COLLEGE STATION, TX - OCTOBER 31: Kyler Murray #1 of the Texas A&M Aggies escapes the tackle of Skai Moore #10 of the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first quarter of a NCAA football game at Kyle Field on October 31, 2015 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Eric Christian Smith/Getty Images)

One of nation's best defenders won't be able to play this season after undergoing serious surgery

That is a huge blow to this team and their first-year head coach.

South Carolina's defense was supposed to be considerably better this year with the return of linebacker Skai Moore, but it looks like those pipe dreams are no longer viable. Moore will undergo a pretty serious surgery to repair a herniated disc in his neck.

Coach Muschamp elaborated a little more on the situation and said that Moore will likely miss the 2016 season.

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Moore led the team with 111 tackles —- good for 4th in the SEC —- and also registered 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and he snared four interceptions in 2015.

Moore also almost entered the Draft so that decision might be stinging right about now.

Hopefully he can recover from this and come back even better in 2017.