Florida Gators safety Marcell Harris out for 2017 season with torn Achillies
The Florida Gators now have a steeper hill to climb towards a championship season after losing one of their seniors on defense
Florida Gators senior safety Marcell Harris will miss the entire 2017 season after tearing his right Achillies tendon in practice Thursday, according to a news release from the team.
Harris’ 73 tackles led Florida last season en route to a top-15 ranking and a victory over Iowa in the Outback Bowl.
Head Coach Jim McElwain acknowledged that seeing a player such as Harris suffer an injury as devastating as an Achilles tear can be the hardest thing for a coach.
"“Here is a kid who has made great personal growth during his time here and has really matured both on and off the field. It is tough to see a player invest so much in himself and his teammates and have this happen, but I do know that we will support him every step of the way as he works through this injury.”"
Harris was one of the few Gators to return for the 2017 season, watching Jarrad Davis, Marcus Maye, Alex Anzalone, Teez Tabor, Caleb Brantley, and Quincy Wilson go into the NFL. Five of those players were drafted in the first three rounds, and are expected to make significant impacts as a rookie at the next level.
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Without Harris and the departed Maye at safety, Florida is likely to start redshirt senior Nick Washington and allow for a position battle for the second starting job. Sophomore Jaewon Taylor, a four-star recruit will likely battle fellow recruiting classmate Quincy Lenton, who redshirted last season.
Four-star recruit Chauncey Gardner is expected to play corner this year, replacing the departed Wilson and Tabor, but his original position is safety.
Florida is looking to repeat as SEC East champions but has one of the toughest schedules in college football. After a season opener versus John Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines in Texas, the Gators have Tennessee, LSU, and Texas A&M coming to Gainesville.
After a bye week, they’ll face Georgia’s two-headed monster running back corp in Jacksonville before traveling to Mizzou and South Carolina.
Florida’s season wraps up with Florida State at home in one of the most exhilarating college football games of the season.