Race tightens for QB
Zaire, Franks, Del Rio scrapping for the job
GAINESVILLE — The Florida Gators’ much-anticipated quarterback competition has exceeded coach Jim McElwain’s expectations.
Graduate transfer Malik Zaire, redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks and redshirt junior Luke Del Rio have pushed each other each day and each snap.
“I think Malik coming in has really elevated both Feleipe and Luke,” McElwain said. “I see a real drive to get those reps and really more than anything, what I’ve seen is the importance, the singular importance, of each rep no matter what the drill is.
“Those guys are competing at everything, whether it’s routes on air to end-of-game and two-minute.”
With the Gators’ Sept. 2 season opener against Michigan looming, McElwain will have to select a starter soon, allowing the top quarterback to then get the lion’s share of snaps with the first-team offense.
McElwain has no set timetable on a decision, but he hoped to begin to find some answers Friday night during a scrimmage at the Swamp closed to the public and the media.
Each quarterback was slated to have the same amount of snaps, depending on how well he engineered the offense.
“A guy with less rep count means he didn’t move the team,” McElwain said. “I think when you look at it from that standpoint, that kind of shows you what’s going on. As you know, it’s how does the team really elevate themselves around you. Also, how do you move a team that maybe isn’t as equipped to roll against whoever they’re going against.
“I’m looking forward to putting them in stressful situations.”
UF’s quarterback situation has been a source of ongoing angst for Gator Nation since the days of Tim Tebow.
Zaire and Franks look to become the 10th starting quarterback since Tebow, while Del Rio hopes to win back the job he lost due to injuries last season.
None has given an inch to the others during the first week of camp. Each has impressed his teammates along the way.
“Man, the quarterback battle is crazy,” linebacker Vosean Joseph said. “I don’t know who’s going to start. All the quarterbacks are looking nice.”
Teammates were interested to see whether the quarterbacks could play like they have practiced.
“I just want to see how they do in the scrimmage today, real live action,” tailback Jordan Scarlett said Friday. “Because being in a scrimmage you create situations of football. We’ve got to see how those quarterbacks are in that system and just not a practice form where