is the Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe Memorial Scholarship recipient. There’s some loaded aspects to his past, present, and future and how the team thinks of him. He did his best playing injured almost all year (we all just waited for him to come up limping after a tackle some time early in the game). But if it requires too much $$ to keep him, it is what it is and is beyond all these other things.