This injury thing is starting to get really, really old.
Already down one starter (TE Jake McGee) and a five star freshman (DE Thomas Holley), the Gators have now lost cornerback JC Jackson, who will undergo shoulder surgery, for the season. Jackson had a labrum issue that dated back to his high school days, and though Will Muschamp said, “He possibly could continue to push through the season,” he ultimately came to the conclusion that, “with his young age, go ahead and try and get it fixed and move on.”
Muschamp spoke highly of Jackson, touting him as very helpful at special teams and possibly at cornerback. But this injury- at least by itself- will not impact the Gators’ secondary too much. Vernon Hargreaves remains one of the best cover corners in the game, and behind him, Duke Dawson has shown what he can do with a pick six against Eastern Michigan. After Dawson, there’s Jalen Tabor, who was equally highly touted. I’m not worried about our team with this injury alone.
But the continuation of guys getting injured is beginning to get worrisome. This appears to be a much better team than we saw in 2013, but injuries can derail even the best teams. And while right now, with the replacements Florida has found so far for Jake McGee (Clay Burton) and will find for Jackson, this team can still compete for championships. However, if this parade of injuries continues, I don’t know that that’s any longer the case.
Can this team stay healthy? The answer could- right or wrong- decide Muschamp’s future at Florida.
