Florida LG Tartt expected to return for showdown with Georgia
Florida coach Urban Meyer said Monday that the No. 8 Gators should have senior left guard Jim Tartt back for Saturday's SEC showdown against No. 6 Georgia in Jacksonville, Fla. Tartt, a senior from Sopchoppy, Fla., has missed the past three games because of a chronic shoulder injury.
A second-team All-SEC choice in 2007, Tartt missed the first two games of the season and then reinjured his shoulder early in the Gators' 31-30 loss to Ole Miss on Sept. 27. Tartt has undergone four shoulder surgeries during his Florida career. Sophomore Carl Johnson has started each of the Gators' past three games in Tartt's absence.
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Meyer said junior linebacker Dustin Doe also responded well after seeing limited action in Saturday's 63-5 victory over Kentucky.
Doe, from Jasper, Fla., had missed the previous three games after undergoing surgery for a double hernia.
Junior Ryan Stamper has started each of the past two games at weakside linebacker in Doe's absence. Meyer said Stamper will continue to start until Doe beats him out for the starting job. Doe and Stamper each have 15 tackles.
"Stamper is playing at a very high level, too," Meyer said. "It just gives you another guy to put in there, and Doe can really run. Stamper will start, but they'll both play."
Mark Schlabach covers college football and men's college basketball for ESPN.com. You can contact him at schlabachma@yahoo.com.
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