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https://www.floridagators.com/news/2016/8/1/scott-carter-three-and-out-gators-qb-austin-appleby.aspx
Three and Out: Gators QB Austin Appleby
Graduate transfer from Purdue seeks to make impact at UF.
By Scott Carter, Senior Writer | Monday, August 1, 2016
Gators quarterback Austin Appleby. (Photo: Courtney Culbreath for UAA)
The fifth of our Three and Out Q&A series with Gators to preview each position group heading into the start of preseason camp.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators enter preseason camp without a clear-cut starting quarterback.
That storyline has become a familiar one in recent years for Florida, which has now had six consecutive starting quarterbacks transfer due to various reasons.
As Will Grier and Treon Harris transferred out, Austin Appleby transferred in. A fifth-year graduate transfer from Purdue, Appleby is the most experienced quarterback on the roster. He started 11 games at Purdue and threw for more than 2,700 yards.
Redshirt sophomore Luke Del Rio had an edge at the end of spring camp according to head coach Jim McElwain, which drove Appleby to spend the summer on closing the gap.
Here is our Three and Out with Appleby:
*****
Q: What has been your focus since the end of spring practice?
A: I took this summer to catch up on where I was behind going into the spring, coming in and basically learning the language of the offense. I really tried this summer to push myself and make the corrections from spring ball and really develop my skills, whether it be in the classroom, in the meeting rooms, on the field … doing everything I can to make sure I'm going to have a great camp and great season for this team. It's been an awesome summer, best I've had.
Q: As you gained more knowledge of the offense, how does it match what you do well?
A: I think this offense is built for a guy like me to succeed. Number one, the way that Coach Mac and Coach Nuss equip us that 'there's always an answer.' The ceiling is as high as we can handle it. That's awesome. There is no cap on what we can do, whether it be play calls or the way we get guys in space. It's on the quarterbacks pretty much to drive the ship. They have done such a great job of teaching me and making it simple. When I'm fast and I'm decisive and I know where I'm going with the ball, there are few guys in the country that can play on the level I can. I truly believe that. That's been my emphasis this summer, to get to that spot on each and every play where I have a plan and I can be decisive with the ball and get it out to these playmakers and really win with my mind. That will definitely pay dividends.
Q: What have you done to get away from football this summer?
A: When I'm not at the football facility, you can find me right down the road at Bostick [Golf Course]. My little brother [Jacob] is a college golfer at the University of Akron. He is way better than me. I can't tell you where my ball is going ever, but I love being out there. It's definitely my hobby. If I'm in the 80s, I'm pretty happy about it.
*****
SCOUTING THE QUARTERBACKS
Luke Del Rio had an impressive performance in the spring game, passing for 176 yards and two touchdowns. (File photo)
Player to Watch: Del Rio first gained McElwain's attention in Colorado, where as head coach at Colorado State, McElwain offered Del Rio his first scholarship. Instead, Del Rio walked on at Alabama in 2013, transferred to Oregon State in 2014, and then to Florida, where he exited spring camp as the front-runner to be Florida's starter.
Newcomer to Watch: Freshman Feleipe Franks enrolled in January as one of the top pro-style quarterback prospects in the country. The 6-foot-6 Franks showed off a live arm during spring camp. He struggled in the Orange & Blue Debut spring game by throwing three interceptions, but Franks has impressive skills to help in his development.
Overview: The Gators have four scholarship quarterbacks on the roster to give McElwain more depth and versatility than in his first season. Del Rio served as a scout-team quarterback last season as he sat out due to NCAA transfer rules. While Del Rio has never started a college game, he has the most experience running the Gators' offense and quickly gained the respect of his teammates last year after arriving from Oregon State. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound Appleby has a size advantage over Del Rio (6-1, 213) and played in 17 games for the Boilermakers. In his final Purdue appearance, Appleby threw for a career-high 332 yards against Indiana. Franks is talented but showed in the spring that he needs more time to develop and get acclimated with the speed of the college game. Meanwhile, freshman Kyle Trask showed off a strong arm in the spring and at 6-4, 227, is more physically developed than Franks. With Del Rio and Appleby to battle for the starter's job, Franks and Trask will challenge each other for the third spot. Or, the way the position has been of late, maybe more. Regardless of who starts, the Gators seek much-needed stability at the position.
