The 2020 season was supposed to be Eli Johnson’s time to shine in Oxford.

Coming off a season in which he started every game at center for Ole Miss, this coming fall was scheduled to be Johnson’s redshirt senior season after allowing just one sack during his junior season.

Now Lane Kiffin’s first Ole Miss team will have to find a new starter at center as Johnson made the tough decision to opt-out for the 2020 football season.

Johnson’s decision comes after both his parents contracted COVID this offseason. Thankfully, his mother handled it well, but his father David, an Ole Miss beat writer for 247Sports, was hospitalized and had to be put on a ventilator for several days.

Thankfully, David Johnson recovered and is back covering the team for the coming fall season but he will be doing so without his son on the roster.

“After much thought and consideration, I have decided to opt-out for the 2020 season,” Eli Johnson announced on Sunday. “I will be focusing on completing my Master’s degree at Ole Miss in December. I will forever be grateful for my time here at Ole Miss. God Bless and Hotty Toddy!”

Ole Miss is set to open training camp on Monday.