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As expected, Kyle Pitts will play against Kentucky.
Florida's star tight end is set to make his return after missing the past two games due to a concussion and minor nasal surgery. UF coach Dan Mullen had previously said that Pitts would return this week, but revealed Monday that he wanted to suit up last Saturday at Vanderbilt.
“He was trying to play this past game. He wanted to go play this past weekend,” Mullen said when asked if Pitts considered opting out following his injury. “I don’t think that was ever something that popped up. I think if you just look at his competitive spirit, who he is, he’s played with a competitive chip all year. He wants to continue to do that.”
Pitts has 24 catches for 414 yards and, despite his time out, ranks No. 8 nationally in receiving touchdowns (8). He also ranks fourth among all tight ends in receiving yards per game (82.8).
“It’s great to get him back. We’re excited about that. He’s another weapon that we’re adding into the game, the rotation. He’s got to go battle for some playing time right now; those other guys are playing pretty good,” Mullen said with a grin.
“I think he’s such a playmaker, he’s such a leader and brings such great personality, as well, to the team. I think just having him back on the field is going to be great for everybody. And then for us, and then I think the matchup problem that he causes defenses.”
Pitts isn’t the only player returning to action this week. Mullen said linebacker James Houston will be back against Kentucky after missing the past two games (unspecified).
Mullen also provided an update on wide receiver Trent Whittemore.
“Should be another week or possibly two for Trent Whittemore,” he said. “It’s pretty much a rib injury, and the ribs and the lungs. That’s just when we get the X-rays, when the ribs heal."
Gamble bets on himself
UF tight end Kemore Gamble found the end zone Saturday for the second time in three games, continuing to step up with Pitts out of the lineup.
He scored twice against the Commodores and finished with career highs in receiving yards (66) and receptions (3).
“I’m just blessed and thank God for opportunities to have a game like that, and hopefully I will have more,” Gamble said.
Those opportunities have been few and far between for Gamble with Pitts at his position. Despite his emergence in the offense, however, Gamble never considered leaving the program.
Instead, he wanted to compete against Pitts.
“I’m the type of guy that, I don't want to get stuff easy. I always want to have competition around me,” Gamble said. “I don't think I've told Kyle this yet, but I want to say since he got here, I was like, ‘Hmm, this guy's talented, he's very athletic, I like that type of competition, so I ain't gonna leave and hopefully I'll stick out here, or we could battle.’
“My dad always taught me never run from competition, you always got to sit down and face it and never just run. My dad and my stepdad used to always tell me that. I was brought up hard and nothing comes easy.”
That includes weight loss, or in Gamble’s case, weight gain. The former wide receiver, has been trying to pack on pounds since he started high school. After weighing 140 pounds as a freshman at Miami Southridge, he’s added more than 100 since then.
“Me, Keon [Zipperer] and [Jonathan] Odom were all in the hotel room the night before the game watching my old Rivals video (see below) because I was telling them how skinny I was in high school, I came in at 140,” said Gamble, who’s 245 now. “I was really skinny and they didn't believe it, so I had to show them.”
RELATED: Gamble, Zipperer continue to produce with Pitts out
Schedule changes?
There's a chance that Florida and other SEC schools could experience some more schedule changes with the 2020 season winding down.
As the league looks to reschedule games postponed over COVID-19, it may have to rearrange a few matchups during the final two weeks.
“The league has told us that there are those options," Mullen said. "Not just this week, a couple of weeks ago. You could get a curveball and get a call and say, 'We’re gonna switch who you’re playing.’"
The Gators are supposed to travel to Tennessee next weekend and their makeup game against LSU is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 12. Alabama also still has to play the Tigers, but there's currently not an open date for that matchup.
If the Gators and Tide clinch their divisions on Dec. 5, should the LSU game be canceled for both teams so they can have a bye before the SEC Championship (Dec. 19)?
“That’s above my pay grade right there," Mullen said when asked. "I’m good with whatever. I’m just hoping to play Kentucky on Saturday. That’s about as far as I can take it right now. We’ll get ready to go play that game and we’ll see what happens.”