McElwain to use two-quarterback rotation until Gators' starter emerges

[Okeechobee Joe]

This is not surprising at all based upon what Coach Mac has been trying to tell us.

• FLORIDA: New Gators coach Jim McElwain – whose background is mostly as a QB coach – inherited a starter in sophomore Treon Harris, but after spring McElwain made it clear that Harris will continue to compete with redshirt freshman Will Grier into the preseason. “Really what it comes down to is when we get there in August is which one of those guys affect the play of the other people around them,” McElwain said this week. “There’s a lot of talented guys out there who can throw it and do all that, but for some reason don’t click with the guys around them.”

Mac has said over and over that he wants the guy in there who can move the ball down the field and who can affect in a positive way the rest of the team. Sometimes this is the guy with the best arm or the quickest feet, but sometimes it is not. Some guys have the intangible "it" factor. Sometimes you can sort this out in practice, but sometimes you have to see how this shakes out in a real live ball game.

McElwain knows quarterbacks. I believe he will give Harris and Grier a fair shake in game competition. According to all accounts Grier is the better pure passer, but that doesn't mean he can "affect the play of the other people around him" the way Harris can. I think both Grier and Harris bring their individual strengths to the game, but I think Mac wants to see them in action during game condition. Then he will make a decision and stick with it.

 

[CaribGator]

This is not surprising at all based upon what Coach Mac has been trying to tell us.

• FLORIDA: New Gators coach Jim McElwain – whose background is mostly as a QB coach – inherited a starter in sophomore Treon Harris, but after spring McElwain made it clear that Harris will continue to compete with redshirt freshman Will Grier into the preseason. “Really what it comes down to is when we get there in August is which one of those guys affect the play of the other people around them,” McElwain said this week. “There’s a lot of talented guys out there who can throw it and do all that, but for some reason don’t click with the guys around them.”

Mac has said over and over that he wants the guy in there who can move the ball down the field and who can affect in a positive way the rest of the team. Sometimes this is the guy with the best arm or the quickest feet, but sometimes it is not. Some guys have the intangible "it" factor. Sometimes you can sort this out in practice, but sometimes you have to see how this shakes out in a real live ball game.

McElwain knows quarterbacks. I believe he will give Harris and Grier a fair shake in game competition. According to all accounts Grier is the better pure passer, but that doesn't mean he can "affect the play of the other people around him" the way Harris can. I think both Grier and Harris bring their individual strengths to the game, but I think Mac wants to see them in action during game condition. Then he will make a decision and stick with it.

Harris definitely affected the players around him (hell, the whole team) when he entered last year against TN. Granted they players knew JD was a basket case so when the dawg finally pulled him they were pumped for the change. Now do they see Grier in that same light? Nobody, even Mac knows until he actually faces tough decisions in the heat of live action. Mac needs to have Treon on tap because I don't see Mac being so stubbornly stupid to leave Grier in there if he is struggling.

 

[Zambo]

Harris is so damn awful at throwing the football that if he is the starter we'll be lucky to win 7 games. Damn lucky.

 

[gardnerwebbgator]

Harris was 4-2 as a starter with zero coaching and a dumbass tyrant for an HC. We can win with him.

 

[AlexDaGator]

Regarding dropped balls--

I remember going to see a practice back in the early 90s. We had a new crop of freshmen WRs and I wanted to see them run some drills. I don't remember seeing a single ball dropped in practice. Went home giddy knowing these guys were going to be special.

If I recall correctly, their names were Reidel Anthony, Ike Hilliard, Jacquez Green, Travis McGriff, and Nafis Karim (and maybe Jamie Richardson who I think had eligibility issues that first year).

Anthony and Hilliard were studs from day one. Green was converted from QB so it took him a tad longer to develop. McGriff flourished after Anthony and Hilliard left. Even Karim and Richardson were quality receivers, they were just overshadowed by the Stars playing in front of them.

I know that class was special (like, best class ever) but my point is great WRs don't drop balls.

They were all true freshmen and I'm telling you that ball never hit the ground. They were like vacuum cleaners out there, they caught everything.

