Gators Hope to Get Cleveland and Toney Back for Georgia

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The last time sophomore receiver Tyrie Cleveland was a healthy option in Florida's passing attack, the Gators threw for a season-high 249 yards and Cleveland had a 49-yard reception, the longest of the day in UF's 38-24 victory over Vanderbilt on Sept. 30.

In the two games since – back-to-back home losses to LSU and Texas A&M – Florida has 243 yards passing. Cleveland missed the LSU game due to a high-ankle sprain and was a non-factor in limited action against Texas A&M.

If Cleveland can return to form against No. 3-ranked Georgia on Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida's chances of giving the home fans – yes, the Gators are the home team at EverBank Field this year – increase significantly.

"There's a comfort level when you have that deep threat out there," Gators receivers coach Kerry Dixon said Wednesday. "They have to make certain coverage adjustments to him, which is a great asset to the offense as a whole. Look forward to having him back hopefully.

"He can go up and get it. His size, as well as his speed, on the field gives you a jump-ball threat. The speed factor, you can't substitute that."

Despite zilch on the stat sheet the past two games, Cleveland leads the Gators with 326 yards on 15 catches. Cleveland is averaging 22 yards per reception and has hauled in at least one pass of 31 yards or more in the four games he has caught a pass, including the 63-yard game-winning touchdown against Tennessee on the game's final play.

Teammate Brandon Powell, second on the team with 149 yards receiving, is optimistic the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Cleveland can make a difference for Florida against a Georgia defense that ranks fourth nationally in scoring (12.6 points per game) and seventh overall (252.6 yards per game).

"He's back to his normal self," Powell said. "It's just an ankle sprain, so he needed some time off, he got the bye week, so now he's back to his old self."

Dixon used a more cautious tone.

"He's been doing pretty good. We'll see where he is,'' Dixon said. "He's getting back to his old self."

The Gators managed only 108 yards passing in their 17-16 loss to LSU and 135 in a 19-17 loss to Texas A&M. Florida was without injured freshman receiver/playmaker Kadarius Toney due to a separated shoulder in the loss to the Aggies.

Gators head coach Jim McElwain, speaking to reporters following Wednesday's practice, said both Cleveland and Toney are moving in the right direction toward the Georgia game.

"I'm not going to say they're going to play because they're trying so hard to play, but ultimately we've got to wait for the trainer and all that come game time, which is why, I don't know, what would that be? Probable. Is that the word? I would say as far as that goes," McElwain said. "But time will tell. You know, Tyrie tried to go two weeks ago. Kadarius was dealing [with] it and just couldn't do it. So, you know, we'll see from there."

Georgia (7-0, 4-0) ranks fourth in the Southeastern Conference in pass defense, surrendering 170.4 yards per game. Second-year Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart, a colleague of McElwain's when both were on Nick Saban's staff at Alabama – Smart the defensive coordinator, McElwain the offensive coordinator – has quickly turned Georgia's defense around.

With or without Cleveland and Toney, the unranked Gators (3-3, 3-2) must be creative and alert in the passing game.

"They are really disciplined on the back end they do a lot of switching up of coverage, so we're going to have to be disciplined with our eyes in the passing game and see the structure of the coverage on the back end,'' Dixon said.

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Gators Hope to Get Cleveland and Toney Back for Georgia

Players Mentioned

Tyrie Cleveland

Brandon Powell

Kadarius Toney

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