Florida Gators WR Eugene Wilson III out against Mississippi State
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gators will be without star receiver Eugene Wilson for a second straight week. The sophomore receiver missed Florida’s home loss to Texas A&M. Despite missing the game, Wilson still leads the Gators in targets and receptions this season.
Wilson sustained an injury in the Gators’ win over Samford. He tried to play last week against Samford but wasn’t able to play against the Texas A&M Aggies.
“We’re definitely a better team with Tre Wilson for sure,” Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier said. “But I do think Dike and Badger, in particular, stepped up in a major way. We have the ability to in formation plays to get the primary guys in position, much like we’ve done the past. We’ll take what we have each week and we’ll formation it and try to make those guys a primary and secondary. And then the tight end group has been great and obviously the backs. We’ve got to continue to create ways to get the ball to the best players. But I think last week, it’s a heck of a week for Dike and Badger. I thought they did a good job. Who’s the third? I think that’s the question mark. I think those guys will have a little opportunity this week.”
A source told Gators Online that Wilson is dealing with a knee injury. The extent of the injury and how long it will keep Wilson off the field is unknown. In Wilson’s absence, senior receivers Chimere Dike and Elijhah Badger stepped up. The two transfers scored their first touchdowns as Gators.
“I think for me I simplify things,” Dike said. “I want to execute my job at a high level, consistently for my teammates and for the coaches, like when you go in the game and the responsibility is maybe blocking and you want to be elite blocking, if I’m getting opportunities in the pass game I want to be elite in that too so every single aspect of the game I want to be able to excel, whenever my number is called I want to make plays.”
![Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier walks during the first half at the Orange and Blue spring football game at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, April 13, 2024. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]](https://on3static.com/cdn-cgi/image/height=215,width=393,quality=90,fit=cover,gravity=0.5x0.5/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/04/18141240/Untitled-design-72-2.png)
