Florida edge LJ McCray has surgery, to miss time following Week 2 injury
By Derek Hryn
Published:
The Florida Gators‘ Week 2 loss to USF got even worse Monday, as head coach Billy Napier confirmed that sophomore edge rusher LJ McCray will miss significant time after suffering a broken foot.
In what was his season debut after missing half of fall camp with a lower-body issue, McCray’s injury came in the second half against the Bulls. The former five-star was expected to be a breakout player for the Gators’ defense in 2025, providing much-needed space and physicality off the edge.
Florida now finds itself without one of its most talented defenders heading into a brutal SEC stretch.
The Gators already sit at 1-1 after Saturday’s upset loss, and now face No. 3 LSU on the road in Week 3. Then comes a trip to No. 5 Miami on Sept. 20, and then a home clash with No. 7 Texas on Oct. 4.
Losing a high-impact playmaker like McCray is a blow to both the pass rush and overall depth in the front seven.
Napier initially called it “a chunk of time,” though there is no clear timetable for return. And the Gators will be forced to lean on a rotation of younger players to step up in McCray’s absence.
[H/T Cam Parker]
