Justus Boone, one of Florida's most talented young players, will miss the season with a knee injury. (Photo: Hannah White/UAA Communications)
Carter's Corner: Boone Easy to Root for Following Knee Injury
Sunday, August 13, 2023 | Football, Scott Carter
Share:
By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — It was one of those moments that made your stomach turn if you were within earshot, and unfortunately, a frequent occurrence for those who have been around the game for any length of time.
On a sweltering afternoon inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the Gators neared the end of their first scrimmage of preseason camp on Thursday. The offense ran another play around the 25-yard line on the side of the field toward the north end zone.
As the play unfolded and the referee's whistle sounded, you noticed a defensive player on the ground in discomfort. Soon, head athletic trainer Paul Silvestri raced to check on the injured player. Gators head coach Billy Napier quickly followed.
Rising third-year edge rusher Justus Boone, a few days after talking about his excitement for the upcoming season in front of the local media and on the "Paul Finebaum Show," twisted in pain on the turf following a non-contact injury.
You didn't need to be a doctor to know Boone was upset, and the injury was probably serious. You only needed to hear a couple of Boone's groans as he lay sprawled in the heat while Silvestri and others checked his knee.
After several minutes on the turf, and with his teammates quietly kneeling off to the side, Boone was helped to his feet, assisted to the sideline, and carted away, the latest victim of a physical game that wrecks players' knees every season.
Napier confirmed the disappointing news Friday: Boone will miss the season with a torn ACL. Napier said Boone would have season-ending surgery in the next couple of weeks.
"I would tell you this is one of the more challenging parts of the job for me, relative to having a great relationship with a young man and then observing him work and change his life as a person and as a football player," Napier said. "We're going to rally around Boone. There's a ton of success stories in this game of players who've had this injury and have went through the return to play and rehab process and come back and had significant success. All Gators need to lift up our boy Boone. He's one of the best ones we have." Gators defensive lineman Justus Boone. (Photo: Logan Bowles/UAA Communications)
Boone is a player the Gators hoped to build around in Napier's second season. A 6-foot-3, 263-pound defensive lineman, Boone was projected to start at defensive end as a pass-rush specialist and emerging team leader.
As you can tell by Napier's comments, Boone is well-liked by his coaches and teammates. He spent part of his summer hosting youth football camps, one back home in Sumter, S.C., and one in the Gainesville community last month on his last free weekend before the start of preseason camp.
He's a guy it's easy to root for to succeed.
Still, the game goes on. Boone's injury opens the door for others.
Sophomore Jack Pyburn is a player to watch, freshmen Kelby Collins and T.J. Searcy have garnered attention since arriving in the spring, and newcomers Kamran James and Quincy Ivory play on the exterior defensive line. Meanwhile, veteran Princely Umanmielen has been one of the most discussed players in preseason camp for his promise at the defensive end spot opposite Boone.
Only time will tell how much Boone's loss impacts the Gators.
Perhaps one of the players vying for his spot will emerge and contribute immediately. If Boone's absence is an ongoing storyline as the season progresses, that won't be a good sign for the Gators.
Boone's track record suggests he will tackle rehab with purpose and vigor. As Napier said, an ACL injury is not the career-ender like days gone by.
Still, they linger in everyone's mind whenever a player goes down and clutches a knee. The first thing that entered my mind was the sight of former Gators defensive lineman Kedric Johnson doing the same in camp in 2012.
Not so much seeing Boone on the ground but hearing his anguish and frustration. Johnson's painful scream still lingers since it happened right where I was that evening 11 years ago. The injury, coupled with various non-football factors, derailed his career.
Boone is a different player with a different temperament.
He will be missed on the field but welcomed back with open arms as soon as he is ready.
"And, not just production on the field that Boone brings to our team, but more importantly, his presence as a leader," Napier said. "I do think this will galvanize our team. I think this is a guy they really love and care about and will want to do their part to make up for his absence on the field.
"We have that level of respect and accountability amongst our players and team."
