The Gators are likely hopeful that Del Rio will be able to return in time for their showdown with the LSU Tigers on October 8, but will at least have their starting quarterback back in time for a matchup with SEC East rival Georgia on October 29. If the Gators can beat Tennessee and Vanderbilt, it will be back-to-back seasons that Florida took its undefeated record up against Les Miles’ Tigers, and the hope is Del Rio will be under center this time.
Advertisement
Florida improved to 3-0 with a 32-0 win over North Texas Saturday night, but lost quarterback Luke Del Rio to what is believed to be a knee injury in the process. Monday’s announcement, while not a surprise, formally paves the way for Appleby to become UF’s 10th starter at quarterback since his idol left for the 2010 National Football League draft.
Here’s the hit in slow motion.
“I obviously took that low hit on Luke bad personal”, McElwain said in his postgame press conference.
“I feel disgusting for him, especially how it happened, ” McElwain said. “I mean we’re going to run the ball, we’re going to set up the play-action pass and get the ball to our guys on the outside”. “When you see something like that, you know, it’s my responsibility when their parents aren’t here to be their parents”.
“(I was) challenging our team and yet I know our defense has our back”, he said.
“He’s got a bum leg and he should be back sometime. We’ll get some guys ready and will move forward”, McElwain said. He had been called on it a couple times in previous games.
Del Rio remained stretched out on the turf for several minutes while the crowd of 86,848 grew quiet. He may miss two games with a sprained MCL. We’ve got a lot of good receivers, a great offensive line and I can’t even count how many running backs.
One Tennessee football fan chose to take the Florida-Tennessee rivalry to a whole new level of ridiculousness. “Talk about covering through two-a-days, covering through the first three games”. Treon Harris spelled him and played well in Baton Rouge, but McElwain’s squad still went home with a loss.
Austin Appleby, a graduate transfer from Purdue, finished the game after Del Rio was hurt and is in line to start against the Vols.
UF has yet to be tested in 2016, but the Volunteers have looked far from invincible in their games this season and the play for Florida on both sides of the ball gives plenty of reason for optimism. The Gators probably won’t have to ask Appleby to win games – just avoid losing them. Every single day, it’s about owning the game plan and knowing your opponent and preparing like a starter.
Appleby said he wasn’t aware of the fact Florida backup quarterbacks have a recent history of performing well against the Vols. I don’t think there’s any place for that.
Advertisement
McElwain knows the Volunteers are going to bring their best game to the field on Saturday.
