Nobody knows exactly what happened.
Not coach Jim McElwain, defensive line coach Chris Rumph or even Bryan Cox can explain how Cox's hand ended up in a club-like cast reminiscent of a medieval mace, minus the spikes.
“I don’t really have an exact explanation,” Cox said. “It was just some freak accident.”
It happened during warmups prior to Florida’s game against Missouri. Following a routine drill, the redshirt senior defensive end felt a sharp pain in his left hand and approached Rumph.
“Coach, I need someone to go in for me,” Cox told him.
Rumph obliged, not thinking much of what appeared to be a minor injury.
“The next thing I know, boom, he’s out,” Rumph said. “So I’m like, ‘Wow.’”
The diagnosis was a broken hand. Cox missed the game, and when the severity of the injury was announced on the Monday following the game, McElwain gave a grim prognosis to go along with it.
“I don’t know whether he’ll go again this year,” he said.
Luckily for Cox, he was able to get his hand taped up in the boxing-glove-like white cast and played two weeks later in Georgia. However, he was severely limited, notching one quarterback hurry and no tackles.
It didn’t matter.
Even with Cox hurting along with fellow starters Jordan Sherit and Joey Ivie, who were dealing with injuries of their own, Florida’s defensive line dominated the Bulldogs, amassing 16 quarterback hurries and opening up lanes for a pair of defensive backs to pick up sacks.
“I thought our defensive front did a great job,” McElwain said after the game.
And with veterans not at full strength, the defensive line was led by a young group of players that has been haunting opposing backfields all season long.
Sophomores CeCe Jefferson, Keivonnis Davis and true freshman Jachai Polite have all been impactful, combining for 4.5 tackles for loss and 31 tackles total.
Even with those numbers, though, the trio has played in the shadow cast by redshirt freshman Jabari Zuniga. Through seven games, he’s picked up seven tackles for loss and five sacks, both team bests.
“That guy just keeps getting better as a lot of those young guys do,” McElwain said. “It’s great to see.”
But this weekend against Arkansas could be the unit’s toughest test so far this season. The Razorbacks boast a starting offensive line of exclusively 300-pounders, and both tackles are particularly imposing.
On the left side, Dan Skipper measures 6-foot-10 — tying him for the tallest player in college football — 319 pounds. On the right, Brian Wallace stands at 6-foot-6, 335 pounds.
And together, the duo has allowed quarterback Austin Allen to excel. He’s currently third in the SEC with 256 passing yards per game and is tied for the conference lead in passing touchdowns with 18.
McElwain is hoping to change those numbers this weekend by forcing Allen out of the pocket with pressure up front. And with UF’s injured defensive line veterans back to compliment the emerging youngsters, he’s confident in the unit.
“I think the whole country is able to see just how talented the young guys are,” he said. “... Going into this final stretch with about 10 defensive linemen that can play anywhere is definitely an advantage for us.”
And as for Arkansas’ size up front, the coach isn’t too worried.
“It’s a big group,” McElwain said, “but our guys aren’t too small either.”
Contact Ethan Bauer at ebauer@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @ebaueri.
Bryan Cox tackles Georgia quarterback Jacob Eason during Florida's 24-10 win over UGA on Oct. 29, 2016, in Jacksonville.
