Florida Gators interim head coach Randy Shannon spoke to the media on Monday after a disheartening loss to Missouri on Saturday. He updated on several injuries suffered in the game, the quarterback situation and the status of the team heading into the South Carolina game.
Here’s what he said:
• Brett Heggie will be out for the season after suffering a leg injury at Missouri.
• Jachai Polite and Kadarius Toney’s injuries have not made improvements, so they will be out again this week.
• Jake Allen and Kyle Trask are still waiting for releases from the doctor to come back.
• Shawn Davis will be back this week. He is running full speed.
• Jabari Zuniga and T.J. McCoy went down last game, but they are good to go this week.
• Tyrie Cleveland is still not 100 percent, but he should be close to it this week.
• David Reese has become a leader of this team since he challenged his teammates after the game on Saturday to be all in. Players have taken a look in the mirror because of that.
• Malik Zaire will start against South Carolina. Shannon said he did not do anything to lose that spot last week.
• Shannon said he thought Zaire did a good job of managing the game.
• There have been no thoughts of replacing Doug Nussmeier as offensive play caller.
• Shannon has continued to recruit as interim head coach. He said every recruit he has talked to has still been in good spirits and wants to be a Florida Gator.
• Saturday’s game was a big confidence boost for Dre Massey. “We’ve gotta make sure we’re getting the ball in his hands.”
• Shannon said the Gators have to take advantage of the good field position that Johnny Townsend gives them in the games.
• Shannon said playing South Carolina is like playing another version of Florida. He has no problems with players talking to/hugging Will Muschamp before the game because he knows many of them developed relationships with him while he was here.