Billy Napier Comments on Injuries to Florida's Kingsley Eguakun, Devin Moore
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The injury bug continues to bite at Florida, even sinking its teeth back into the Gators it has already pierced this season.
In addition to season-ending injuries to tight end Keon Zipperer, edge rushers Justus Boone and Jack Pyburn, running back Cam Carroll and linebacker Shemar James at various points throughout the year, center Kingsley Eguakun and cornerback Devin Moore have each missed individual and stretches of matchups with hurts of their own.
Eguakun, a redshirt junior and UF's starting snapper for 26 successive games entering the year, suffered a right ankle injury on Aug. 16 during Florida's fall training camp, forcing him to miss the team's remaining preseason practices and the first two bouts of the season. He was observed wearing a boot during those contests.
Although he's gone on to appear in four games throughout the campaign — against Tennessee in Week 3, Kentucky in Week 5, Georgia in Week 9 and Arkansas in Week 10 — Eguakun has aggravated the injury multiple times.
Eguakun suffered a "setback" against the Volunteers and was not playing at 100% health versus the Wildcats, leading the center to exit each game, Napier shared in the wake of those aggravations. Eguakun went back down against the Bulldogs and Razorbacks, leaving the contest in the early fourth quarter in Week 9 and going to the locker room prematurely before returning to play in the second half in Week 10.
Eguakun dressed for Florida's Week 11 meeting with LSU, but did not take the field.
As for Moore, the sophomore cornerback has appeared in six games but missed multiple stretches of time throughout the year.
An upper-body injury sidelined Moore for six consecutive fall camp practices, an undisclosed illness kept him out against McNeese State in Week 2, he did not appear against Vanderbilt or South Carolina in Weeks 6-7 per UF despite not being listed on the team's injury report ahead of those games, then a concussion suffered last Thursday — per Gators' play-by-play announcer Sean Kelley — made him unavailable versus LSU in Week 11.
Not to mention, Moore's freshman 2022 season ended in November when he underwent shoulder surgery.
"It's been a little up and down. I've been dealing with some injuries here and there," Moore described his 2023 season on Nov. 6. "But as a whole, I'm just trying to do what I can to help the team become better."
Asked about Eguakun and Moore's injuries — as well as starting left tackle Austin Barber's, who went down at two separate points with hurts against LSU — and if Florida would consider shutting down Eguakun and Moore's seasons due to lingering and/or multiple injuries, Napier responded bluntly.
"No," Napier said after taking a moment to consider the question.
While he did not offer further comment on Eguakun or Barber's status, Napier indicated that Moore's latest injury occurred after Florida released its Week 11 injury report.
"Devin's injury happened Thursday during practice. That's why it wasn't reported," Napier shared.
When he's been able to play, Moore has compiled six tackles, an interception and a pass breakup during his second season with the Gators, occupying a rotational role at cornerback alongside starters, junior Jason Marshall Jr. and redshirt junior Jalen Kimber.
Filling in for Eguakun has been redshirt sophomore and product of local Ocala (Fla.) Trinity Catholic, Jake Slaughter. Slaughter has logged 441 offensive snaps in place of Eguakun this year, making six starts.
"While [Eguakun has] been out, Jake Slaughter, I would consider Slaughter a starter at this point," Napier suggested on Oct. 25. "I’ve got a ton of respect for how Jake’s played as of late. We’ve developed some depth there that I think will be beneficial for our team.”
Florida will release its weekly injury report on Wednesday, ahead of its road matchup with No. 14 Missouri. Eguakun, Moore, Barber and other injured Gators' availability for Week 12, or lack thereof, should become clearer then.
"We're pretty transparent when it comes to injuries," Napier said. "Wednesday, you'll know where we're at. Between now and then, we're going to work on getting as many players available as we can."
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