Florida Gators Head Coach Billy Napier Provides Injury Updates

The Florida Gators are relatively healthy, but head coach Billy Napier gave updates on players who are missing practice.

Florida Gators defensive back Asa Turner was in a non-contact jersey at Wednesday's practice. / Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

Through one week of fall camp, the Florida Gators had its first injury scare when it was revealed that running back Montrell Johnson Jr. was sidelined with a knee injury. 

However, the severity of his injury doesn’t seem to be too serious, and he’s considered week-to-week after an arthroscopic surgery earlier in the week. 

On Wednesday, Gators’ head coach Billy Napier gave his first statement and update on Johnson Jr. While he did not give a specific timeline for Johnson Jr.’s return to play, Napier did discuss the progress his star running back has already made in his recovery.

“He’s made significant progress, so it’ll be one week at a time,” Napier said, “and we’re going to go at his pace, but we do anticipate it being a very minor issue. When we get him back is to be determined, but I think he’s in a good place relative to maybe other situations that have been out there in the past.”

#Gators RB Montrell Johnson out at practice today, isn’t participating. Considering week-to-week with knee injury. pic.twitter.com/l9VwZfwO0x

— Cam Parker (@camparker25) August 6, 2024

Johnson Jr. appears to be the only noteworthy injury thus far, but Tuesday’s practice showed that there’s one defensive position group that isn’t fully healthy. 

Gators Illustrated observed safety Asa Turner in a non-contact jersey but fully participating in drills, while corners Devin Moore and Ja’Keem Jackson were non-contact and doing rehab work away from the unit. 

Turner is nursing a minor shoulder issue, while Jackson is day-to-day with a “soft tissue lower-body injury,” Napier said. 

Meanwhile, Moore, who has consistently battled injuries in the past, is now dealing with an abscessed tonsil.

“We’ll get him going, right, that may require a few things here or there, but he’s not physically injured,” Napier explained. 

Meanwhile, two of the younger offensive linemen were seen in non-contact jerseys on Tuesday and not actively participating with their group. True freshman Fletcher Westphal has yet to be full-go in camp, and redshirt freshman Caden Jones donned a non-contact jersey for the first time. 

Napier previously indicated that Westphal was out due to mononucleosis, and he didn’t give a specific update on Jones. He does, however, anticipate both returning to full-go soon. 

“There’s some good young talent,” he said. “We need to get Caden Jones and Fletcher (Westphal) back out there. We should get those guys back there pretty soon,” he said.