Update on two Florida Gators who were absent at practice

Untitled designby:Nick de la Torre•08/05/23•

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gators held their first open fall practice in nine years on Saturday. With fans and media in attendance, there were two very notable players absent.

Senior receiver Ricky Pearsall and sophomore cornerback Devin Moore were both missing in action on Saturday. Pearsall missed practice with an undisclosed illness while Moore missed with an undisclosed upper-body injury.

Pearsall comes back as the most proven player on the offense. A senior, has been named to the watch list for the 87th Maxwell Award, the Maxwell Football Club announced Monday. The Maxwell Award is one of the most prestigious honors in college football; it has been given to the college player of the year annually since 1937.

Pearsall recorded 33 catches for 661 yards and five touchdowns last season, his first with the Gators after transferring from Arizona State.

Another setback for the Gators sophomore cornerback

Moore played in the first five games during his freshman season. A shoulder injury kept him sidelined and eventually needed surgery.

“The first part of the season, just having that opportunity to get on the field early, it definitely was a blessing,” Moore said. “It just felt like a lot of the hard work that my coaches preached, even the strength staff, and all of the help that my teammates gave me too, it definitely seemed like it paid off. And then come Missouri week, I took a bad fall and it kind of sent me down on a roller coaster a little bit. I feel like I came out of that experience with so much more of the mental game down and honestly, I looked at it as more of a blessing and a lesson.

“I had the surgery about Week 7 on Nov. 2. And I kind of just listened to the training staff. They did a great job. Sometimes I came out a little frustrated. My teammates, my coaches, and the training staff, they always uplifted my mood. So, I took rehab real seriously and continued to work to get back on the field healthy.” 

Moore spent the entirety of spring in a non-contact jersey as he continues rehabbing his shoulder. Moore was a full participant for the first four practices. Saturday’s fifth practice was the first that he has missed with the “undisclosed upper-body injury.”

When healthy, Moore will have a great opportunity to play. He was competing for a starting job with redshirt junior Jalen Kimber across from junior Jason Marshall Jr.

“I feel like having that competition in the room just boosts us tremendously. Everybody is working hard day in and day out,” Moore said. “And in the cornerback room, we actually have a motto that we kind of live by. It’s, ‘Everybody eats as long as you take care of your business and coaches can trust you.’ So as long as you just take care of your business, you’ll get your opportunity.”

Florida coach Billy Napier will speak with the media on Monday and is expected to address Moore’s status.

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