Missing four projected starters on offense before fall camp opens is rare, but that is the situation the Gators faced last week.
If the past month is any indication, Florida could be in for an interesting season.
The Gators opened camp Friday without junior quarterback Jeff Driskel, who underwent an emergency appendectomy on July 29.
According to coach Will Muschamp, running back Matt Jones developed a “serious viral infection” four or five days prior to UF’s media day, which was held Thursday.
On Monday, Muschamp said Jones was recovering from the infection and had lost eight to 10 pounds, but he was starting to work out.
Offensive linemen Jon Halapio (partially torn pectoral muscle) and Max Garcia (back) were also out for the start of camp. Halapio is listed as the starting right guard; Garcia, who transferred to UF from Maryland, expects to be the first-team left guard.
“It has been a strange, strange couple of weeks,” fullback Hunter Joyer said.
Driskel woke up on July 29 with stomach pain, and after doing research on the effects and symptoms of appendicitis, went to the UF facility for treatment.
“He said he had a stomach ache,” Muschamp said. “I hoped he ate a bad cheeseburger, but it wasn’t.”
Shortly afterward, the team medical staff determined Driskel needed to have his appendix removed. The timetable for his return is about two weeks, though similar to the situation with Jones, when Driskel returns to the field will depend mainly on how his body recovers.
“I’m starting to feel better already,” Driskel said Thursday. “We’ll see. Recovery time, they said it varies for everybody. We’re not going to rush anything, but I don’t think I’m going to miss too much. I’ll be there getting the mental reps; I’ll be right there behind the huddle.”
A year after going 11-2 to earn a BCS Bowl appearance — the program’s first since 2009 — the Gators expected a relatively calm start to camp.
Unlike last season, when UF entered camp facing a tense quarterback competition and was starting the process of integrating first-year offensive coordinator Brent Pease’s system, few storylines were expected in 2013.
Instead, the offensive unit is left scrambling to get healthy in time for Florida’s season opener against Toledo on Aug. 31.
“Adversity will always be present, that’s something that I have learned in life,” center Jonotthan Harrison said. “Adversity will only make you stronger. The offense being thrown all these curveballs and all kinds of adversity, I really believe that is just going to make us stronger as a unit and as a team.”
Of the four players limited, Driskel being out leaves the most glaring hole.
Redshirt junior Tyler Murphy, who has not thrown a pass during his college career, entered camp as Florida’s No. 1 quarterback. Behind Murphy on the depth chart are redshirt freshman Skyler Mornhinweg and incoming freshman Max Staver, leaving the Gators with essentially no experience at the position.
“I don’t think it’s ever good for you that your starter is not taking the reps at any position,” Muschamp said, “certainly the quarterback position.”
Florida is in better shape along the offensive line and at tailback.
Muschamp said Tyler Moore, a transfer from Nebraska, has the ability to fill in at each of the five spots on the offensive line. UF also returns six other offensive linemen who earned regular playing time last season.
At running back, Mack Brown, Kelvin Taylor and Mark Herndon will split snaps in Jones’ absence. Muschamp also mentioned Joyer and Trey Burton as two other candidates to earn work out of the backfield.
“We’ve got a motto around here: man down, man up,” Muschamp said. “I challenged the football team just in a meeting right now; it’s time for somebody to respond.
“When you sign at the University of Florida, you have a huge expectation level to compete for championships. So regardless of the situation, that is what we expect.”
Contact Phil Heilman at pheilman@alligator.org.
Running back Matt Jones runs the ball during UF’s 37-26 win against FSU on Nov. 24. Jones missed the start of UF’s camp due to a viral infection.
