Gators fans waiting for the return of Chris Rainey can tentatively circle Oct. 30 on their calendars.
Coach Urban Meyer said the junior is eligible to play in Florida’s matchup with Georgia next week. Rainey has not seen the field since the team’s 38-14 win against South Florida on Sept. 11.
Three days after that game, Rainey was arrested and charged with a felony for aggravated stalking.
But the receiver accepted a plea deal that reduced the charge to a misdemeanor on Sept. 27, and he started practicing with the Gators again last week.
Meyer said he won’t officially decide until next week if Rainey will be back. And even if the receiver does return, Meyer does not know how prominent a role Rainey will play against the Bulldogs, although senior center Mike Pouncey expects to see an impact.
“He’s the best player on our team and we really need him,” said Pouncey, who has played with Rainey since the two attended Lakeland High. “He’s an exciting player, and as long as he keeps his mouth shut and keeps doing what he does, we’ll have him (against Georgia).”
When asked to address Florida’s offensive problems, Meyer said the unit’s most pressing issue is its inability to break long runs, hinting at how important Rainey could be for the second half of the season.
The Gators feature the Southeastern Conference’s 10th-ranked rushing offense and have only scored two rushing touchdowns from outside the red zone this season, both by running back Jeff Demps.
But Demps (sprained left foot) has been limited for the past four games, and he has not scored on a long play since his 62-yard run against USF.
Rainey moved to slot receiver before the season, recording six catches for 34 yards and a touchdown and carrying the ball four times for 16 yards in two games.
But the Gators’ running backs have been limited lately. Senior Emmanuel Moody (quad) and sophomore Mike Gillislee (hamstring) are still recovering from injuries. Last week UF had to turn to wide receiver Omarius Hines, who gained a team-high 58 yards on six carries.
Rainey ran for 575 yards and five scored on 89 carries last season.
Meyer would not say if Rainey’s role will change in light of the other tailbacks’ injuries, but Pouncey thinks Rainey could single-handedly provide a boost to the Gators’ ailing offense.
When asked if one player could truly make a difference, Pouncey responded: “If we brought back Percy Harvin, it would make a big difference, wouldn’t it?”
Injuries: Demps, Moody and Gillislee have all been limited in practice this week.
Wide receiver Andre Debose (sprained ankle), defensive tackle Jaye Howard (sprained ankle) and linebacker Jelani Jenkins (concussion) have not practiced, Meyer said.
