Jelani Jenkins has an important doctor’s appointment today.
The junior linebacker will see a specialist on Friday to remove a pin in his fractured right thumb. Jenkins suffered the injury in the first quarter of Florida’s game against Texas A&M on Sept. 8.
He missed UF’s last two games, against Tennessee and Kentucky, but is expected to be back on the field on Oct. 6 against LSU.
Gators coach Will Muschamp asked team trainer Anthony Pass on Wednesday morning whether Jenkins would be in action against the Tigers.
“He said, ‘Coach, we’ll see,’” Muschamp said. “If everything goes as we feel like it planned, there’s a possibility of that. He’ll probably be in a cast.’”
Muschamp said Jenkins’ status for next week will be based on the results of today’s evaluation.
Jenkins underwent thumb surgery the morning of Sept. 10. He started working in the weight room with strength coach Jeff Dillman during his second week of recovery.
“I want to say the first week he was pretty limited, did nothing,” Muschamp said. “This past week, he’s been running and lifting as much as he can with a cast.”
If Jenkins plays against LSU, he may need some time to adjust to competing with the cast.
“The longer you go with it, the easier and more accustomed you get to playing with it,” Gators defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said. “The first time out when you play with a cast sometimes (you think), ‘Ah, it feels big,’ or, ‘Can we trim it off this spot here to get it where it feels just right?’ And then after you play with it and practice with it for a few days, then you make the necessary adjustments to it (and) then usually you have a better feel for it.”
Before he suffered the fractured thumb in the first quarter against the Aggies, Jenkins racked up five tackles with one tackle for a loss.
Freshman linebacker Antonio Morrison started the past two games at Jenkins’ weakside linebacker spot. While the freshman contributed seven tackles and is tied for fifth on the Gators with 16, he doesn’t have Jenkins’ experience.
Jenkins, in his third season as a starter at linebacker, has made 25 starts. He has racked up 14 tackles in two games against LSU.
The junior can also rush the passer and drop into coverage. Jenkins has two career interceptions, including one in the first quarter against former Tigers quarterback Jordan Jefferson in 2010.
“He provides some real speed for us on the field,” Quinn said.
“The guy’s a terrific blitzer. He can certainly match up tight-end wise when we get into our nickel package, and then just his experience playing linebacker. I don’t think you can overlook that. So those three things, to me, would be big if we could get him back into our lineup. Hopefully everything goes well with his checkup moving forward.”
Contact Adam Pincus at apincus@alligator.org.
Florida linebacker Jelani Jenkins (3) watches Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) on Sept. 8 at Kyle Field. Jenkins left the game with a thumb injury.
