Freshman cornerback Marcus Roberson will sit out the remainder of the season due to a neck strain, coach Will Muschamp said Monday.
Muschamp expects Roberson to be “fine” in four to six weeks, setting up a return in time for spring practice.
“It’s nothing that’s going to be permanent,” Muschamp said. “They’re just taking the precautionary measures.”
Roberson started in each of Florida’s first 10 games, notching 22 tackles, two pass breakups and an interception.
He has topped the Gators’ cornerback depth chart since the opening week and shadowed Alshon Jeffery throughout Saturday’s contest with South Carolina, holding the All-America wideout to two catches for 17 yards.
With Roberson out, Muschamp said UF will lean on sophomore Jaylen Watkins, who has started each of the last three weeks, and sophomore Cody Riggs, who started the team’s first seven games before Watkins claimed the role.
Freshman Loucheiz Purifoy and senior Moses Jenkins will also be in the mix for additional playing time.
Wideouts invisible: After a spring season filled with hype and hope, Quinton Dunbar and the Florida wide receivers have been mostly nonfactors this year.
As a group, UF wideouts have averaged 5.4 catches and 78.8 yards per game. This year, 54 individual receivers nationally have averaged at least that many catches, and 43 wideouts have had at least that many yards.
“They’re team players, they want to do whatever it takes to win,” senior quarterback John Brantley said. “They’re just going to keep going out there each week and trying to better themselves and better this team.”
Dunbar has only eight catches for 116 yards this season and failed to record a stat Saturday, but Brantley and Muschamp lauded him for his performance.
“To see him blocking downfield on longer plays and finishing the plays, he did a great job,” Brantley said.
Said Muschamp: “Given his opportunities, he has played well.”
Injury update: Brantley said he feels only as sore as he would expect to feel on a Monday after a game.
He said his right arm, which was injured Nov. 5 against Vanderbilt, is healed. His ankle, on the other hand, is still problematic, although it has been steadily recovering since he sprained it Oct. 1 against Alabama. He said there have not been any setbacks.
“I’m as healthy as I’m going to be right now,” Brantley said.
Muschamp said Brantley will start Saturday against Furman but added that freshman quarterbacks Jeff Driskel and Jacoby Brissett could see time “if the opportunity presents itself.”
Junior linebacker Lerentee McCray and freshman offensive tackle Chaz Green both missed UF’s game against South Carolina, but Muschamp said he is hopeful they will be back this week.
Both tested their injuries during pregame warmups, but ultimately McCray’s shoulder injury and Green’s ankle injury prohibited them from playing.
Sophomore defensive tackle Dominique Easley left Saturday’s game with a severe limp and missed Monday’s practice, Muschamp said.
Easley returned to the game after the injury and is expected to be back in practice today.
Contact Greg Luca at gluca@alligator.org.
Florida freshman cornerback Marcus Roberson (5) will spend the rest of the season looking on from the sideline after suffering a strained neck during Saturday’s 17-12 loss to South Carolina.