Three and Out: Gators QB Austin Appleby
Graduate transfer from Purdue seeks to make impact at UF.
By Scott Carter, Senior Writer | Monday, August 1, 2016
Gators quarterback Austin Appleby. (Photo: Courtney Culbreath for UAA)
The fifth of our Three and Out Q&A series with Gators to preview each position group heading into the start of preseason camp.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators enter preseason camp without a clear-cut starting quarterback.
That storyline has become a familiar one in recent years for Florida, which has now had six consecutive starting quarterbacks transfer due to various reasons.
As Will Grier and Treon Harris transferred out, Austin Appleby transferred in. A fifth-year graduate transfer from Purdue, Appleby is the most experienced quarterback on the roster. He started 11 games at Purdue and threw for more than 2,700 yards.
Redshirt sophomore Luke Del Rio had an edge at the end of spring camp according to head coach Jim McElwain, which drove Appleby to spend the summer on closing the gap.
Here is our Three and Out with Appleby:
*****
Q: What has been your focus since the end of spring practice?
A: I took this summer to catch up on where I was behind going into the spring, coming in and basically learning the language of the offense. I really tried this summer to push myself and make the corrections from spring ball and really develop my skills, whether it be in the classroom, in the meeting rooms, on the field … doing everything I can to make sure I'm going to have a great camp and great season for this team. It's been an awesome summer, best I've had.
Q: As you gained more knowledge of the offense, how does it match what you do well?
A: I think this offense is built for a guy like me to succeed. Number one, the way that Coach Mac and Coach Nuss equip us that 'there's always an answer.' The ceiling is as high as we can handle it. That's awesome. There is no cap on what we can do, whether it be play calls or the way we get guys in space. It's on the quarterbacks pretty much to drive the ship. They have done such a great job of teaching me and making it simple. When I'm fast and I'm decisive and I know where I'm going with the ball, there are few guys in the country that can play on the level I can. I truly believe that. That's been my emphasis this summer, to get to that spot on each and every play where I have a plan and I can be decisive with the ball and get it out to these playmakers and really win with my mind. That will definitely pay dividends.
Q: What have you done to get away from football this summer?
A: When I'm not at the football facility, you can find me right down the road at Bostick [Golf Course]. My little brother [Jacob] is a college golfer at the University of Akron. He is way better than me. I can't tell you where my ball is going ever, but I love being out there. It's definitely my hobby. If I'm in the 80s, I'm pretty happy about it.
*****
SCOUTING THE QUARTERBACKS
Luke Del Rio had an impressive performance in the spring game, passing for 176 yards and two touchdowns. (File photo)
Player to Watch: Del Rio first gained McElwain's attention in Colorado, where as head coach at Colorado State, McElwain offered Del Rio his first scholarship. Instead, Del Rio walked on at Alabama in 2013, transferred to Oregon State in 2014, and then to Florida, where he exited spring camp as the front-runner to be Florida's starter.
Newcomer to Watch: Freshman Feleipe Franks enrolled in January as one of the top pro-style quarterback prospects in the country. The 6-foot-6 Franks showed off a live arm during spring camp. He struggled in the Orange & Blue Debut spring game by throwing three interceptions, but Franks has impressive skills to help in his development.
Overview: The Gators have four scholarship quarterbacks on the roster to give McElwain more depth and versatility than in his first season. Del Rio served as a scout-team quarterback last season as he sat out due to NCAA transfer rules. While Del Rio has never started a college game, he has the most experience running the Gators' offense and quickly gained the respect of his teammates last year after arriving from Oregon State. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound Appleby has a size advantage over Del Rio (6-1, 213) and played in 17 games for the Boilermakers. In his final Purdue appearance, Appleby threw for a career-high 332 yards against Indiana. Franks is talented but showed in the spring that he needs more time to develop and get acclimated with the speed of the college game. Meanwhile, freshman Kyle Trask showed off a strong arm in the spring and at 6-4, 227, is more physically developed than Franks. With Del Rio and Appleby to battle for the starter's job, Franks and Trask will challenge each other for the third spot. Or, the way the position has been of late, maybe more. Regardless of who starts, the Gators seek much-needed stability at the position.
