The Florida Gators face its toughest test of the season to date this Saturday in the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs. Fortunately for Florida, the Gators will get some of its bite back on the offensive side of the football in receivers Tyrie Cleveland and Kadarius Toney.
Toney separated his shoulder in a loss to LSU and missed the following week against Texas A&M. Cleveland sustained a high ankle sprain against LSU and while he tried to play the following week wasn’t able to.
Florida’s offense suffered without two of its best playmakers. Cleveland is the only Gator on the team with a catch of 40+ yards this season. He still leads the Gators with 326 receiving yards this season and gives the Gators a true vertical threat that opens up the rest of the offense.
“There’s a comfort level when you have that deep threat out there,” receivers’ coach Kerry Dixon said. “They have to make certain coverage adjustments to him, which is a great asset to the offense as a whole. Look forward to having him back hopefully.”
Toney has been a Swiss army knife for Florida. The athlete from Alabama has played quarterback and receiver this season. He’s a threat with the ball in his hands and a player that needs to be accounted for when on the field.
Without the two of them on the field Florida’s offense was vanilla and the Aggies too advantage.
McElwain wouldn’t go as far as saying that both players would be playing Saturday for sure, but that both players have the desire to play and that they’re injuries have progressed as originally thought.
“I’m not gonna say they’re gonna play because they’re trying so hard to play, but ultimately we’ve got to wait for the trainer and all that come game time, which is why, I don’t know, what would that be? Probable. Is that the word? I would say as far as that goes,” McElwain said. “But time will tell. You know, Tyrie tried to go two weeks ago. Kadarius was dealing it and just couldn’t do it. So, you know, we’ll see from there.”
Barring a setback both players should be able to play this weekend and the Gators’ offense will need the both of them to topple the No. 3 team in the country.