Gators OT Tyler Moore falls off scooter, breaks elbow; sixth Florida starter out for the season

The Florida Gators have lost their sixth starter – fifth on the offensive side of the ball – due to injury as redshirt sophomore tackle Tyler Moore is out for the remainder of the season after falling off a scooter and breaking his right elbow Tuesday night.

Moore was returning home from dinner at the dining hall following practice.

“Unfortunately, last night Tyler Moore was riding home on his scooter, came around a curve there, back tire came out from underneath him and he got a compound fracture of his elbow. He’s having surgery as we speak, so he’ll be out for the season. We’ll know more about his prognosis and how low [he’ll be out] after the surgery, obviously,” head coach Will Muschamp confirmed Wednesday during his weekly appearance on the Southeastern Conference football coaches’ teleconference.

“He’s a good young man and has really done everything we’ve asked on and off the field. He’s an outstanding member of our football team, and it’s just very unfortunate.

“I just hurt for him.”

It has been a rough season for Moore, a transfer from Nebraska who did not play in 2012. He was expected to be a depth addition to Florida’s roster but was forced to replacing redshirt junior Chaz Green (torn labrum – season) as the starting right tackle. Moore struggled in the first seven games of the season and was especially bad against Missouri when he committed multiple penalties and gave up a number of sacks.

“I just tried to get over it as quick as I could, still felt a little bad after the game and into the bye week. But slowly throughout the bye week, tried to work as hard as I could to show them that I was ready to play for the next game and slowly feeling like myself again,” said Moore on Tuesday about his performance at Mizzou.

The Gators began working with junior Trenton Brown (6-foot-8, 360-pounds) at right tackle, but Moore was suddenly thrust back into the starting lineup when sophomore left tackle D.J. Humphries (sprained MCL) went down in practice last Monday.

Moore started at left tackle against Georgia and looked much improved from the two weeks prior, but his injury – and Humphries not returning for 1-3 more weeks – puts Florida in an even deeper hole on the offensive line.

Redshirt junior left guard Max Garcia will shift over to tackle with redshirt senior Kyle Koehne taking Garcia’s place inside. Garcia, a transfer from Maryland, has played nothing but guard in his first year with the Gators but does occasionally take reps at tackle during practice. Redshirt junior Ian Silberman will also see time at guard, and Koehne has cross-trained at both tackle spots as well.

Freshman offensive lineman Octavius Jackson could also have his redshirt pulled if the coaches deem that it is necessary.

“We don’t make excuses or have regrets in our preparation for what we do. It’s unfortunate, but somebody else needs to step up and play productive football. The expectation level here, that doesn’t change,” Muschamp said.

Moore joins Green, junior quarterback Jeff Driskel, senior defensive tackle Dominique Easley, sophomore running back Matt Jones and redshirt senior wide receiver/kick returner Andre Debose as Florida starters on the mend.

The Gators have lost nine total players for the season including a trio of reserves – redshirt freshman linebacker Jeremi Powell, freshman LB Matt Rolin and freshman defensive back Nick Washington.