Del Rio makes most of unexpected chance
LEXINGTON, Ky. Watching fromthe sideline Kentucky, UF quarterback Luke Del Rio did not know whether his chance would come again.
For many Gators out on the field, college football careerswere just the beginning.
Differing perspectives, levels of potential and future possibilities came together when Kentucky led by 13 points with 11 minutes remaining Saturday night. A young team rallied around Del Rio, a 22-year-old redshirt junior, and produced another dramatic win — 28-27 victory against the stunned Wildcats.
“A lot of teams when they get down big like that and they're younger, like we are, they kind of shut down, they kind of pack their bags and say, 'OK, well, we lost. We'll just get the next one,’” Del Rio said. “This team fights.”
Del Rio embodies the determination the Gators (2-1, 2-0 SEC) have displayedduring back-to-back wins in the final minute.
Plagued by injuries and written off bymost, Del Rio appeared destined to close his football career holding a clipboard.
But after three consecutive incomplete passes and sack by Week 3 winner Feleipe Franks, coaches turned to Del Rio with 5:54 left in the third quarter and UFtrailingKentucky 24-14.
“We just felt we needed a jump-start,” coach Jim McElwain said.
Followingtwoquick first downs, Del Rio telegraphed his third throwfor an easy interception. But coaches stuck with Del Rio and he delivered, capped by a 5-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Freddie Swain with 43 seconds to go.
But no throwwas bigger than Del Rio’s 10-yard hook-up with tailback Mark Thompson with the Gators trailing 27-21 and facing fourth-and-2 from theKentucky 40-yard-line.
The play was a testament to the experience and poise of Del Rio, who surveyed his options as he rolled right and threw the pass across his body.
“I thought that fourthdown play obviously was a veteran move, a guy keeping the play alive,” McElwain said.
Based on training camp buzz, Del Rio’s experience put him in line to start the season opener for the second straight season. Coaches ultimately gave the starting nod to the strong-armed, 6-foot-5, 227-pound Franks.
Last week against Tennessee, the 19-year-old responded with a 63-yard game-winning pass on the final play. The play seemed to cement his place as the Gators’ quarterback of the future.
Given the chance Saturday, the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Del Rio proved he is not finished yet. His first game action since a Nov. 4 loss at Arkansas helped the Gators extend their winning streak against Kentucky to 31 games.
But the turn of events in crunch time still did not solve lingering questions under center.
Del Rio finished 9-of-14 passing for 74 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. Franks was 7-of-12 passing for 85 yards and a score. Both TDs came on Kentucky defensive breakdowns that left receivers wide open.
The looming question now is who will start at quarterback Saturday in theSwampagainstVanderbilt.
Del Rio was happy for his chance, but will support whoever lines up under center.
“I didn’t come back to coach or mentor but if I didn’t win the job, which I didn’t, I was going to be there in every way that I could,” Del Rio said.