UPDATE: Florida coach Jim McElwain confirmed Monday morning that Alex Anzalone will miss the rest of the season with a broken arm.
ORIGINAL STORY: Florida may have lost more than a game Saturday in its 31-10 loss to Arkansas.
According to multiple reports, linebacker Alex Anzalone will miss extended time with a broken arm. A report from SEC Country states that Anzalone will miss the rest of the season.
Anzalone had eight tackles against Arkansas before leaving the game, and he's second on the team in tackles with 53, including three sacks.
Unfortunately for Anzalone, this is not the first time he'll miss a significant amount of time due to injuries. A shoulder injury cost him 12 games last year as well. He graduated from Florida in August, but he has one year of eligibility remaining. It's unclear whether he'll return to Gainesville for a final season in 2017 or if he'll declare for the NFL Draft.
The present is what matters to Florida, and it will not be easy to replace him. The Gators are clinging to their lead in the SEC East thanks in large part to their defense, and Anzalone has been a major reason why Florida's defense has been one of the best in the country to this point.
