Injury Report: Two Gators Starters Set to Return vs. Kentucky
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Two starters will retake the gridiron for Florida against Kentucky after missing action in Week 4. Center Kingsley Eguakun and wideout Eugene Wilson III were removed from the Gators' weekly injury report on Wednesday, signaling their return versus the Wildcats.
Find Florida's Week 5 injury report in full below.
- WR Marcus Burke (upper body) — Questionable
- WR Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman (lower body) — Questionable
- TE Tony Livingston (upper body) — Out
- TE Dante Zanders (lower body) — Out
- LB Ja’Markis Weston (upper body) — Out
Eguakun — who's been sidelined for three of the Gators' four outings this season with a lingering lower-body injury — ditched the ankle boot he put back on after a setback against Tennessee in Week 4 while returning to practice on Tuesday.
The development provides hope for his availability come Saturday against Kentucky.
Rejoining the offensive line in Week 5, he will provide the valuable veteran leadership that aided the Gatord to an offensive outburst in their victory over the formerly No. 11 Volunteers on Sept. 16. Florida rushed for 183 yards and accounted for 349 total yards in that contest.
His presence against a Kentucky team synonymous with physicality in the trenches, as a result, is immense for the unit to potentially replicate the production.
"Experience, there’s no value, no price tag you can put on it,” Napier said regarding Eguakun’s impact along the offensive front.
On the other hand, Wilson provides a similar jolt of energy to the Gators' offense.
Against Tennessee, Wilson took on his most prominent role in Florida's offense to date, compiling six receptions for 44 yards on the Gators' first possession of the contest. However, Wilson sustained a collarbone injury to close the drive, which held him out for the remainder of the game.
Napier shed light on his absence postgame on Sept. 16, expressing optimism regarding the severity.
"Tre is going to be fine," Napier said. "The x-ray was normal. I think he has a bruise of some — you know, but he wasn't able to return. Just didn't have the strength to return. He wanted to play, but I don't think he was ready to play."
Wilson expectedly missed action in Week 4, offering him more time to rehabilitate the sensitive injury. The timeline would come of his own volition, with pain tolerance proving to be the most important factor.
Two weeks later, the true freshman — and his playmaking prowess — returns to the starting unit for Florida alongside Ricky Pearsall and Caleb Douglas at wide receiver, looking to add to his 12 receptions for 104 yards and two rushes for 27 yards in just over two games in his collegiate career.
Pass catchers Marcus Burke and Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman are listed as questionable for the matchup as they deal with their respective injuries.
Burke, a late addition to the team's inactive list a week ago against Charlotte, continues to work through an upper-body injury that held him out of action in Week 2 and 4. He accounted for 67 yards and two receptions in the first contest of his redshirt sophomore against Utah and recorded 14 snaps versus Tennessee.
Bowman has yet to record a snap in 2023 after seeing action in 12 contests for UF a season ago.
Zanders, who performed as the Gatprs starting Y tight end before Hayden Hansen took over the role in Week 2, is also newly added to the injury report. The redshirt season is one week removed from serving a first-half suspension for his role in the late-game altercation against Tennessee.
Livingston, a grayshirt freshman who started at tight end for Florida in Week 1, and Weston, one of the Gators' few special teams aces and a backup linebacker, missed Weeks 2-4 with their respective hurts. Livingston caught one pass for four yards in his collegiate debut versus Utah; Weston tallied two tackles on punt returns against the Utes.
Florida's road contest versus Kentucky at Kroger Field will kick off at noon ET on Saturday.
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