Billy Napier says Justin Shorter has had minimal practice time

Florida has struggled this season, off to a 4-4 start in first-year coach Billy Napier‘s debut. A Saturday trip to Texas A&M might be complicated by the status of receiver Justin Shorter, who has had minimal practice time of late.

Shorter, the team’s leading receiver in 2022, has been dealing with a hamstring.

“Minimal. Minimal, yeah,” Napier said Wednesday, asked how much work Shorter’s been able to put in. “Hamstring, questionable at this point. We’ll see where he’s at tomorrow. He’s done some things but been modified. It’ll probably be a game-time decision.”

Florida will be looking to stay above .500 on Saturday, facing a Texas A&M team that has had its own share of struggles and injuries throughout the course of the season.

But for a Gators passing game that currently ranks 85th nationally at just 223.8 yards per game, a limited Shorter is not ideal. Shorter leads the team in receiving yardage, having logged 21 catches for 471 yards and two touchdowns.

He had emerged as the team’s most dangerous deep threat over the last month.

Justin Shorter’s minimal practice time could create opportunity

Florida doesn’t have a ton left to play for this season outside of bowl eligibility and the Gators may begin looking to build for the future over the next month.

The team dismissed leading pass-rusher Brenton Cox following the Georgia game, and snaps had already begun to shift in the direction of younger players across the board of late.

So Justin Shorter’s minimal practice time could be creating opportunities for some younger players at receiver.

Freshman Marcus Burke has begun to get some game time of late, catching just his second pass of the season in the Georgia game on Saturday. He’s a player most fans have been dying to see get more reps. Fellow freshman Daejon Reynolds could also see an uptick in usage.

Florida and Texas A&M will meet Saturday for a noon ET kickoff with a broadcast on ESPN.