Loss of McGee Means Bigger Role for Burton
Sunday, September 7, 2014 | Football, Chris Harry
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Senior tight end Clay Burton came into Saturday's season opener with three career catches, then promptly caught seven balls for 42 yards in Florida's 65-0 blowout of Eastern Michigan.
How many of those targets would have gone to Jake McGee we'll never know.
McGee, the transfer tight end from Virginia who loomed as big-ticket item for UF's revamped offense, suffered breaks to the tibia and fibula in his left leg in the second quarter against the Eagles and will miss the rest of the season.
It was a crushing loss for a kid who graduated from UVa in the spring and, per NCAA rules, was eligible to play immediately for the Gators. He was going to bring a downfield element to the tight end position that had been missing from the offense since Jordan Reid was here two years.
“I'm so disappointed for him,” Gators coach Will Muschamp said. “It's very difficult to come into a situation for one year, and he has done it it as well as you could possibly imagine.”
McGee caught 71 passes and seven touchdowns during his time with the Cavaliers -- including 43 receptions and five scores last season -- and figured to be a huge upgrade at a position where the Gators lacked proven productivity.
“That's tough,” junior quarterback Jeff Driskel said. “You move down here, work all summer and during camp to really know what you're doing and then you lose your whole season in the first half of the first game. But we're going to do whatever we can to lift him up and pick up his spirits. He'll be all right.”
Presumably, so will the Gators. 
Cue the old adage; the one about somebody's misfortunate being another person's opportunity.
Which brings us back to Burton (pictured right), the 6-foot-4, 248-pound younger brother of former Gator and current Philadelphia Eagle Trey Burton. Clay caught no passes as a freshman, two as a sophomore (both in a win at Florida State) and just one for 12 yards (in a loss against FSU) during the entire 2013 season.
His role just changed.
"I'd love to have Jake in there with me the rest of the season,” said Burton, out of Venice, Fla. “We're going to miss him. He brought a talented player to our offense."
When a pile of blockers and defenders rolled up behind McGee, Burton, senior Tevin Westbrook and converted fullback Gideon Ajagbe suddenly were thrown far more prominently into the mix at tight end. Burton, specifically.
At one point in the second period, he actually caught back-to-back passes from Driskel totaling 12 yards. The results of those two plays -- in roughly 45 seconds -- equaled his season highs for catches and yards.
“He's proved he can be a complete tight end,” Driskel said. “He really worked in the offseason on catching the ball.”
When his chance came, he took advantage of it.
"I tried to go play free and give everything I had to the team,” Burton said. “I would like to do that [with McGee out].”
In fact, he'll have to do it.
Burton, though, admittedly will do so with a heavy heart. Though McGee stepped right into the role as UF's top pass-catching tight end, the two had worked together and grown closer in the process.
"It's more than football with him and I,” Burton said. “He came in and I didn't know him at all, but he's really pushed me to be a better player. We've become very tight as just more than football teammates. I feel terrible for him.”
