Franks likely to be called on again
If Zaire’s ailing knee keeps him out, few options for Gators.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — How dire could Florida’s quarterback situation be over the final two weeks of the regular season?
Interim head coach Randy Shannon was talking Saturday about potential backup plans of playing walk-on redshirt freshman Nick Sproles (No. 42 in your program) or throwing receiver Dre Massey back there if one more injury struck the position.
No matter what the Gators seem to intend for the quarterback spot, the one constant remains redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks, who came off the bench late in the second quarter of Florida’s 28-20 loss at South Carolina on Saturday and could be the team’s only healthy scholarship QB remaining next week.
The uncertainty is because Shannon wasn’t able to update the severity of the left knee injury sustained by quarterback Malik Zaire in the second quarter Saturday. Zaire limped off the field after a 23-yard designed QB run, returned after missing only one play and then crumpled to the ground while running untouched to his left.
Shannon said they put Zaire back out there so quickly because the medical staff gave the go-ahead after evaluating him on the sideline, and a source said after the game that Zaire does not believe there is any structural damage to his knee.
A more official word should come today. Meanwhile, redshirt freshman Kyle Trask (foot) has been out all season and freshman Jake Allen (back) has not traveled with the team in recent weeks.
“After he collapsed, we took him out because we didn’t know the (severity) of his injury. So we took him out,” Shannon said of Zaire. “... He wanted to go back in. He came out at halftime, and I walked up to him and I said, ‘I can’t do that to you. We’re OK here. We’ll be all right with Feleipe. Even though you’re the starter, we can’t do it to you.’ And he just started crying, but I cannot put anybody in that situation.”
The emotions are understandable as this season simply hasn’t gone as planned for Zaire at any point. The graduate transfer from Notre Dame was making just his second start Saturday after finally earning an extended opportunity.
If he ends up missing this week or the final two weeks, Franks instead gets another chance.
He has twice this season lost his starting job to another QB, first Luke Del Rio and then Zaire, only to quickly get back on the field as an injury replacement.
He made an impact on both of Florida’s touchdown drives Saturday, including a 63-yard heave to tight end Moral Stephens late in the fourth quarter to set up a short TD, but he also finished 10-of-25 passing for 174 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception.
Those aren’t the kind of performances that Florida’s next head coach will look at and feel he has his QB in place. None of Franks’ six starts or three appearances off the bench have reassured that.
For the season, he’s completed 57.5 percent of his passes for 1,102 yards, with five touchdowns and five interceptions.