10/28: Meyer says Rainey active, RBs healthy

Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer met with the media after practice on Thursday and divulged a few important notes about the team’s seventh game of the 2010-11 season on Saturday against the Georgia Bulldogs. OGGOA has compiled some of the key details which you can check out below.

RAINEY STAYS ON TRACK, READY TO PLAY

Topic number one on the agenda Thursday for Meyer was determining whether or not redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Rainey would be active and eligible to play Saturday against Georgia. Evaluating him since he returned to the team, Meyer said Rainey went above and beyond what the team asked of him and will be able to play his first game in six weeks. “Chris is gonna play,” Meyer said. “He had a good week. And beyond. He really had a good week.” In addition to his duties as a slot receiver, Rainey will be playing in the backfield for a lot of the game due to some of his teammates still being a little dinged up.

RUNNING BACKS HEALTHY. EVERYONE ELSE?

Florida’s biggest struggle this year has been on the injury front. With all three of the team’s main rushers injured over the last few weeks, Meyer told reporters that, before the Mississippi State game, he was informed that he would have no healthy runners. That will not be the case Saturday as the trainers have declared junior starter Jeff Demps (foot) near 100 percent for the first time in five weeks; redshirt senior Emmanuel Moody (thigh) and sophomore Mike Gillislee (hamstring) will also be good to go.

Unfortunately, the running backs were not the only Gators trying to overcome injuries. A number of other players have been in and out of action over the last two weeks.

» Junior kicker Caleb Sturgis (back) – out, aggravated hairline fracture in vertebrae
» Redshirt freshman WR Andre Debose (ankle) – probable, will play on a limited basis
» Redshirt junior defensive tackle Jaye Howard (ankle) – probable, limited
» Senior cornerback Moses Jenkins (elbow) – active
» Redshirt sophomore left tackle Matt Patchan (wrist) – out

QUOTES

On the importance of this game: “It’s the whole world, man. First of all, it’s Florida-Georgia.”

On practice this week: “We had a really good week. We pounded them real good the last two weeks in practice, eased up a bit [Wednesday and Thursday]. I’m expecting a good performance.”

On Sturgis not playing: “Probably could [play], but for the best interest of the young man, that’s a pretty tough injury.”

On how senior punter Chas Henry has been kicking in practice: “He did good today – hit every one. 40-45 [yarders] are going to be tough, I’d say [we can go for it] inside the 40.”

On sophomore WR Omarius Hines contributing: “He’s improving and he’s actually been here for a few years but he’s still a young player. He’s got a lot of talent. It’s time he steps up and plays.”

On freshman RB Mack Brown not playing since early in the season: – “He’s been having hamstring issues. [Chris] Dunkley and Quinton Dunbar and Josh Shaw – Josh Shaw was a knee. All those kids were kind of planning on playing and they’ve been banged up. The minute they’re ready to come back, they get dinged up again. I think Mack’s getting close, but he’s also had hamstring issues.”

On redshirting M. Brown: “No, I didn’t say that. It’s still too early.”

On being able to bring recruits to Florida-Georgia: “I think both teams should be able to bring recruits, 25 tickets or something like that. Not official visits, but they can just go get tickets, sign up for tickets, go to the game and then go home. No contact or anything – that would be a mess. They deserve to go watch this game because they’re going to get to play in it. Absolutely.”

On if he has “anything up his sleeve” for the game: “We’re not at that point. It’s much easier when we’re leading the SEC in offense and defense to have something up your sleeve. Where we are right now – just trying to get a little better, man.”