Written by Chip Paterson at CBS Sports.com
While other teams around the country have been naming their Week 1 starter, the only new news regarding Florida’s quarterback battle is that we’re still at square one.
Former Notre Dame quarterback Malik Zaire delayed his decision on a transfer destination until after the SEC amended its rules so that he could join the Gators as a graduate transfer eligible for 2017, but throughout fall camp he has been unable to seize the starting job. Redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks has a bright future and got good work in with the starters during spring practice, while redshirt junior Luke Del Rio was recovering from injuries.
Now, just 10 days from the Gators’ season opener against Michigan, coach Jim McElwain says that “a bunch of them” could see action on the field.
“You’re going to see a bunch of them in there playing. The three guys have done a really good job. Not naming a starter right now,” McElwain said. “I think that there’s some things that they all bring to the table that are really good. Now the key to us is putting them in those positions that play to their strengths.
“Will all of them play? I don’t know yet. Will a couple of them play? I don’t know yet. I know we will have somebody at the position. This is not — don’t read into this that we’re not happy where they’re at. It’s really more so the competition has really brought out some good things. It’s going to be … ultimately the guy the team moves with the best, the guys that create positive plays on third down and get the ball in the end zone [that we go with].”
247Sports’ Thomas Goldkamp writes that Zaire has “had some communication issues in the passing game” and predicted that Del Rio or Franks would end up being the starter, depending on how much the staff values experience against Michigan in the neutral site opener.
To continue reading this article, click here.
