Florida CB Vernon Hargreaves III injures left knee

By Adam Silverstein
August 7, 2014

Updated at 11:10 p.m.

Florida Gators sophomore cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III, widely considered the team’s best returning player on either side of the ball, injured his left knee in the middle of practice Thursday evening.

Hours later, results of an MRI determined that it was not a serious injury.

“An MRI revealed that Vernon Hargreaves suffered a bone bruise, and he is listed as day-to-day,” said head coach Will Muschamp in a statement released by the team.

According to reporters on-site, including the Orlando Sentinel’s Edgar Thompson and the Independent Florida Alligator’s Richard Johnson, Hargreaves was helped off the practice field by two trainers after a scuffle broke out between Florida’s defensive backs and wide receivers during a drill.

He was reportedly unable to put any significant pressure on his left knee while trainers were testing it in a tent far removed from reporters and fans, all of which gathered Thursday night for the Gators’ first open fall practice of 2014.

Hargreaves had ice wrapped around the knee to reduce swelling and was later removed from the tent by a cart. Thompson noted that Hargreaves was “limping badly to get on the cart,” while Johnson pointed out that he was “visibly frustrated [with his] hands on his head, banging the cart in annoyance.”

Hargreaves was named a Third Team All-American by the Associated Press coming off an impressive freshman campaign in which he registered an interception during each of his first two games and played lock down defense throughout the season.

He also earned unanimous First Team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman honors for breaking up 11 passes, tied for most by a freshman in school history.