UPDATE: Gators' DL to Miss 2024 Season

The Florida Gators confirmed the loss of a defensive lineman after an injury on Saturday in their scrimmage.

Florida Gators defensive lineman Jamari Lyons suffered a season ending injury. / Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

After reports from the Florida Gators’ first scrimmage indicated redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Jamari Lyons had suffered a serious lower-body injury, head coach Billy Napier confirmed the reports at his Monday press conference. 

Lyons will miss the entire 2024 season with a broken ankle, Napier said. 

“Jamari’s one of our best. He really cares,” Napier said. “It was really inspirational to some degree. The entire team was on the field, which I’ve never seen that in my entire coaching career.”

In 2023, Lyons recorded 20 total tackles (10 solo) and 2.5 tackles-for-loss while appearing in all 12 games, splitting time with Desmond Watson as the backup behind Cam Jackson.

In his place, the Gators will rely on Watson alongside freshman Michai Boireau and JUCO transfer Tarvorise Brown to build depth behind Cam Jackson at nose tackle. 

Lyons also had the ability to play at the three-technique defensive tackle, hich they call the “end.”

That position is made up of mainly Caleb Banks, Joey Slackman and Kelby Collins.

“That’s an area where we have depth,” Napier said. “Those roles will be a little bit different. There’ll be some adjustment. The biggest thing was Jamari can play nose and end, and I think that’s where we have to shuffle the deck.”

Lyons was the only major injury of the scrimmage. In the open media portion of warmups, Gators Illustrated noted multiple major contributors in non-contact jerseys on Saturday. 

The Gators continue its 2024 fall camp with an open practice for media on Tuesday at 3 p.m. followed by a players’ press conference at 4:45 p.m.