The “Landshark Defense” is hoping to get one of its leaders back before fall comes around.
Rebels coach Hugh Freeze, whose team began spring practice on Wednesday, stressed the importance of senior safety Tony Conner to the team and gave an update on his status.
“I have to trust the reports I get. He is in the pool running. He says he is pain free,” Freeze told reporters. “I believe they are expecting him to start running straight ahead next week, and we will see how the knee responds to that.”
Conner is the “Huskie” on the team’s defense, which is a hybrid safety/linebacker position in the team’s 4-2-5 scheme. He tore his meniscus in the team’s win over Alabama in Week 3 and ended up missing eight of the team’s 13 games.
“We’ll see how the knee responds when he does,” Freeze said. “We’re hopeful that he’ll have a full recovery and be ready to go in the fall. We really need him.
“When it does, we are hopeful that he will be full strength in the fall. We really need him and Issac Gross. They are no question two of our leaders on the defense.”
Gross (neck) and fellow defensive tackle Herbert Moore (ACL) will be limited. Defensive end Fadol Brown will be out for the spring as he recovers from offseason foot surgery.
Born and raised in Gainesville, Talal joined SDS in 2015 after spending 2 years in Bristol as an ESPN researcher. Previously, Talal worked at The Gainesville Sun.
