![Florida Eric Singleton (2) works out with the offense during the first day of Florida Spring football practice at Heavener Football Center in Gainesville, FL on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_247,w_1930,h_1085/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ReutersImages/mmsport/213/01m2r7qyxnexy6bb4geb.jpg "Florida Eric Singleton (2) works out with the offense during the first day of Florida Spring football practice at Heavener Football Center in Gainesville, FL on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]")
The initial availability report is out for Florida’s game against Auburn, and the Gators have two players on the list. Both Eric Singleton Jr. and Emmanuel Oyebadejo are listed as questionable as both are still recovering from injuries they suffered against FAU. Both players shed their walking boots this week, but both are still considered game-time decisions for this Saturday.
Obviously, Florida fans would prefer that both of these players suit up, but compared to what the availability report looked like under the previous coaching staff, the Gators are mostly healthy heading into their first SEC game of 2026.
Florida is much healthier than in previous seasons
In 2024, the SEC started making teams submit an availability report for conference games. The inaugural report Florida released in 2024, before their game against Texas A&M, listed 10 players as out and another six as questionable.
Last year, before facing LSU in their SEC opener, Florida had six players listed as out.
So the fact that Florida only has two players on the report, and neither of them is straight up out as of now, shines a spotlight on the improvements in the weight room under Jon Sumrall compared to The Man in the Black Polo.
One of the things that irked Gator fans over the past few years was just how many players would wind up on these reports. And it is true that some injuries can be attributed to bad luck, and all it takes is one guy rolling up on you to end your season. But when Florida fans dared to ask questions as to why there were so many guys on the various reports, the retort was always along the lines of, “Nothing to see here; what do you mean you have concerns? You guys know nothing.”
But the way Sumrall has described the setup of the weight room under the old staff, which saw players getting injured running against air, combined with Florida’s disastrous performance at this year’s Pro Day, and the fact that Florida only has two players listed for their SEC opener, is an encouraging sign that Florida’s strength staff under Rusty Whitt is heading in the right direction.
Per SEC rules, Florida must make a final designation on both players 90 minutes before kickoff on Saturday.
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