Gators suffer injuries to two key starters in loss to Kentucky
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The No. 12 Florida Gators not only lost to No. 20 Kentucky on Saturday, but they also lost two starters in the game.
Starting right tackle Michael Tarquin left the game with an apparent lower leg injury in the first half. In the second half, Ventrell Miller would leave the game with a leg injury of his own.
“Ventrell’s a little bit banged up. We’ll have an update for you next week,” Billy Napier said after the game. “Obviously two injuries in the game with Ventrell and Mike Tarquin. Both are lower leg injuries. We’ll give you that information later next week.”
Miller is a sixth-year senior who missed most of the 2021 season with a torn biceps. He’s a leader on and off the field and a player the Gators need to anchor their defense.
“Ventrell is the quarterback of the defense. He’s very vocal, so that makes it very difficult for us to play without him on defense,” defensive lineman Gervon Dexter said after the game. “He communicates well and does a lot of things well. It is kind of like losing your heart.”
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Tarquin won the starting job in the offseason and had been a steady presence at right tackle. He was replaced by redshirt freshman Austin Barber, who played well.
Gators get contributions from freshmen
With Miller out of the game, Florida turned to a pair of freshmen at linebacker. True freshman Shemar James and redshirt freshman Scooby Williams received a ton of snaps in the second half. The defense played well against Kentucky, something Napier noted after the game.
“I thought we did a fantastic job and there was no quit, even until the end of the game we get a stop multiple times there and force them to kick a field goal and miss one, and they made one at the end,” Napier said. “We’ve got good people there on that side of the ball and certainly some good young players there emerging and playing well.”
James finished with seven tackles, second most on the team. He’s quickly earned the trust of the coaching staff and was getting playing time prior to Miller’s injury. James could be in line to start if Miller were to miss time. Williams is newer to the middle linebacker position but has hit the ground running. He finished the game with one tackle as a reserve.
