Florida Gators head coach Dan Mullen has ruled star tight end Kyle Pitts out of today’s game against the Arkansas Razorbacks as he deals with a concussion. Mullen shared the news that Pitts would not play today, as well as possibly into the future, on ESPN’s SEC Nation this morning.
Pitts took an illegal hit from Georgia safety Lewis Cine in the second quarter when the Gators faced the Georgia Bulldogs on Nov. 7, which led to his immediate exit from the game while Cine was penalized and ejected. From Mullen's explanation, it sounds as if Pitts' concussion is either severe, or he is dealing with something more from the injury.
"It's going to be a multi-week deal for him," said Mullen. "Hopefully we'll get him back later on down the road this season. The injury that he got in that hit last week a little more complicated than you would originally think."
Florida is set to travel to Nashville, Tenn., to play Vanderbilt next week, Nov. 21, before returning home to face the Kentucky Wildcats on Nov. 28.
Pitts has emerged as one of if not the most dominant tight end, and pass-catcher, in college football this season, thriving on the end of passes thrown by Gators' Heisman candidate quarterback Kyle Trask. Pitts has tallied 24 receptions for 414 yards (17.3 yards per catch) and eight touchdowns this season, his amount of scores setting UF history for a tight end in a single season.
Florida has an ample amount of pass-game weapons for Trask that they should continue to perform well without him, however, there is no doubt that removing Pitts from the lineup hurts the Gators offense. Teams are forced to pay extra attention to Pitts any time he's on the field, often doubling or bracketing him in coverage which opens up plays for other receivers..
Now, it will be a mix of Kemore Gamble and Keon Zipperer at Florida's tight end position in the immediate future. Neither possess the skill-set nor demand the defensive attention of Pitts but are serviceable players, combining for eight receptions, 129 yards, and a touchdown this year.
