Cue....the "excuse train"

[Marianna-FL_Gator]

UF defense incredibly depleted heading into Outback Bowl


TAMPA -- Florida will be without three linebackers who have made a collective 21 starts this season when it takes on Iowa in the Outback Bowl.

Starting linebackers Jarrad Davis (ankle) and Alex Anzalone (broken arm) have been ruled out for the game, along with David Reese (wrist), who filled in admirably for them late in the season.

"Injury-wise, we'll probably be without all the linebackers," coach Jim McElwain said. "That's all right, we'll get some other guys in there and they'll play well."

The news is equally iffy in the secondary, where Florida could be down two starting safeties. Senior Marcus Maye has been ruled out with a broken arm, while redshirt junior Nick Washington is looking doubtful with a high-ankle sprain.

"Nick would be highly questionable right now," McElwain said. "He's tried to work through it, kind of as we talked about, the high-ankle sprains, those are career-ending. But he's tried, but it's not..."

The defensive line could also be without a pair of starters, though one may try to give it a go. Defensive end Jordan Sherit will miss the game with a knee injury.

His counterpart on the strong side, Bryan Cox Jr., is trying to battle through a high-ankle sprain but is teetering toward doubtful as Monday's game approaches.

"Cox has tried. There again, kind of the same ankle thing," McElwain said. "I'd say he's probably in the same boat as Nick, and yet he knows that this is an opportunity to put some good stuff on film. So that's what he's been working to do."

http://florida.247sports.com/Bolt/UF-defense-incredibly-depleted-heading-into-Outback-Bowl-50127676

 

[Swamp Queen]

Majority of that is not a surprise.

 

[Captain Sasquatch]

I think Reese was the only unexpected name on that list. Thankfully we're playing an offense ranked lower than ours.

 

[rogdochar]

Happenstance better and all those guys could be playing, making our defense much, much better.
That's just plain fact, not excuse.
Besides, we're gonna win so no excuses needed.

 

[EyeDocGator]

Good thing our recruiting the past couple of years has given us so much depth on defense.

 

[maheo30]

He's prepping for next year when we have no linebackers or defensive tackles.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Like Ar Kansas, this is a bad matchup for us even when we were healthy because we are soft and undersized up the middle.

 

[Marianna-FL_Gator]

we're gonna win so no excuses needed.

So you believe we're going to beat Iowa without our best 3 LB's and both starting safeties?

 

[CU-UF]

How is this an excuse? Just fact. You would be blinded by self interest to not acknowledge the loss of these players.

 

[rogdochar]

I would have typed a winning rebuttal against excuse whiners but I've injured my typing finger.

 

[GatorStud]

There's a chance if we had 120 days off that we may not be able to field a team...

 

[KronoGator]

Will Iowa even bother to throw a pass?

 

[Swamp Donkey]

I think Reese was the only unexpected name on that list. Thankfully we're playing an offense ranked lower than ours.

Im not sure in what. We are behind them in scoring offense and the last I checked they still determine wins and losses by comparing how much the teams scored.

 

[GatorTAG]

I don't blame them. I'm considering faking an eye injury just so I don't have to watch the game.

 

[Swamp Queen]

I don't blame them. I'm considering faking an eye injury just so I don't have to watch the game.

No one is stopping you.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

Good Ol Butters, making it out like it's just an exhibition or spring game....If we get clobbered by Iowa I'll take bets we drop out of the top 25 in recruiting rankings within the next week......Of course Butters can't seem to get us ranked in the top 25 of anything.....

 

[Gatorraid81]

Please explain to me how we are still so banged up! This team seems to be made out of tissue paper and it seems like it has gone on for a couple of years. Is our strength coach that bad?

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Please explain to me how we are still so banged up! This team seems to be made out of tissue paper and it seems like it has gone on for a couple of years. Is our strength coach that bad?

Extreme lack of depth.



And talent.



And coaching.



We play the same number of games as every other team.

 

[Gatorraid81]

Extreme lack of depth.




And talent.



And coaching.

Yeah, but still the injuries just seem way too frequent. Didn't we get some guys hurt this year in WARMUPS and on different occasions? How the hell does that happen? It just seems like our injuries have been excessive in the past couple of years, but I'm sure there are team out there more injury prone than us.

 

[NVGator]

Unlike McCaffery, these guys are making excuses for not playing in such an important bowl game. At least he had the balls to give a real reason.