Notebook: McElwain stresses importance of quarterback stability

It’s no secret that what ends up happening with Florida’s quarterback position could end up playing a key part as to how the 2017 campaign goes in Jim McElwain’s third year with the program.

While the offensive line’s progress and how a young defense replacing eight starters fares will also be worth watching, the Gators know they need to find stability at quarterback – something they truly haven’t had in years.

Although Jeff Driskel managed to start the majority of the 2012 season, the last time a Florida quarterback started in every game in a single season was John Brantley in 2010. The Gators were snake-bitten with injuries in 2013, couldn’t find consistency at the position in Will Muschamp’s final year in 2014 and saw Will Grier’s 2015 season end due to a PED suspension mid-season. Last year, Luke Del Rio suffered knee and shoulder injuries, playing in just six games while Austin Appleby started the other seven.

Florida hasn’t found a long-term game-changer at quarterback since Tim Tebow – and this year and moving forward, the Gators will hope that they can find an answer that could put years of woes at the position behind them.

The current options on the roster including Notre Dame graduate transfer quarterback Malik Zaire (who has just three starts but 17 appearances under his belt over three years), redshirt freshmen Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask, redshirt junior Luke Del Rio, and freshmen Jake Allen and Kadarius Toney. The latter five have combined for nine college appearances and six starts (all from Del Rio).

McElwain has to know that this is a highly important year for the future of that position in Gainesville – as well as his own tenure in Gainesville.

So, it was interesting to hear his response to a question from analyst Greg McElroy about quarterback stability during the Florida Summer Football Tour special that aired Tuesday night on the SEC Network.

The special was presumably filmed before Florida learned that the SEC would alter his graduate transfer policy, paving the way for Zaire to join the Gators.