Florida HC Jon Sumrall Provides Injury Update on Key Receiver
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The No. 16 Florida Gators will look to get their offense back on track when they host South Carolina on Saturday.
It's unclear if the Gators will have Vernell Brown III against the Gamecocks.
On Wednesday, Florida head coach Jon Sumrall told reporters Brown is looking better this week as he recovers from a knee injury that kept him out of the Gators’ 45-17 loss to Missouri in Week 5.
However, Brown did not fully participate in practice on Wednesday, but he did run more on Tuesday. The Gators used Wednesday's practice as more of a recovery day.
“We will give him a little bit of a run here Thursday, Friday,” Sumrall said, via On3.
Brown has 17 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns this season. He's the second-leading receiver on the Gators.
Florida has yet to see what a dynamic of a healthy trio of Dallas Wilson, Brown, and Eric Singleton Jr. would look like on the field this season. Having all three receivers ready to go would certainly help quarterback Aaron Philo.
Sumrall noted Singleton is continuing to improve his running ability this week. He hit 22 miles per hour at practice this week, a good sign that he's ready to be a force for Florida this month as they prepare to play Texas and Georgia later in the month.
The Gators were outgained 560-325 in total yards against Missouri. The running game was non-existent for Florida, as running back Jadan Baugh was limited to 13 yards on 12 carries.
South Carolina opportunity
The Gators hit a high on Sept. 26 when they upset Ole Miss in a blowout win at home. Florida turned around and played its worst game of the year against Mizzou.
Florida lived dangerously with penalties and a troubling secondary. The Gators paid for those mistakes against the Tigers.
This week, Florida needs to focus on improving in those areas before playing a South Carolina program that appears deflated after starting the SEC with a 0-3 record. The Gamecocks have issues all over the field, and the Gators need to get their offense back on track this weekend.
A tune-up game against South Carolina could be huge before UF plays Texas and Georgia later in the month. UF is still in the College Football Playoff conversation despite a blowout loss, and how they play for the rest of the month will determine if the program plays meaningful football in December.
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