Two of Florida Gators’ six ‘healthy’ scholarship offensive linemen underwent surgery

By Adam Silverstein
April 14, 2015

Two of the six “healthy” scholarship offensive linemen the Florida Gators will bring into summer workouts underwent surgery early this week.

According to head coach Jim McElwain, who met with the media ahead of a speaking engagement at the Titletown Gator Club in Gainesville, sophomore tackle David Sharpe and redshirt sophomore lineman Antonio Riles each had (relatively) minor surgery following spring practice.


Sharpe, who is expected to start at left tackle for the Gators this season, had a “cosmetic” procedure done to his eye, according to The Gainesville Sun’s Robbie Andreu.

Playing basketball as recently as Sunday, Sharpe tweeted Monday that he was set for surgery, only to delete the message. On Tuesday, he wrote: “Surgery went well #Blessed.”

Riles, a converted defensive end who is just beginning to get comfortable on offense, went under the knife after being diagnosed with a sports hernia.

With redshirt sophomore tackle Roderick Johnson’s career over and the future of redshirt senior OL Trip Thurman still up in the air after offseason shoulder surgery, Florida’s offensive line is not just thin, it’s also severely wounded.

Thurman is the Gators’ seventh returning scholarship linemen, though only four – redshirt sophomore center Cameron Dillard and redshirt freshmen Travaris Dorsey, Kavaris Harkless and Andrew Mike – appear to be without health concerns entering the summer.

Returning offensive line coach Mike Summers undoubtedly has his work cut out for him this summer when those six or seven players will be joined by six true freshmen, including five-star OT Martez Ivey.

7 Comments

  1. Gator84 says:

    Cue the M*A*S*H theme…….

  2. gatorboi352 says:

    This season has 5-7 written all over it.

    • Gatorgrad79 says:

      Yikes, for the first time in 15 years I am worried about the Tenn and KY games. If we do not win both of those, good chance we miss a (crappy) bowl (blessing in disguise?!)

    • Buster says:

      Didn’t you listen to Muschamp.
      He left this team loaded with talent. We should be contending for a national title this year.

  3. Michael Jones says:

    Our team is going to get better, a lot better, but it’s going to take time. Just having a killer defense and a more imaginative offense will make us fun to watch this year. We might have to go easy on McElwain for at least a year or 2, though.

    GO GATORS!!!

    • Isaac says:

      OL Coach Summers will find a way with Martez Ivey and other OL to make a cohesive unit.
      Only issue is depth but Coach Mac and Summers will find a way to be competitive in first year.
      And only getting better from then on.

      • Michael Jones says:

        Agreed. Plus 6 brand new OL recruits reporting for two-a-days. A chance to develop some cohesiveness with a young group that will be tested by fire and hopefully be around for awhile.

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