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GAINESVILLE — Florida’s sputtering offense will be without top playmaker Tre Wilson for the second week as the Gators seek a rare road win at Mississippi State.
The team’s leading receiver, with 13 catches for 191 yards, is out a week after he was questionable with an undisclosed injury but did not play during a 33-20 loss at home to Texas A&M.
“We’re definitely a better team with Tre Wilson,” coach Billy Napier said following Wednesday’s practice.
The SEC announced Wilson’s status at 8:10 p.m., after Napier had addressed reporters. He did say Wilson was injured during the Gators’ 45-7 win Sept. 7 against Samford, highlighted by his 85-yard touchdown following a shovel pass from true freshman DJ Lagway.
While Wilson left defenders in the dust, GPS tracking clocked him at team-record 23.42 mph. The Gators built much of their attack around the 5-foot-10, 183-pound sophomore because of his explosiveness and instincts.
But the Gators (1-2, 0-1 SEC) struggled to unleash Wilson during a 41-17 season-opening loss to Miami. Without him against Texas A&M, UF was shut out during the first half for the first time at home since 2015.
Transfer receivers Elijhah Badger (Arizona State) and Chimere Dike (Wisconsin) combined for 11 catches — 6 by Dike for 185 yards. Each scored a touchdown.
“Dike and Badger stepped up in a major way,” Napier said. “We have the ability to in formation plays to get the primary guys in position, much like we’ve done the past. We’ve got to continue to create ways to get the ball to the best players.
“Who’s the third? That’s the question mark.”
Sophomore Aidan Mizell of Orlando and true freshman Tank Hawkins went without a catch against Texas A&M after each caught long touchdown passes from Lagway against Samford. Hawkins is listed as questionable this week as the Gators…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/tre-wilson-injury-intensifies-gators-021400996.html
Author : Orlando Sentinel
Publish date : 2024-09-19 02:14:00
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