Report: Gators DL Caleb Banks Undergoes Surgery

Banks suffered a foot injury in the loss to LSU.

Florida Gators defensive lineman Caleb Banks will miss significant time with his injury. | Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Days after head coach Billy Napier confirmed his injury would force him to miss a significant amount of time, Florida Gators defensive lineman Caleb Banks has reportedly undergone foot surgery.

Banks, who made his season debut in the loss at No. 3 LSU last week, underwent an undisclosed procedure at Andrews Sports Medicine in Birmingham, Alabama, according to 247 Sports' Graham Hall. A timeline for return is uncertain, though Napier said on Monday the recovery will be long-term.

Banks previously missed last year's bowl game, all of spring camp, a portion of fall camp, the Long Island win and the USF loss due to various foot ailments.

In Banks' absense, Florida relied on sophomore Michai Boireau to start in his place. However, Boireau missed last week's loss to the Tigers, potentially the Gators' defensive line rotation without two key pieces for this week.

Despite the loss, Napier is confident the other defensive linemen can step up in their places.

“I would say it’s more optimism than concern," he said on Wednesday's SEC Teleconference. "I think it’s a strength for our team, we have a lot of players that are capable... These guys have been working hard the entire offseason; we know in our league that that position in particular that there’ll be some guys get banged up and we’ll be without a few here or there, week to week, and it’s important to have depth and those guys have to step up."

In particular, Napier named sophomore transfer Brendan Bett, JUCO players Tarvorise Brown and Brien Taylor Jr. and freshman Joseph Mbatchou as players of note. Taylor Jr. as well as freshmen Jeramiah McCloud have manned Banks and Boireau's spot at the three-tech tackle position, while Bett, Brown and Mbatchou have primarily played nose behind Jamari Lyons.

However, all have the potential to play across the line-of-scrimmage.

"I think all those inside guys got to be able to play anywhere from a 0 to a 3, and some of them can go play 4i, as well," Napier said before the Week 2 loss to USF. "The four-down structures, you got to be able to play a 3 and and 2i. So you play that position, you're in (Gerald Chatman)'s room, you got to go from a 4i all the way down to 0."

Banks' surgery is the latest major injury for Florida this season with receiver Dallas Wilson (lower body), edge rusher LJ McCray (foot) and running back Treyaun Webb (hamstring) all missing significant time due to their ailments.

McCray recently underwent a procedure for a broken foot suffered in the loss to USF, with a timeline to return uncertain, while Webb underwent a procedure in fall camp for a hamstring issue. A possible timeline to return was as early as last week's LSU game, according to the original report by Hall, although he did not play last week.

Wilson, who suffered his injury in fall camp, is expected to return to practice during next week's bye week and is anticipated to make his collegiate debut in two weeks against Texas, Napier confirmed on Wednesday.