Injury Update: Gators extremely thin at linebacker against Iowa
Once again, No. 17 Florida will be shorthanded due to injuries when it squares off against Iowa in the Outback Bowl on Monday at 1 p.m. ET in Tampa.
On Friday, Florida head coach Jim McElwain said linebackers Jarrad Davis (ankle), Alex Anzalone (broken arm) and David Reese (wrist) would all miss the bowl game.
“He’s tested it, but to his credit he tested it,” McElwain said of Anzalone. “That was great to see.”
Davis, who had missed three games with his ankle injury, returned against Alabama in the SEC Championship Game but re-aggravated the injury during the second half. Now, Davis sees his UF career come to a close as he begins preparation for the 2017 NFL Draft.
Anzalone, who still has a decision to announce regarding whether he plans to return to school in 2017 or declare early for the draft, has missed four games with his injury but was recently cleared to practice. Reese has been sidelined from bowl practices with his wrist injury.
“He had wrist surgery,” McElwain said of Reese. “In fact, he can’t go through a metal detector right now.”
Meanwhile, nickelback Duke Dawson (ankle) will play after missing the SEC Championship Game against Alabama. Safety Nick Washington (high ankle sprain) is “highly questionable right now,” according to McElwain, after missing the past two games, while defensive end Bryan Cox Jr. (ankle) is “in the same boat as Nick.”
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“He’s tried to work through it, kind of as we’ve talked about,” McElwain said of Washington. “The high-ankle sprain is a career-ending injury. But no, he’s tried. But it’s not ready.
“He knows this is a good opportunity to put some stuff on film” McElwain added about Cox. “So that’s what he’s been working to do.”
In the absence of three of Florida’s top linebackers, McElwain expects redshirt freshman Kylan Johnson and freshman Vosean Joseph to earn the starting nods at linebacker against Iowa. Walk-on Cristian Garcia will “have to come in and play a bunch,” McElwain said. Rayshad Jackson and Daniel McMillian could also see roles Monday.
McElwain added that the Gators would have to bring out some nickel and dime packages Monday “that’ll be a little different, and we’re going to have to confuse them a little bit with pressures out of that as well.”
Meanwhile, senior wide receiver Chris Thompson has made a move to cornerback during bowl practices to help out Florida’s depth at that position.
Chris Thompson as corner as a precautionary measure and to give Chris a chance at looking at a position maybe that might be one of those down the road that helps him as well. He’s been working throughout camp at corner. If needed be, we’ll go ahead and play him out there.”
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