LJ McCray is pumped after a sack at Texas on Oct. 17. McCray has began to increase his production after playing only four snaps a season ago due to injury. (Photo: Hannah White/UAA Communications)
LJ McCray's Comeback Is Picking Up Steam
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 | Football
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By: Ryan Roddy, FloridaGators.com Student Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — LJ McCray said he was feeling better than ever during fall camp, even after a season-ending injury less than a year earlier.
He backed up that claim at Texas.
McCray recorded four tackles, including three solo stops, with 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in Florida's 27-24 win over the No. 7 Longhorns. All were career highs for the Daytona Beach native.
His performance earned him Southeastern Conference Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week honors heading into the Gators' bye week.
"I'd say certain guys have stepped up," Florida head coach Jon Sumrall said after the win. "I felt LJ McCray last week at the end of the game, and then this week I felt him a lot more."
McCray made some of Florida's biggest defensive plays, all in the second half.
On consecutive plays, he recorded a first-down tackle for loss before teaming with Brendan Bett for a second-down sack.
"It meant a lot to me," McCray said. "Not only just making the plays, but I seen it motivated my brothers. Like everybody started playing harder. They fed off the energy, so it kind of pushed me to make even more of the energy."
A couple of drives later, McCray made his presence felt again. He sacked Texas quarterback Arch Manning for the second time, then flashed the familiar "Horns Down" hand signal with his arm still around Manning.
Defensive lineman LJ McCray pounces on Texas quarterback Arch Manning in Florida's road win. (Photo: Hannah White/UAA Communications)
It was a signature moment in a signature performance.
"Really, just another week, another opportunity to showcase what I could do," McCray said. "I feel like the last two weeks I was kind of quiet, so just getting back to the drawing board and taking advantage of the opportunity."
Florida's 27-24 victory marked its largest comeback win against an SEC opponent in a true road game. The Gators trailed 17-3 before rallying.
"This wasn't our first time being down in an away game," McCray said a few days later on SportsScene with Steve Russell. "So, how are we going to respond? We have two choices: we either let them continue to keep raising the score, or are we going to respond and play harder than them. And that's what we did."
McCray's performance also highlighted a Florida defense that had struggled through the first half of its SEC schedule.
The Gators recorded 11 tackles for loss, their season high, and five sacks, their most since the Auburn win.
Texas managed just 278 total yards. The last time Florida held a Power Four opponent below 300 yards was Nov. 30, 2024, when the Gators beat Florida State 31-11 in Tallahassee. To find the last time they held an SEC opponent below that mark, you have to go back to Nov. 19, 2022, when Florida allowed fewer than 300 yards in a 31-24 loss at Vanderbilt.
For comparison, Florida Atlantic totaled 396 yards against the Gators in the season opener.
Sumrall pointed to a change in defensive approach as the game progressed.
"I told [defensive coordinator Brad White], middle part of the game, I just said, 'The hell with playing coverage. Let's try to come after them a little bit and see if we can affect them,'" Sumrall said.
The Gators will need that pressure up front when they return from their bye week to face No. 3 Georgia in Atlanta on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Bulldogs' offense ranks first in the SEC in scoring, at 43.0 points per game, and second in total offense, at 469.9 yards per game.
Florida's ability to disrupt the pocket could be crucial, especially if McCray and the defensive line keep winning battles up front.
"I think anytime a player has confidence or has a good game, it builds confidence,'' White said Tuesday. "That was great for him from a confidence standpoint. I think he has to realize that's nothing but a stepping stone. That's not the peak. He knows he still has to continue to improve in the run game, to be that every-down guy. It can't just be against the pass."
Through seven games, McCray has 12 tackles, including nine solo stops, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and two passes defended. All are career highs for a season, despite playing only seven games after appearing in all 13 as a freshman in 2024.
After playing just four snaps last season, the third-year defensive lineman is making up for lost time.
Even when Florida's defense struggled during the first six games, McCray said the players never lost faith in one another.
"We know what we have in our locker room," McCray said on SportsScene. "And we know how much work we put in day in and day out. We know how hard we worked in the summer for moments like this. We always knew what we had in our locker room and we going to play hard for each other."
When Florida returns to action against Georgia, keep an eye on No. 11.
