Florida suspends Jeramiah McCloud for Oklahoma game
The Gators didn't sugarcoat it. The school's statement is 2 sentences long, and the second one is the one that should worry Florida fans.
Florida’s statement: “Jeramiah McCloud has been suspended for this week’s game against Oklahoma for conduct detrimental to the team. His status with the program will be re-evaluated after this week’s contest.”
'Re-evaluated after this week's contest' is not one-game-and-done language. It's a program leaving the door wide open for something bigger. That's a real hit for a defense that has leaned on McCloud: the 6-foot-3, 294-pound sophomore from Sylvester, Georgia has 22 tackles, 1.5 of them for loss, with 5 starts in 8 games this season, according to the AP.
Florida DT Jeramiah McCloud suspended for Oklahoma for conduct detrimental to team. Florida statement: "His status will be re-evaluated after this week's contest." #Gators
There's history here, too. The AP notes McCloud was caught on video making an obscene gesture toward fans during Florida's recent loss at Missouri. Nobody has publicly tied that moment to this suspension, and the school isn't saying what the conduct actually was, so we won't pretend to know. But it's fair to say this isn't the first time this season McCloud has made headlines for something other than a tackle.
And the suspension didn't land in a vacuum. It came packaged with the initial availability report, and the report is ugly for the Gators up front.
Florida has two starting linemen out this week, including one player who’s suspended. Here’s the initial availability report for the Oklahoma game. STORY: t.co/T9Ql6k8pln
Starting right tackle Emeka Ugorji is out too, which means Florida is down a starter on each line. Linebacker Jaden Robinson and tight end Evan Chieca are also ruled out, receiver Vernell Brown III is doubtful with a knee issue, and defensive end Emmanuel Oyebadejo and receiver Bailey Stockton are questionable. That's a lot of names for a 5-3 team (3-3 SEC) trying to hang on to a spot in the Top 25.
Oklahoma comes into the Swamp at 4-4 and 2-3 in the SEC, a team with plenty to play for itself and every reason to test a Florida interior that just lost a starter. If the Sooners can lean on the run, this suspension shows up on the scoreboard.
What to watch: who fills McCloud's snaps Saturday, and what Florida says about him once the game is over. A quiet return to the depth chart next week ends this. Any longer silence means 'conduct detrimental' was the opening line of a much bigger story.
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