Billy Napier Comments on Florida WR Eugene Wilson III's Absence vs. Kentucky
True freshman wide receiver Eugene Wilson III was sidelined for a second consecutive contest on Saturday after sustaining a collarbone injury on the first drive of Florida's upset victory over Tennessee in Week 3.
Wilson's absence came as a surprise, however, after being removed from the team's weekly injury report upon its Wednesday release.
Gators head coach Billy Napier offered insight into the rookie pass catcher's inactivity following the Gators' 33-14 defeat at the hands of Mark Stoops' Wildcats at Kroger Field.
"We didn't feel good about putting him out there," Napier said. "We were hopeful that he would be ready. [He had] some contact throughout the week. After evaluating him in pregame, it wasn't in his best interest as much as maybe he wanted to go. I think we made a decision that he wasn't ready."
Following the hurt, Napier initially shared that Wilson's timeline for return would be largely contingent on his pain tolerance for the collarbone bruise diagnosis. The wideout was seen participating in an individual workout before Week 4's bout against Charlotte, suggesting a one-week absence was possible upon further evaluation.
Although he was removed from the report, the Gators staff deemed it was in Wilson's best interest to remain out of action pregame despite Florida's crucial matchup with Kentucky.
Wilson was an integral piece to the gameplan early against the Volunteers, accounting for six catches and 44 yards on the team's first drive from scrimmage, bringing his season total to 12 receptions for 104 yards and a two-point conversion. It kickstarted the offense to post 26 unanswered points after his exit.
The Gators struggled offensively in Week 5 against the Cats outside their two scoring drives without the explosive playmaker in the fold.
Wilson's dynamic skill set and elusiveness in space were expected to open the playbook for Florida against the stout Kentucky defense, which likely would've aided the unit to sustain further production than the 313 total yards and 14 points it posted at Kroger Field. Instead, the Gators' offense posted points twice in 10 tries, accounting for just 128 yards on 44 plays in the other eight possessions.
Napier and Co. hope to get the Tampa, Fla., native back in the fold for their Week 6 matchup at home against Vanderbilt at 4 p.m. ET.
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