This is an odd time for a bye week, but No. 18 Florida needs it badly.
Coming off a 21-16 loss at Miami last week, the Gators have at least 10 starters who are not operating at full strength. They get this week off before hosting Tennessee next Saturday (3:30 p.m., CBS).
The most prominent injured Florida player is quarterback Jeff Driskel, who has been using crutches since suffering a knee sprain in the second quarter against the Hurricanes. UF coach Will Muschamp had no concern about his availability for next week.
“He will be fine for Tennessee,” he said. “We’re just precautionary, just trying to get him off his knee a little bit. We’ve got a long season ahead of us.”
The group charged with protecting Driskel is in rough shape as well. Left tackle D.J. Humphries came out of the Miami game at halftime because his sprained knee was causing too much pain, and right tackle Tyler Moore exited Sun Life Stadium on crutches with his left ankle in a protective boot.
Right guard Jon Halapio has been out since July with a torn left pectoral muscle and is trying to make his season debut next week.
Muschamp said if Florida had to play this week, Moore would be out. He is confident Humphries will be ready for Tennessee, but it probably is too early to tell if Halapio can play.
The Gators have gotten freshman offensive lineman Roderick Johnson back from a minor knee surgery, but that likely will not impact their depth. Johnson, from American Heritage, remains likely to be a redshirt player after missing the past month of practice and games.
“That’s the plan,” Muschamp said. “With as much time as he’s missed, he’d be hard-pressed. We have enough depth on the offensive line, even though we had to reshuffle things.”
Defensively, cornerback Nick Washington joined the list of players who are out for the year. Washington, a freshman who had been working as a backup and special teams player, injured his shoulder Monday and will need season-ending surgery.
Washington had been planning to play baseball for Florida this spring, but that could be in jeopardy now.
The Gators previously ruled out tackle Chaz Green (torn labrum), linebacker Matt Rolin (torn ACL) and receiver Andre Debose (torn ACL).
They are being cautious with starting cornerback Marcus Roberson after he suffered a sprained knee against Miami, and starting safety Marcus Maye has a shoulder injury. Muschamp expects both to be back for the Tennessee game.
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