Florida is getting a needed piece back on defense just in time for a road trip to Kentucky.
Sophomore defensive tackle Jeramiah McCloud has returned to practice after serving a suspension, and head coach Jon Sumrall said Monday that the lineman is back with the team and expected to be available this week. McCloud missed the Oklahoma game after Florida announced he had been suspended for "conduct detrimental to the team."
Sumrall said the conversation that brought McCloud back was clear about expectations.
"Yeah, conversation went good," Sumrall said on Monday. "You know, made sure he understood that our desire was for him to return, but his return was going to be on my terms, not his terms, and the program's terms and his teammates' terms and our leadership council's terms.
No one individual is bigger than the program. That includes myself or anybody in the building.
And so his conduct, maybe the front of last week, was not becoming of what it takes to be a part of this team. He owned it, and he was back with us today.
He rejoined us today. We met yesterday afternoon, and he's with us and will be a full participant this week.
And I've got a lot of confidence that he'll understand what that accountability component looks like. And he was great with me yesterday and had a good practice today and have nothing but high hopes for how he handles this moving forward."
McCloud has been productive this season, posting 22 total tackles, 11 quarterback pressures and two passes defended. Florida could use that presence after giving up 350 yards of offense to Oklahoma, including 144 yards on the ground.
Asked whether McCloud is locked into a start Saturday, Sumrall stopped short of making it official.
"He'll be available," Sumrall said. "I mean, I think he's going to play.
I mean, he's got practice this week. You know what I mean?
Today is Monday. In my mind, on Monday, everybody's questionable.
You know what I mean? But, yeah, I think he's going to play.
I mean, barring something that doesn't need to happen, happening, he's going to play."
Florida heads to Kentucky to face a 7-2 team led offensively by quarterback Kenny Minchey, his leading receiver Kenny Darby and running back CJ Baxter. The game is set for Saturday at 6:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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