Tag: Jaydon Hill

Florida loses true freshman CB Devin Moore for season after surgery

True freshman cornerback Devin Moore impressed through the first five weeks of the season, but surgery on a lingering shoulder injury has him out for the rest of the year.

Florida true freshman cornerback [autotag]Devin Moore[/autotag] underwent surgery on his shoulder surgery on Wednesday and will miss the remainder of the season, according to head coach Billy Napier‘s comments on Wednesday night.

“Devin is, I think we listed him as out,” Napier said. “Devin had a shoulder, and truth be known, this was an injury that he had when he arrived. It was uncovered during the first few weeks of the season. He showed great toughness. He played with it for a little while and it just got to a point where he’s not able to participate, so Devin had surgery today and certainly will be out.

“We’re hopeful we’ll have him back for offseason program and spring practice.”

Moore took to Twitter during the day to confirm a successful surgery, and Napier followed up with the timeline when talking with the media later that day.

Moore played in 167 snaps through the first five games of the season, according to Pro Football Focus. He mainly lined up out wide but spent some time covering the slot and at safety. Although he was a productive player during those five games, passing the four-game limit means Moore won’t be able to take a redshirt.

[autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]. and [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] will still be at the top of the depth chart among cornerbacks on the team, but Moore’s season-ending surgery opens the door for some rotational pieces to get more playing time. [autotag]Avery Helm[/autotag], who started the season as a starter, and Georgia transfer [autotag]Jalen Kimber[/autotag] should be the primary benefactors.

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Two Gators on watchlist for College Football Comeback Player of the Year award

Two Florida Gators players are on the shortlist for the CFB Comeback Player of the Year award, both on the defensive side of the ball.

The watchlist of the College Football Comeback Player of the Year award was released Wednesday by the College Sports Communicators in association with The Associated Press and Fiesta Bowl Organization. Linebacker [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] were the two Florida Gators players to make the list.

Miller is in the midst of his sixth and final season of eligibility and has been the lifeblood of the Gators’ defense. He suffered a torn bicep against USF last season, causing him to miss the majority of the 2021 season. His absence is seen by some to be the catalyst for the Gators’ defensive woes last year. This season, he has been a joy to watch on the field. Despite missing the Week 3 matchup against (ironically) USF, he is third on the team with 43 tackles and is the unquestioned leader of the defense.

Hill’s long-awaited return from injury came in Florida’s Week 5 victory over Eastern Washington. It was Hill’s first game since 2020. Back-to-back ACL and LCL tears put him out of action for a long time. In the next game, Hill had two interceptions, including a pick-six early on that gave Florida a lead they would not relinquish.

Three players will be selected for the award. It will be voted upon by a group of writers, editors, and sports information directors. The winners will be announced during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.

Miller and Hill’s next opportunity to play will come on Saturday when the Gators take on LSU. Billy Napier and Brian Kelly will make their first appearances in the rivalry. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

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This Gator highlighted in SI’s recent 2023 draft prospect watch list

Florida Gators’ linebacker Ventrell Miller is highlighted by Sports Illustrated’s weekly draft prospect spotlight.

Each week, Sports Illustrated highlights a group of players that stand out and have put NFL personnel on notice. This week, Florida Gators linebacker [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] makes the list on the back of his outstanding performance against Missouri last Saturday.

Miller is the unquestioned leader of the Florida defense. His presence is noticeable and his absence is even more noticeable. Miller is 3rd on the team with 40 total tackles. He also has one interception and one fumble recovery. What stands out the most, however, is Miller’s ability to be all over the field. His elite lateral movement allows him to close down gaps and minimize big yardage plays.

He is also a great player in coverage. [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] got all the attention last week with his two interceptions, and rightfully so. What doesn’t show up on the stat sheet is Miller’s impact on the receiving routes that allowed Hill to get his two takeaways. Miller is going to make an NFL general manager really happy on day two of the draft. If he keeps playing the way he has this season, he might even creep up and be a first-round draft pick.

Miller’s next opportunity to improve his draft stock will be on Saturday when the Gators take on LSU. Billy Napier and LSU coach Brian Kelly will make their coaching debuts in the rivalry. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

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Billy Napier provides an update on this injured defensive back

True freshman cornerback Devin Moore didn’t play on Saturday for the Gators, and now we know why.

After true freshman cornerback [autotag]Devin Moore[/autotag] missed Florida’s contest against Missouri on Saturday, most assumed that he was dealing with some type of injury. On Monday, Gators head coach Billy Napier provided an update on Moore, informing the media that he had reaggravated an injury during practice.

That reaggravation lead to Moore’s inactivity on Saturday and could keep him out for the next few weeks. Napier didn’t rule out an appearance from Moore against LSU, but it sounds like Moore will be week-to-week until he’s fully healed.

“(He) got a little banged up late in practice on Wednesday,” Napier said of Moore’s injury. “Nothing major there. He’ll be kind of a work in progress this week, but he reaggravated an injury from the past and one that made him unavailable for the game.”

