Florida TE Cornelius Ingram Out and Other Gator News (updated)

David Wunderlich by Senior Writer Written on August 07, 2008
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Bad, bad news, folks.  Cornelius Ingram has told The Sporting News that he tore his ACL towards the end of Tuesday's practice.  An MRI today confirmed it.

Recruited as much by Billy Donovan for the basketball team as he was by Ron Zook for the football team, Ingram has had a long, strange ride here.  He ended up giving up basketball to focus on football, but he nearly quit the team two years in when the coaches told him he wouldn't be playing quarterback anymore.

He decided to stay and tough it out, and he blossomed into one of the country's best pass-catching tight ends.  He could have gone to the draft but decided to stay for his final season.  For a guy who's done everything right on and off the field, this hurts.

I suppose he'll just rehab and go to the draft since he's already 23, and getting a medical redshirt for a sixth year doesn't make much sense.  It hurts the team because it needs leadership from its tiny senior class.

It hurts Ingram as a football player because another season in school would have helped him improve his blocking, the glaring weakness in his game.  He's got the measurables to impress scouts and be drafted early, but the first round is probably out of the question now.

In theory, the team will be fine. Aaron Hernandez and Carl Moore can run Ingram's routes, and Tate Casey can do his blocking.

The only possibility this takes away is having Ingram and Hernandez on the field at the same time, a combination potent enough to have Urban Meyer drawing up two-tight end schemes for the first time in his career.

Fare thee well, Cornelius.  It was great to have you as a Gator.

 

Other News

Chris Rainey was hobbled Wednesday due to a groin strain, an injury that has been bugging him since track season according to Meyer.  Justin Trattou missed Wednesday practice with the flu, but it's not serious.

Jeffrey Demps appeared to injure his hip and/or knee on the last play Wednesday, but Meyer said he'd be fine.  Omar Hunter has been practicing in everything but contact drills due to his back soreness, but the coaches hoped to have him in full contact on Friday.

Meyer was unhappy with practice

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written on August 07, 2008 Breaking News

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