UF receiver Dre Massey said he’s never been on a team with so many season-ending injuries.
Safety Marcell Harris tore his Achilles in July. Quarterback Luke Del Rio broke his collarbone in September. And against Texas A&M, defensive end Jordan Sherit was carted off the field with a hip injury that sent him into surgery.
“It’s crazy,” Massey said. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
With a depleted roster, the Gators (3-3, 3-2 SEC) opened as 14.5-point underdogs, according to Vegas Insider, in their matchup against No. 3 Georgia (7-0, 4-0 SEC) this weekend in Jacksonville. The Bulldogs likely would’ve been favored to win anyway, but in a game where everything needs to go right for UF, the injuries stand out as a factor Florida can’t control.
It’s more than just the season-ending injuries. Five other Florida starters were hampered by injuries in practice last week. Tyrie Cleveland had a high-ankle sprain and hasn’t caught a pass since September. Also dealing with an ankle injury is defensive end Jabari Zuniga, who sat out Florida’s loss to the Aggies. Receiver Kadarius Toney and safety Nick Washington also missed the Texas A&M game with shoulder injuries. On Wednesday, coach Jim McElwain said safety Chauncey Gardner and offensive lineman Martez Ivey were “very limited and basically out” for practice last week.
McElwain is trying not to use the injuries as an excuse.
“I’m sure there’s not a coach in America who hasn’t been through something like this,” he said.
It’s the same attitude McElwain’s had about his nine suspended players who are being investigated for credit card fraud: Ignore it and play with what you’ve got.
Even looking past the injuries, the odds are against the Gators in Jacksonville. Georgia is averaging about 14 more points per game than Florida this season (37.6 vs. 23.7) and allowing about 10 fewer points (12.6 vs. 23.3).
Both teams have faced Tennessee and Vanderbilt this year, with the Bulldogs averaging a 36-point margin of victory in those games compared to UF’s 10.
Gardner, a sophomore safety, said Florida beat itself in its last two games.
“We can’t think about the past,” he said Wednesday.
While the odds are against the Gators, Gardner’s focusing on what he and the team can control going into Saturday’s matchup at 3:30.
“Just prepping for Georgia’s offense and defense," Gardner said, "knowing personnel and what they like to do best and knowing their weaknesses and executing practice."
You can follow Matt Brannon on Twitter @MattB_727, and contact him at mbrannon@alligator.org.
Gators receiver Kadarius Toney (17) hasn't played since Florida's 17-16 loss to LSU on Oct. 7. Toney, a freshman, suffered a separated shoulder and was "very limited" in practice last week, UF coach Jim McElwain said.
