Keon Zipperer out vs. A&M, Billy Napier clarifies extent of his injury

On3 imageby:Zach Abolverdi•11/03/22•

ZachAbolverdi

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Gators starting tight end Keon Zipperer has suffered an injury that will sideline him for the Texas A&M game, but not the rest of the season.

Florida coach Billy Napier clarified Zipperer’s status after a since-deleted post on his Facebook page from Monday stated that he had suffered a season-ending injury.

“I don’t know how that got blown up. That’s wild,” Napier said of the Facebook post. “Keon’s got a little bit of a knee, nothing long-term there. It’s pretty much to-be-determined based off of his rehab and recovery right now. We aren’t expecting him to be available this weekend, but long term no issue there.”

The 6-foot-1, 246-pound is Florida’s fourth leading receiver this season. Zipperer has 13 catches for 177 yards and a touchdown in eight games played, including seven starts.

Zipperer had his best game at Tennessee. He finished with a career-high 62 receiving yards on three receptions, including an impressive 44-yard catch-and-run for a score.

With Zipperer out, tight end Dante Zanders will take on a full-time starting role. He’s made four starts in eight appearances this season, catching six passes for 42 yards.

Reserve TE Jonathan Odom has been moved up to second-string on the depth chart for the Texas A&M game. He’s played in four games this fall but has yet to make a catch in his UF career.

“Jonathan is a very bright young man. Certainly, he’s a guy I think he’s well-prepared. We see him every day,” Napier said. “He’s excited about getting an opportunity to have a role in the game. So, he’s had a good week’s practice and he’s excited about contributing to the team.”

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