The good news for Florida here is that [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] recently returned to the rotation and has been on fire. After getting his feet wet against Eastern Washington, Hill had two interceptions against Missouri, including one for a touchdown. Hill’s emergence has moved everyone but [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]. back a spot on the depth chart, meaning that Moore is at best the No. 4 for the Gators right now.

Napier probably still wants him to get reps during his freshman year, but there’s no need to rush him back before he’s ready. The next update Gators fans will get on Moore should come on Wednesday when the team typically releases its two-deep depth chart for the upcoming week.

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Key takeaways from Florida’s homecoming victory over Missouri

Florida’s rushing attack showed up and willed the Gators to a 24-17 victory over Missouri, the team’s first SEC win of the season.

The Florida Gators left the Swamp victoriously on Saturday after a tough battle against the Missouri Tigers. [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and Co. claimed their first SEC win of the season, 24-17, thanks to some outstanding defense from the secondary and clutch performances from the Gators’ top two running backs in the second half.

The entire offense was weak in the first half. A long punt return and pick-six gave Florida a 10-point cushion to start the game, but the Gators only managed 65 yards of total offense in the first half. [autotag]Montrell Johnson Jr[/autotag]. and [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag] picked things up in the second half, and that helped a scuffling [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] pull things together a bit. AR looked better as the game went on, but he turned the ball over twice and had an atrocious first half.

The defense looked a bit stronger than it has in the past. [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] picked off the first two passes of his collegiate career, and [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] was a leader on the field in every sense of the word. Heck, even [autotag]Trey Dean[/autotag] made a stop in the backfield early on.

That’s not to say everything was perfect on that side of the ball, though. Missouri converted on third down nine times and totaled 370 yards of offense. That number probably could have been lower, but it was enough to win the game.

Here are five key takeaways from Florida’s first conference win of the year.

Florida will be without this defensive back against Missouri

The Gators will be without one of its young and promising defensive backs this week, according to multiple reports.

The Florida Gators won’t have true freshman cornerback [autotag]Devin Moore[/autotag] on Saturday when they take on the Missouri Tigers, according to 247Sports among others.

Moore was not dressed for the game and did not participate in the early warmups this week despite being listed as healthy on the weekly depth chart. Fortunately, the return of [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] to the rotation gives Florida a bit more depth at cornerback to work with, and Moore was listed fourth behind [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]., Hill and [autotag]Avery Helm[/autotag]. The Gators should be able to survive without him, but Moore has done well as a first-year player that was thrown into the fire of an SEC schedule almost immediately.

He played 35 snaps a week ago against Eastern Washington, which ranked sixth on the team but finished with just one tackle and no other stats. He’s looked like one of the young players Billy Napier is high on, but missing multiple weeks could hurt his development. Napier should provide an update after the game if it’s appropriate to do so.

This will be the second-straight week Florida is without a member of its defensive back rotation. Safety [autotag]Trey Dean[/autotag] missed last week’s game and returned to action after a week. Hopefully, Moore is only out for this week and can play against LSU.

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Florida getting a big piece of the secondary back against EWU

Florida cornerback Jaydon Hill hasn’t played in a game since 2020, but he’s finally ready to return and is getting the start for the Gators against Eastern Washington.

It’s been over a year since [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] has played in an actual football game, but that should change on Saturday when the Florida Gators take on the Eastern Washington Eagles.

Hill missed all of 2021 after tearing his ACL in preseason camp. After practicing with the team in a non-contact capacity during spring, Hill was shut down for most of all preseason camp. He hasn’t played through the Gators’ first four games of the 2022 season either, and now Gators fans know why.

According to Gators Online, Billy Napier confirmed that Hill suffered a setback over the summer, which explains his delayed return to the team. The wait will be worth it, though. Hill is listed as a starting cornerback for Saturday’s contest, moving [autotag]Avery Helm[/autotag] to the second team. Napier’s been impressed with Hill, and EWU is a good opponent to test how game ready he is.

“I think Jaydon has been very much a work in progress as he’s kind of made his return to play,” Napier said speaking to the media Wednesday night. “He’s done everything that he’s been asked to do. He’s worked extremely hard. And, you know, I think Jaydon is a guy I’ve got a ton of respect for.

“You talk about what he’s been through from an injury perspective. He had a knee in high school, had a knee here, had kind of a minor knee issue in the summertime, and then he’s been on that path to recovery.”

Napier’s hopeful that Hill can pick up right where he left off. Before getting hurt, Hill was slated to be the No. 2 cornerback on the team behind [autotag]Kaiir Elam[/autotag]. Now [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]. is in front of him, but it’s still the same spot. It’s rare to go through a major injury and setback and get your spot back, but that speaks to the work Hill has put in.

“Jaydon was one of the better players that we had on our team in spring practice in my opinion,” Napier said. “I was very impressed with him as a player. It’s no surprise to me, you know. He showed pretty quickly here that he’s very capable. So, I’m excited to watch him play. I’m excited how he can impact our team.”

