The list of season-ending injuries continues to grow for the Gators.
Linebacker Jeremi Powell, a key player on special teams, will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn ACL during Florida’s 36-17 loss to Missouri last Saturday.
Powell, a redshirt freshman, sustained the non-contact injury when he planted his leg and got caught in the turf during a punt-block attempt.
“So unfortunate for him,” coach Will Muschamp said of Powell, who had four tackles in seven games this year.
“He’s a guy who was really emerging, special teams-wise.”
Powell is the fourth Gators player to suffer a torn ACL and the eighth to suffer a season-ending injury this year.
He joins receiver Andre Debose (torn ACL), linebacker Matt Rolin (torn ACL), offensive tackle Chaz Green (torn labrum), cornerback Nick Washington (shoulder), quarterback Jeff Driskel (broken leg), defensive tackle Dominique Easley (torn ACL) and running back Matt Jones (torn meniscus).
“It’s just one of those years,” Muschamp said. “It’s unfortunate, and it’s part of the game. You’ve got to coach through it and you’ve got to play through it.
“We don’t make any excuses around here.”
The Gators, though, are optimistic about the progress of another injured Powell.
Muschamp expects redshirt junior linebacker Ronald Powell (ankle), who missed the Missouri game, to return to practice next week after the bye week and play against Georgia on Nov. 2.
“He’s been unable to do anything thus far this week,” Muschamp said. “He’s been running, but just not ready for the change of direction and taking on blocks. But I think he’ll be fine.”
After sitting out last weekend’s game with a head injury he suffered against LSU on Oct. 12, defensive tackle Damien Jacobs is also expected to face the Bulldogs.
“Right now, I would say yes,” Muschamp said.
“But I felt like he was going to play last week. I really didn’t know until Thursday practice he was not going to be able to go.”
Redshirt junior quarterback Tyler Murphy played against Mizzou with an injured shoulder but will not throw in practice this week.
Tight end Colin Thompson (foot), who has missed the past four games, is still not ready to return to practice.
Senior linebacker Darrin Kitchens missed Saturday’s game with a shoulder injury, but the team has yet to evaluate him.
Kitchens is spending time with his family, as his wife gave birth to a girl Monday night.
Tale of the Taylor: After freshman running back Kelvin Taylor racked up 53 rushing yards on five carries and scored a touchdown that cut Mizzou’s lead to one score late in the third quarter Saturday, the Gators shied away from the run on their next drive.
The result was three incomplete passes from Murphy and a three-and-out.
Following his impressive drive, Taylor saw only one more carry.
Muschamp regrets not giving more touches to Taylor, who had the hot hand, in the fourth quarter.
“It became a two-score game in the fourth quarter and we felt like we needed to pick up the tempo of the game a little bit as far as creating some plays,” Muschamp said. “We probably got away from that a little early. We did.”
In Pease he trusts: The Gators are 106th out of 125 FBS teams in total offense and 103rd in scoring offense with 21.1 points per game — a year after finishing 104th and 78th in those respective categories.
But when asked about Brent Pease on Wednesday, Muschamp gave the second-year offensive coordinator a vote of confidence.
“Yeah, this is the same staff that came a game away from playing for a national championship, OK,” Muschamp said. “So obviously, we’re not where we want to be right now, and nobody knows that more than our staff.”
Follow Landon Watnick on Twitter @LandonWatnick.
Kelvin Taylor runs the ball during Florida’s 36-17 loss against Missouri on Saturday at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo. Taylor ran for a 20-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
