NCAAF News: Not just Graham Mertz, Gators lose another key player ahead of Kentucky showdown

Week 7 for the Florida Gators in the NCAAF has a singular goal: to improve their record to 4-3. To achieve this, they must defeat the always challenging Kentucky Wildcats, a daunting task made even tougher by the absence of starting QB Graham Mertz, along with another key player from the team.

Last week, Billy Napier’s squad put forth a strong performance against the favored Tennessee Volunteers, but unfortunately, they came up short, losing in overtime 23-17.

The loss to the Vols also resulted in an injury to a key player, who has unfortunately been confirmed as unavailable for the matchup against Kentucky. The player in question is none other than RB Montrell Johnson Jr., the leading rusher for the Gators this season.

The news was confirmed by ESPN’s college football insider Pete Thamel, who noted on X, formerly Twitter, that despite being listed as questionable, it is believed that the RB will not play against the Wildcats: “Florida RB Montrell Johnson Jr is out against Kentucky, per the SEC injury report. He’d be listed as questionable.”

Graham Mertz #15 hands the ball off to Montrell Johnson Jr. #1 of the Florida Gators in the first half of a game against the UCF Knights at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on October 05, 2024 in Gainesville, Florida.

Mertz serious injury

The absence of RB Johnson Jr. wasn’t the only injury concern from the recent game against Tennessee. HC Napier also had to contend with a serious injury to starting QB Graham Mertz, who is believed to be out for the remainder of the season.

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‘Florida quarterback Graham Mertz is expected to miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury he suffered during the Gators’ loss to Tennessee Saturday night, a source tells 247Sports and CBS Sports.’ the statement emphasized the gravity of the situation following the news of the serious injury.

Mertz sends message following injury

Once the injury was confirmed, sidelining the quarterback for the remainder of the season, Mertz reached out to Gators fans with an encouraging message about the future.

“Thank you for two incredible years in Gainesville. Unfortunately, I suffered a torn ACL against Tennessee and will miss the remainder of the season. During my recovery, I will remain a part of the program and do whatever I can in meeting rooms and from the sideline to help my teammates win. I want t thank everyone for the outpouring of support during this time.” Mertz stated.