True Freshman WR Eugene Wilson III Named Starter for Gators in Week Two
Wide receiver Eugene Wilson III was a notable addition to Florida’s starting lineup when the week two depth chart was unveiled on Wednesday evening.
According to head coach Billy Napier, his insertion into the lineup comes somewhat due to the room’s attrition at this stage, namely injuries to former walk-on and week one starter Kahleil Jackson and the team’s second-leading receiver Marcus Burke.
"He's a very capable player. We saw some of that last week,” Napier said on Wednesday. “Kahleil being banged up, we kinda shuffled the deck there. And he's deserving, and he's going to only get better as we go forward. So, still a freshman, and there'll be some things that come with that. But he is proven to be a very effective player."
The Gators are searching for a spark offensively after a largely unsuccessful run to begin the year. The true freshman wideout showcased the agility and quickness in the open field to be that spark for Florida in game one on 11 yards per touch, earning his way into the starting rotation after a quick ascension to begin his collegiate career.
“He proved to be a really good competitor on game day,” Napier said on Monday. “There's no doubt he's really unique with the ball. We got it to him, and he's capable. I think he'll be out there running around for the Gators in the future, for sure.”
Moving at a noticeably different pace than the other 21 players on the field during his three offensive touches against Utah, Wilson flashed as the Gators' most potent weapon as he turned receptions near or at the line of scrimmage into meaningful gains.
Accounting for two receptions for 24 yards and one carry for nine yards, the Tampa (Fla.) native presented the missing explosiveness to Florida’s offense despite an overall sputtering performance in week one.
On his first touch of his collegiate career, Wilson found a gap and squeezed through it to churn out a promising nine yards with his mixture of acceleration and elusiveness in the open field.
He later saw the ball again along the Gators sideline, where he made a man miss in one-on-one and worked his way for another chunk yardage play. However, an illegal formation penalty negated the gain.
Wilson was also on the receiving end of a slant to the one-yard line during Florida’s two-point conversion attempt after it scored its first touchdown in seven quarters. He converted.
Outsiders have already begun to clamor for upwards of 10 touches for the uber-athletic ball carrier since the week one performance, whether they come via receptions or rushes, to allow him to utilize his dynamic skillset and shiftiness in the open field. The idea stems from the desire to allow Wilson to work in open space as often as possible.
His insertion into the starting lineup provides optimism that Florida’s staff thinks similarly.
They’ll get a test run with Wilson in a heightened role against McNeese on Saturday night at 7:30 inside The Swamp.
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