Brandon Wilds to see more playing time
The injury bug that has plagued Florida this season hit its defense hard during this week when sophomore linebacker Antonio Morrison was ruled out for the year with a meniscus tear in his knee.
Morrison was the Gators’ leading tackler, and combined with the loss of senior defensive tackle Dominique Easley earlier this season will be difficult to overcome.
Even with the injuries, the Gators have enough defensive talent to give the Gamecocks trouble on offense.
“They’re sort of a big, strong bunch,” coach Steve Spurrier said. “(It is) hard to run on them, hard to throw on them. They keep their schemes pretty simple to where their players don’t make mistakes, and they play a little bit more man-to-man than the teams we’ve seen.”
Offensive line coach Shawn Elliott said the Gators’ defensive line will probably be the strongest the Gamecocks have faced all season.
Sophomore defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. helps create the pass rush. He has amassed 3.5 sacks on the year and a team-best 8.5 tackles for a loss. Redshirt junior nose tackle Leon Orr is a big body inside who helps stifle the running game. He has recorded 2.5 tackles for a loss thus far and recovered two fumbles.
Redshirt junior linebacker Ronald Powell may be the Gators’ best defensive playmaker. He has six tackles for a loss to go along with a team-best four sacks.
The Gators have a talented secondary that features mostly upperclassmen. However, true freshman defensive back Vernon Hargreaves III has made a big impact during the year and is receiving more and more playing time. He leads the team with three interceptions this season.
Junior wide receiver Bruce Ellington said the Gamecocks have to do a better job on offense after Florida demolished them last year, 44-11. To do so, he said, receivers will need to get open when they face single coverage.
“I love it,” Ellington said. “As a receiver, you want them to play man-to-man; that’s what receivers live off of.”
The Gamecocks, by comparison, are relatively healthy. In Tuesday’s press conference, Spurrier said sophomore running back Mike Davis and senior quarterback Connor Shaw missed some practices over the bye week to rest injuries.
Shaw has been dealing with a knee injury, but Spurrier said that he thought his quarterback would play Saturday’s game without a knee brace.
Sophomore running back Brandon Wilds is expected to see a bigger role after missing time with a dislocated elbow.
Redshirt freshman center Cody Waldrop may return against Florida after missing much of the season with a nagging foot injury. It depends on how well Waldrop gets back into the swing of things, according to Elliott, and if he does not, redshirt freshman Clayton Stadnik will stay in at center.
The offensive line has been a major contributor in Davis’ run at the SEC rushing title. After nine games, he leads the conference with 1,058 yards and 10 touchdowns. Elliott said statistics have little to do with what the offensive line is trying to accomplish.
“We enjoy that to some degree, but it’s not a goal or anything,” Elliott said. “I think if we win, that’s the No. 1 thing our team wants to do. But it’s nice to have a guy like Mike to get over a thousand.”
Shaw also bolsters the running game with his dual-threat ability, along with his improvement as a passer that helps set up the run. The senior has compiled 1,655 passing yards and 18 touchdowns with just one interception. He has started to show up on some voters’ Heisman Trophy ballots because of his efficient performance.
South Carolina knows Florida will come to Columbia fired up because the Gators’ bowl eligibility might be on the line with a game against No. 2 Florida State looming at the end of the season.
“Florida’s a good defense,” Elliott said. “They’re well-coached, probably one of the best in our conference, so we got to come out and play our assignments, play physical, try to match their intensity and go toe-to-toe with them.”