GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- In the nine months
between his last sack and the one he registered late in Florida's win over
Bowling Green on Saturday, Gators junior defensive tackle Dominique Easley
endured.
He endured countless
rehab sessions. He spent tedious hours planting and cutting on the left knee he
tore his anterior cruciate ligament in last season against Florida State. He
contemplated if he would be the same player once the knee healed.
Easley returned to
action against the Falcons and recorded Florida's only sack of the game. It was
also his only tackle of the game.
"I played all
right,'' Easley said. "I wouldn't say it was my best game, but I played
OK."
Simply being back on
the field was what Easley looked forward to most. While his teammates prepared
to face Ohio State in the Gator Bowl on New Year's Day, Easley spent much of
his time walking around the team hotel with his dog in tow.
Easley underwent
surgery to repair his damaged knee days after he planted his leg awkwardly in
the second quarter of the Gators' 21-7 loss to FSU in November.
