Jim McElwain didn’t even wait for the question at Wednesday’s press conference. The third-year Florida coach still isn’t ready to name a starting quarterback.
“From the quarterback standpoint, you're going to see a bunch of them in there playing,” McElwain said in his opening statement. “I mean the three guys have done a really good job. I think there's some things that they all bring to the table that are really good. Now the key to us is putting them in those positions, you know, that play to their strengths. Will all play? I don't know yet. Will a couple of them play? I don't know yet.
“I know we will have somebody at the position. This is not ... don't read into this -- we're not happy where they're at -- it's the competition has really brought out some good things. It's going to be developing through that. Ultimately the guy that the team moves with the best. The guys that create positive plays on third down and get the ball in the end zone. That's kind of where we're at.”
McElwain denied that he’s playing mind games with Michigan to avoid tipping off Jim Harbaugh and company as to which quarterback to expect.
“There are no mind games,” McElwain told media members. “I know what you got to write, write what you got to do. I’ve told you the answer.”
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Luke Del Rio, Feleipe Franks and Malik Zaire continue to battle it out in practice. At Tuesday’s practice, Del Rio worked with the first-team offense against the second-team defense while Zaire worked with the second-team offense against the first-team defense.
There was one hint that Zaire, the team’s best running quarterback, may see playing time against the Wolverines.
“We’ll see how some things kind of work out, especially in the option game and some of those type of things,” McElwain said. “And see kind of where that fits for some of those guys.”
The option has been nonexistent in McElwain’s Florida offenses, though the coach has used wildcat packages at his previous stops such as Alabama and Louisville.
Later, responding to a question about playing time for freshmen on offense, McElwain hinted that a first game in AT&T Stadium at Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys, might overwhelm players making their debuts.
“One thing I’ve seen just out of our team in general, and time will tell, we’ll see how the stage, is the stage too big for them or what,” McElwain said.
We’ll find out soon enough if McElwain thinks Franks is ready to make his debut on the big stage that is Jerry World.
Injury update
Wednesday’s injury update was a bit lighter than the one from last week. Junior left tackle Martez Ivey will be limited in practice. Freshman tight end Kemore Gamble continues to be held out due to a foot injury. Redshirt freshman cornerback C.J. McWilliams, redshirt sophomore linebacker Kylan Johnson, sophomore safety Jeawon Taylor and senior cornerback Joseph Putu are all out at the time.
Putu’s hamstring injury is not expected to keep him out against Michigan. While he’s sidelined, freshmen defensive backs Marco Wilson, CJ Henderson and Brian Edwards will get more opportunities.
Though the Gators are down multiple defensive backs, there is a positive update in the secondary as redshirt freshman Quincy Lenton is back. McElwain said he’s excited to see how the safety looks today.
Seniors stepping up as DBU’s leaders
With so many freshmen playing in the secondary, it has been important for seniors Duke Dawson and Nick Washington to step into leadership roles. Dawson, not known for being vocal, has led more by action.
“It was interesting,” McElwain said of Dawson’s leadership. “It kind of even goes back to media days and him kind of realizing that it’s his turn to kind of step up and be one of those guys. The one thing we made sure that, look, you’ve gotta be yourself in doing this and yet his self goes back to your actions speak so loudly I can’t even hear what you say. He’s truly one of those guys.”
Washington is showing the young defensive backs the importance of communication and preparation.
“Nick’s been great because he’s a guy that’s very cerebral in what we’re doing,” McElwain said. “He studies the game. What he does is he brings that to the young guys on the preparation piece. Now, as we head to the end of the week and now start a day early on our opponent, him really getting with those guys on what to study, how to study and the importance of letting each other know from the communication piece.
“He’s a guy who will be starting, be playing and he’s a big key to what we do. There’s a certain level back there. There’s been a good legacy built in that room. Those young guys kind of understand and learn it from the older guys what that is and what it means. It’s been really good.”
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