If Napier is excited to watch him play, then the fans should be too. Shuffling up the defense after a poor performance is good, and Hill’s return could help right the ship.

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Billy Napier makes big changes to Florida’s depth chart ahead of Week 5

Trey Dean won’t play against Eastern Washington after popping up on the Gators’ injury report this week. Here’s who will start in his place.

The Florida Gators will be without safety [autotag]Trey Dean[/autotag] this week, according to the Week 5 depth chart put out by the team Wednesday evening.

Dean is listed on the injury report as “out” with a lower-body injury, and freshman [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] is in his place with [autotag]Donovan McMillon[/autotag] listed as the “OR” option. Both are expected to play against Eastern Washington, and that’s far from the only change on the depth chart.

[autotag]Justus Boone[/autotag] is listed ahead of [autotag]Princely Umanmielen[/autotag] at the defensive end spot alongside [autotag]Gervon Dexter Sr[/autotag]., and cornerback [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] is in the starting spot opposite of [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]. The defense will certainly look different on Sunday, and the shakeup couldn’t come at a better time.

Many fans were critical of Dean’s performance against Tennessee. He blew a few coverages that proved costly, but the truth is that the Volunteers carved up the defense in its entirety.

The front seven already has seen some movement with [autotag]Desmond Watson[/autotag] moving ahead of [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag] on the depth chart, and [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] is now firmly back in the starting 11 after dealing with his own lower-body injury over the past few weeks.

[autotag]Jack Miller III[/autotag], [autotag]Marco Ortiz[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] remain on the injury report, but Miller is now listed as “questionable,” which means he should return in the next few weeks. Offensive tackle [autotag]David Conner[/autotag] and tight end [autotag]Arlis Boardingham[/autotag] are no longer on listed on the injury report, but they aren’t on the two-deep either.

Keep in mind that Florida’s opponent this week is an FCS school. If there’s a week to rest some guys, this is it. Expect Napier to try to get some game action out of his reserves if the Gators can run the score up early.

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Florida Football Depth Chart: Updates ahead of Week 4 matchup with Tennessee

Big Desmond Watson got a promotion on the depth chart after last week’s performance against USF. Here’s what else is new for Florida as the Gators prepare for the Tennessee Volunteers.

Florida’s Week 4 update to the two-deep roster had some major surprises, but it’s mostly good news for the Gators as they prepare to take on No. 11 Tennessee.

UF will go with [autotag]Desmond Watson[/autotag] as the starting nose tackle this week instead of [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag]. Watson had a breakout game last week and recorded his first tackle for a loss as a Gator. At 6-foot-5-inches tall and 415 pounds, Watson requires extra attention from the offensive line, and that should free up other members of the front seven.

The other main updates come from the injury report at the bottom of the depth chart. While backup quarterback [autotag]Jack Miller III[/autotag] remains out with a thumb injury, Florida could be getting a pair of playmakers back this week. Cornerback [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag], who hasn’t played in a game since the 2020 season, is listed as probable, and linebacker [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] should be a game-time decision after moving from “out” to “questionable.”

The defense really struggled without Miller last week, so getting him back would be huge from a leadership standpoint. Freshman [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] is still getting the start in Miller’s place, and this will be his first road game at the collegiate level. If Miller returns, Florida stands a much better chance against Tennessee on Saturday.

Hill’s return is more certain. He’s been out for over a year and recently returned to practice. Don’t expect him to be in for the majority of the game, but he should get some snaps under his belt at some point.

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Big changes made to Florida’s depth chart ahead of Week 3 meeting with USF

The Gators will be down two key starters in Week 3 against the USF Bulls, according to the newest depth chart. Here’s who is replacing them.

Florida’s Week 3 depth chart confirmed what many fans had feared since the conclusion of the Kentucky game last weekend: starting linebacker [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] and starting right tackle [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] are out with lower body injuries and no public timetable for a return.

Billy Napier left things at “they won’t play this week” when asked about the severity of the injuries, but he did name their replacements on the weekly depth chart that is provided each Wednesday night before a game.

Redshirt freshman [autotag]Austin Barber[/autotag] is taking over for Tarquin on the right side of the line with [autotag]Kamryn Waites[/autotag] serving as his backup. Waites was previously starting left tackle [autotag]Richard Gouraigae[/autotag]’s backup, but Josh Braun has moved into that role for now.

Braun is best served as a backup guard, but Napier decided that he’s the best option to come in at left tackle with Barber now in a starting role. The new addition to the offensive line rotation is freshman [autotag]Jalen Farmer[/autotag] at right guard. 

For Miller, Jeremiah [autotag]Scooby Williams[/autotag] is his listed backup, and the expectation is to see true freshman [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] get some more snaps as well.

As far as the other injured players go, the same five from last week are still listed with just one exception. Cornerback [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] has been upgraded from “Out” to “Questionable,” which is an encouraging sign for a player that missed all of last year following ACL surgery. Hill could be back in the next few weeks, which would give the Gators another weapon in the secondary to work with.

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