Gators CB Marucs Roberson out for season

The Florida Gators secondary was further depleted Monday when head coach Will Muschamp announced that freshman cornerback Marcus Roberson would miss 4-6 weeks with a neck injury that will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the season.

Roberson, who has started every game this year for Florida, is the third talented Gators’ cornerback now unavailable for the team. UF dismissed Janoris Jenkins over the summer, and redshirt junior Jeremy Brown has yet to play in 2011 after injuring his knee in the offseason; the duo was slated to start opposite one another.

Muschamp referred to Roberson’s injury as a strained neck but did not go into further detail, simply saying that the doctors are going to be cautionary and hold him out the remainder of the season rather than try to press him back into action or a potential bowl game. He added that no setbacks are expected and Roberson should be completely healthy when he returns for spring practice in 2012.

“It’s nothing that’s going to be permanent,” Muschamp said. “He’s going to be fine in 4-6 weeks. He strained his neck there and [the training staff is] just taking the precautionary measures obviously with something like that.”

Roberson registered 22 tackles this season, nabbed an interception and recovered a fumble in the 10 games he played, most of which he spent covering the opponent’s best wide receiver. Sophomore Cody Riggs, senior Moses Jenkins and fellow freshmen Jaylen Watkins and Louchiez Purifoy will all see increased time on the field over the next 2-3 games due to Roberson’s injury.