What Does the Potential Absence of WR Ricky Pearsall Mean for the Gators?
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Photo: Florida wde receivers coach Keary Colbert; Credit: Alex Shepherd
The news of the foot injury Ricky Pearsall reportedly suffered in training camp on Tuesday puts the Florida Gators' wide receiver room in an undesirable state as the season quickly approaches.
Following the end of the 2020 season, Florida saw a drastic decline in the explosive threats in the wide receiver room. Holding out hope that young pieces would emerge in 2021, the Gators failed to find the weapons like Kyle Pitts, Kadarius Toney, Van Jefferson, Freddie Swain, Josh Hammond, Tyree Cleveland and Trevon Grimes that made the offense so dynamic.
Former highly ranked wideout Jacob Copeland failed to live up to the expectations set forth for him as he stepped into the WR1 role, and he opted for a fresh start by transferring to Maryland following last season.
In doing so, he left the wide receiver group bare, searching for a big-play weapon to complement the possession pass catcher that occupied the majority of the room.
Wide receivers coach Keary Colbert recognized that fact early on as he started to pursue ready-now wideouts via the transfer portal. The guy they brought in to fill the void at the top of the depth chart was Pearsall.
He's lived up to that billing since arriving on campus, proving his worth as a crisp route runner and one of the fastest in-game wideouts the team has to offer.
The hype he has received restored hope that the group could suffice while they reload skill position talent on the recruiting trail. That is no longer the case, with him removed from the lineup "indefinitely," meaning for an unspecified amount of time.
Potentially without the Arizona State transfer available, who accounted for 48 receptions, 580 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Sun Devils in 2021, there would be a significant void in the unit to kick off the first campaign of both Billy Napier as the head coach and Anthony Richardson as the unquestioned starter.
Namely, the threat of hitting home runs through the passing game would take a significant hit.
The running game — which will feature a trio of talented ball carriers and a veteran offensive line — the uber-talented Richardson will likely be asked to maintain the load for the most part offensively. And they're capable of doing so to an extent.
However, the lack of a run-after-catch target will limit the playbook.
To achieve at a high level, that can't be the case. Someone from the wideouts group will need to emerge alongside solidified possession receiver Justin Shorter. Some prospects to assume that role include Xzavier Henderson, Ja'Quavion Fraziars, Marcus Burke, Trent Whittemore, JUCO transfer Thai Bowman and true freshman Caleb Douglas, among others.
The first player is a rather obvious choice for those potentially emerging as the next man up. As a former highly touted recruit, Henderson arguably shoulders the highest expectations of any wideout heading into the season. It's boom or bust in year three at Florida.
This offseason, it's looked as if he's begun to turn a corner where his clunky style of movement is conceded under the tutelage of Colbert. If he can put together some of the positives from practice from a technical standpoint and translate his track speed to the field, Henderson will have made the jump many expected him to make a season ago to instill confidence in both himself and the corps as a whole.
Fraziars has shown flashes — albeit minimal — at points in his young career, snagging six receptions for 39 yards and two scores with the Gators in two seasons.
His offseason progression has already raised eyebrows as he embarks on year three. However, his sample size has been small. With an increased role, his emergence into the group could be exactly what Florida's looking for to mend the gap while Pearsall recovers.
Burke is another potential emergence worth keeping an eye on if Florida is forced to operate without Pearsall when the season commences. Like Henderson, the Jacksonville (Fla.) native garnered high intrigue when he stepped into the fold as a pass-catching option.
In his very limited exposure to the field, Burke showcased the very thing the Gators are looking for: a deep threat. He hauled in a 61-yard reception on the road against South Carolina last season. If he is employed at a higher volume, he could show that his explosiveness is the real deal. His length at 6-foot-4 and speed to push down the field vertically could mesh well with Napier's system to provide the downfield target for Richardson.
Next on the list is Whittemore.
He has mainly aligned in the slot during his collegiate career and, even then, has shown limitations in his ability to be a dynamic threat in the passing game. He seemingly paid the price of poor timing with the previous man under center and, therefore, could emerge under the new on-field commander.
However, his ceiling seems to be a reliable possession receiver who can exploit the short to intermediate levels across the middle of the field, making it difficult to envision Whittemore being utilized in that type of role.
The flexibility for new, young talent to carve out playing time on the outside of the offensive formation is evident, even with Pearsall in the mix.
This is where Bowman or Douglas could step in to take control of the opportunity. Each has presented a high upside in the early stages of the Gators' practice careers, with Bowman's blazer-like skillset being perfect for filling the position.
While the ultimate goal will be seeing jumps from each of the individuals listed above to create an all-around elite unit in 2022, that doesn't seem realistic under the current circumstances.
However, with one of the players separating themselves from the pack — or even a collection of players banding together to pick up slack as a committee — Florida will be in a fine spot while they wait for the group headliner to return.
Again, that could come at any time as there is no timetable available for the injury.
However, if they cannot do so, Pearsall's potential absence could result in less than satisfactory performances when Florida controls the ball this upcoming year.
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