Florida’s defense was rocked by a triple dose of bad news on the injury front Monday.
Two key players —
starting outside linebacker Jelani Jenkins and cornerback Cody Riggs —
could be out for a month or longer after sustaining injuries in
Saturday’s victory at Texas A&M. A third potentially dynamic player —
Buck linebacker/end Ronald Powell — likely is out for the season after
suffering a setback in his rehab from ACL surgery.
Jenkins,
a junior and one of UF’s defensive leaders, broke his thumb in the
first half Saturday and underwent surgery Monday. UF coach Will Muschamp
said he is probably out for four weeks, but will be re-evaluated
following the surgery.
Muschamp said there may be a chance Jenkins could return earlier than four weeks and possibly play with a cast on his hand.
“It’s
unfortunate for him. He’s been playing extremely well,” Muschamp said.
“A little bit of what we’re waiting on is to come out of surgery.
Obviously, there was a fracture. They felt like they needed to have
surgery.
“How bad is it? I
don’t know yet. They’re going to let me know more this afternoon on the
timetable, a little bit more definite as far as that. I just don’t know
right now.”
Jenkins will
be replaced in the starting lineup at weakside linebacker by true
freshman Antonio Morrison, an early enrollee who played most of
Saturday’s game, recording six total tackles (tied for second-highest on
the team).
Muschamp said
the Gators will have a playing rotation at the linebacker positions for
Saturday’s game at Tennessee. Starting middle linebacker Jon Bostic can
also play outside, as can backup middle linebacker Michael Taylor.
Darrin Kitchens, the starter on the strongside, can play both outside
positions. Starting safety Matt Elam also can play strongside linebacker
in nickel situations.
“We’re going to be fine,” Muschamp said.
The
UF secondary also takes a major hit with the loss of Riggs, who
sustained a small fracture in his foot in Saturday’s 20-17 victory. The
injury does not require surgery.
“It
probably will be four to six weeks (that he’s out),” Muschamp said.
“We’re looking on the lesser end of probably four weeks, but we’ll see
how that goes.”
Jaylen
Watkins will replace Riggs as the nickel defensive back, while Marcus
Roberson and either Watkins or Loucheiz Purifoy are expected to start at
the two cornerback positions. Safeties Jabari Gorman and Valdez Showers
also will see their roles increased in the secondary, Muschamp said.
“Credit
to all of those young men for preparing themselves well for the game,”
Muschamp said. “I told them when we left the hotel that you never know
when your number is going to be called and you better be ready to step
up and play at a high level.”
The
secondary should receive a boost this week from the return of
safety/cornerback De’Ante Saunders, who was held out of the first two
games for unspecified reasons.
Two other starters who were injured Saturday — tailback Mike Gillislee
(groin) and safety Josh Evans (shoulder) — practiced Monday and will be
ready for Saturday’s game in Knoxville.
Gillislee
injured his groin on his 12-yard game-winning touchdown run Saturday.
He’s scored four of UF’s five touchdowns this season.
“We
just had a staff meeting and they said he’s going to practice (Monday).
I think he should be fine,” Muschamp said. “We probably won’t rep him
40 times today, but we’ll make sure he’s ready to go for Saturday. We
feel he’ll be fully available.”
Offensive
tackle Matt Patchan (pectoral muscle) will miss his third straight
game, but he’s expected to return for the Kentucky game in two weeks,
Muschamp said.
One
prominent player who likely will not play at all this season is Powell,
the projected starter at Buck who underwent ACL surgery after injuring
his knee in the spring game.
Powell
had been ahead of schedule in his rehab through the summer and fall
camp and he was hoping to get back on the field sometime in early
October, but he re-injured the knee and now likely will redshirt this
season, Muschamp said.
“Ronald
Powell sustained a recurring knee injury during his rehab,” Muschamp
said. “He is being re-evaluated next week. He’s got some swelling on the
knee.
“I’m very
disappointed for him. After talking to him this morning, and to his
parents throughout the weekend, more than likely, Ronald will redshirt
this season. It’s just disappointing for him, a guy that mentally has
been a rock.
“The
diagnosis is not totally final yet. We want to look at it again next
week, but, certainly, it has put a speed bump in the recovering process.
I’m disappointed for him and us.”
Muschamp
said Powell was “hurt and devastated” when the doctors told him the
news, but that he is determined to overcome the setback.
“He
worked extremely hard, as hard as our medical staff has seen anybody
dedicate themselves to rehabbing an injury here at the University of
Florida. And we’ve got some folks who have been here for a long, long
time,” Muschamp said. “It’s a setback, but as he said before, ‘I’m going
to be fine.’
“That’s the way his approach has been throughout the whole process.”