Alex.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

I have never put anyone on ignore. It is time.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Eric Kresser was a far better looking QB in practice than that other guy...Danny Wuerffel..

Kresser set some records at UF in his few startss. He also won a NC at Marshall, going undefeated, and hung around for years in the NFL admittedly mostly on practice squads. its a job.

Don't act like you wouldn't give your left nut to have Kresser right now. I sure would. And Nafis and Jamie too.

 

[Captain Sasquatch]

Regarding dropped balls--

I remember going to see a practice back in the early 90s. We had a new crop of freshmen WRs and I wanted to see them run some drills. I don't remember seeing a single ball dropped in practice. Went home giddy knowing these guys were going to be special.

If I recall correctly, their names were Reidel Anthony, Ike Hilliard, Jacquez Green, Travis McGriff, and Nafis Karim (and maybe Jamie Richardson who I think had eligibility issues that first year).

Anthony and Hilliard were studs from day one. Green was converted from QB so it took him a tad longer to develop. McGriff flourished after Anthony and Hilliard left. Even Karim and Richardson were quality receivers, they were just overshadowed by the Stars playing in front of them.

I know that class was special (like, best class ever) but my point is great WRs don't drop balls.

They were all true freshmen and I'm telling you that ball never hit the ground. They were like vacuum cleaners out there, they caught everything.

Alex.

Mac needs to lock these guys in a room with a tennis ball machine. That's all it takes. In the same vein as "if you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball," "if you can catch a tennis ball, you can catch a football." And make them do it barehanded. They'll never drop a pass again.

 

[AlexDaGator]

Kresser set some records at UF in his few startss. He also won a NC at Marshall, going undefeated, and hung around for years in the NFL admittedly mostly on practice squads. its a job.

Don't act like you wouldn't give your left nut to have Kresser right now. I sure would. And Nafis and Jamie too.

Kresser would be the best QB in the East, maybe the best in the conference this year. Karim and Richardson would be among our top 3 WR.

Alex.

 

[ATXGator]

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Mac is waiting for classes to start and past the add/drop date so that Treon cannot transfer as we would be hurting if something happened to our starter.

I think that is definitely possible as well, but the more I hear McElwain talk, the more I think he really wants to see both guys play in real game situations. I think they want Grier to be the guy, but he hasn't shown the "it" factor they are looking for and Harris had... just a hunch.

 

[WobbleGator]

"What started out as a lock has turned into a competition, as Treon Harris has narrowed the gap between himself and Will Grier in Florida’s battle for backup quarterback.
Grier entered offseason workouts as a clear QB2, but in the past week Harris has closed quickly. His decision making has sharpened, his accuracy is better, and he is now believed by some UF beat writers to be sitting in the catbird seat."

Might have to rethink my stance on Will Grier winning backup job. Treon Harris has been absolutely lights out last three days. #Gators Thomas Goldkamp

Way, dude! Make sure no one is around when you upchuck.

STFU TLB.

 

[URGatorBait]

STFU TLB.

It's been determined that you are joeblows.

 

[WobbleGator]

It's been determined that you are joeblows.

Would be true if he stopped posting at 4 pm on the weekdays and never post on the weekends.

 

[URGatorBait]

Would be true if he stopped posting at 4 pm on the weekdays and never post on the weekends.

You are on hardline, and he is on mobile. His IP reads that he is from an area near ATL. It all adds up.

 

[WobbleGator]

You are on hardline, and he is on mobile. His IP reads that he is from an area near ATL. It all adds up.

So he could be MJM then also.

 

[URGatorBait]

So he could be MJM then also.

There is a 5% chance it's someone other than you. We've run this through the Gator Chatter calculations department. It's pretty much a done deal.

 

[WobbleGator]

There is a 5% chance it's someone other than you. We've run this through the Gator Chatter calculations department. It's pretty much a done deal.

 

[T REX]

Harris is so damn awful at throwing the football that if he is the starter we'll be lucky to win 7 games. Damn lucky.

And Grier still hasn't beat him out.

 

[MJMGator]

So he could be MJM then also.

 

[Zambo]

And Grier still hasn't beat him out.

Welcome to the point captain obvious.