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http://touch.orlandosentinel.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-86320712/
Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel
8:25 pm, March 23, 2016
GAINESVILLE — Quarterback Luke Del Rio passed through the epicenter of college football and traveled to both U.S. coasts to find where he belonged.
Three years and three schools later, Del Rio finally feels at home with the Florida Gators.
"It was kind of a journey to get here," the well-traveled 21-year-old said Wednesday.
These days, it seems like destiny to Del Rio, who has long-standing ties to the current Gators' coaching staff.
UF coach Jim McElwain offered Del Rio his first scholarship when the two were in Colorado — McElwain at Colorado State and Del Rio playing in the Denver area while his father was the Broncos' defensive coordinator.
Del Rio opted for Alabama in 2013, where UF offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier had the same role with the Crimson Tide.
"I knew they were going to run this offense, so I felt really comfortable coming here," Del Rio said.
Before he would get a chance to run the show in Gainesville, Del Rio had to manage a potentially awkward situation after he transferred from Oregon State. Del Rio had to sit out a year and ran the scout team while Will Grier and Treon Harris competed for the starting job.
"All I could do was focus on footwork and accuracy and being the best teammate I could," Del Rio said. "You don't want a transfer quarterback who's on the scout team trying to be the outspoken leader when you can't play that year."
Del Rio's low-key approach impressed tight end Jake McGee, a sixth-year senior in 2015 who soon will be in an NFL camp.
"He's a good dude," McGee said Tuesday at UF's Pro Day. "He's got a lot of those qualities you would want as your quarterback and as a leader of the football team.
"He did a good job of going about it quietly while he wasn't able to be playing."
When last season ended, Del Rio immediately assumed a more visible role and entered spring a team leader and the frontrunner to become the Gators' ninth starting quarterback since Tim Tebow's final season in 2009.
The 6-foot-1, 213-pound Del Rio offers the skill set, football IQ and familiarity with McElwain's and Nussmeier's system the next Florida quarterback will need. Speaking to the media for the first time since he arrived last summer, Del Rio said he expects to battle with Purdue graduate transfer Austin Appleby, while he also offered high praise for first-year freshmen Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask.
"It's an open competition," Del Rio said. "We're all doing everything we can do in our power to earn the starting job. I've been here, but I don't think that makes me No. 1 right now.
"I have to earn it."
Del Rio is well aware how quickly things can change in football.
He was born in 1994 after a Minnesota Vikings' win and even received a game ball that still sits at his parents' home. Jack Del Rio earned his one trip to the Pro Bowl that season. Two years later, he ended up with the Miami Dolphins and was cut, ending his career.
The elder Del Rio since has coached with six NFL teams and is currently the head coach of the Oakland Raiders.
"I've been very fortunate to be around great players and great coaches and really just be around the game," Luke Del Rio said. "Whether you're a coach's son in college, high school, pro, you're around the game. You're around ball all the time."
Following the NFL owners' meetings the past few days in Boca Raton, Del Rio's father attended UF's practice Wednesday.
Luke Del Rio never imagined a scenario in which he'd don Gator orange, even when he lived in Jacksonville while his father coached the Jaguars. His father had been an All-American linebacker at USC and Del Rio's sisters attended LSU.
"We were never really Florida fans," he said.
But years later, Del Rio's long and winding journey to Gainesville makes perfect sense.
"It's a very unique situation," he said. "If anybody told me you'd go to three colleges, I'd probably tell them they were crazy. But it is what it is.
"Everything happens for a reason and I'm really happy to be here now."
Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel
8:25 pm, March 23, 2016
GAINESVILLE — Quarterback Luke Del Rio passed through the epicenter of college football and traveled to both U.S. coasts to find where he belonged.
Three years and three schools later, Del Rio finally feels at home with the Florida Gators.
"It was kind of a journey to get here," the well-traveled 21-year-old said Wednesday.
These days, it seems like destiny to Del Rio, who has long-standing ties to the current Gators' coaching staff.
UF coach Jim McElwain offered Del Rio his first scholarship when the two were in Colorado — McElwain at Colorado State and Del Rio playing in the Denver area while his father was the Broncos' defensive coordinator.
Del Rio opted for Alabama in 2013, where UF offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier had the same role with the Crimson Tide.
"I knew they were going to run this offense, so I felt really comfortable coming here," Del Rio said.
Before he would get a chance to run the show in Gainesville, Del Rio had to manage a potentially awkward situation after he transferred from Oregon State. Del Rio had to sit out a year and ran the scout team while Will Grier and Treon Harris competed for the starting job.
"All I could do was focus on footwork and accuracy and being the best teammate I could," Del Rio said. "You don't want a transfer quarterback who's on the scout team trying to be the outspoken leader when you can't play that year."
Del Rio's low-key approach impressed tight end Jake McGee, a sixth-year senior in 2015 who soon will be in an NFL camp.
"He's a good dude," McGee said Tuesday at UF's Pro Day. "He's got a lot of those qualities you would want as your quarterback and as a leader of the football team.
"He did a good job of going about it quietly while he wasn't able to be playing."
When last season ended, Del Rio immediately assumed a more visible role and entered spring a team leader and the frontrunner to become the Gators' ninth starting quarterback since Tim Tebow's final season in 2009.
The 6-foot-1, 213-pound Del Rio offers the skill set, football IQ and familiarity with McElwain's and Nussmeier's system the next Florida quarterback will need. Speaking to the media for the first time since he arrived last summer, Del Rio said he expects to battle with Purdue graduate transfer Austin Appleby, while he also offered high praise for first-year freshmen Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask.
"It's an open competition," Del Rio said. "We're all doing everything we can do in our power to earn the starting job. I've been here, but I don't think that makes me No. 1 right now.
"I have to earn it."
Del Rio is well aware how quickly things can change in football.
He was born in 1994 after a Minnesota Vikings' win and even received a game ball that still sits at his parents' home. Jack Del Rio earned his one trip to the Pro Bowl that season. Two years later, he ended up with the Miami Dolphins and was cut, ending his career.
The elder Del Rio since has coached with six NFL teams and is currently the head coach of the Oakland Raiders.
"I've been very fortunate to be around great players and great coaches and really just be around the game," Luke Del Rio said. "Whether you're a coach's son in college, high school, pro, you're around the game. You're around ball all the time."
Following the NFL owners' meetings the past few days in Boca Raton, Del Rio's father attended UF's practice Wednesday.
Luke Del Rio never imagined a scenario in which he'd don Gator orange, even when he lived in Jacksonville while his father coached the Jaguars. His father had been an All-American linebacker at USC and Del Rio's sisters attended LSU.
"We were never really Florida fans," he said.
But years later, Del Rio's long and winding journey to Gainesville makes perfect sense.
"It's a very unique situation," he said. "If anybody told me you'd go to three colleges, I'd probably tell them they were crazy. But it is what it is.
"Everything happens for a reason and I'm really happy to be here now."
