It was announced Thursday that Luke Del Rio has been named starter for the season-opener. “Our other quarterbacks remain in the plans and are ready to move forward and help the Gators any way they can”.
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Treon Harris started part-time the last two seasons, but left the team over the summer with intentions to transfer. Now, the Gators are counting on Del Rio to revive an offense that had been mostly stagnant since Tebow’s tenure. Maybe Del Rio will reverse the trend. “We definitely want the best player to be the starter”.
Del Rio began his college career at Alabama as a walk-on but then transferred to Oregon State.While at Alabama, he learned under current Florida offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier. When Mike Riley was hired, Del Rio chose to leave Oregon State and transfer to Florida. “We’re just telling you that you’ll never play here”‘. When coach Mike Riley left the Beavers for Nebraska, Del Rio transferred again, this time to Gainesville, where he sat out the 2015 season per NCAA transfer rules. Now, he’ll finally officially serve as McElwain’s starting quarterback in at least the season-opener.
Del Rio, a redshirt sophomore, beat out Austin Appleby, who transferred from Purdue and freshmen Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask.
Although Del Rio has thrown just 18 passes at the collegiate level, he seemingly solidified the starting job with a solid spring game.
But Del Rio made a star turn in Florida’s spring game, throwing for 176 yards and two touchdowns while hitting on 10 of his 11 attempts – his lone incompletion a savvy throwaway that was a sight for sore eyes after years of struggles by young and impetuous throwers at the positions to do that simple thing well and often.
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The real question: Can he get Florida’s offense back to its pass-efficient ways?
