Jim McElwain says Gators may use three quarterbacks vs. Michigan

No one has clearly taken the reigns, so Florida Gators coach Jim McElwain has suggested a congested quarterback rotation is coming.

The Florida Gators have had a quarterback competition through spring practice and fall camp, with up to four candidates in the mix at any point, Grad transfer Malik Zaire was a late entrant, and a likely immediate front-runner, but fourth-year junior Luke Del Rio and redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks have remained as candidates.

It’s not uncommon for college football teams to use two quarterbacks in a rotation, and the Gators even did it to great effect once upon a time with Chris Leak and Tim Tebow. But current coach Jim McElwain has not yet settled on a starting quarterback, and has hinted at all three of his options under center seeing action in the season opener against Michigan.

"You’re going to see a bunch of them in there playing, 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."

McElwain did later back pedal a little bit from the idea Del Rio, Franks and Zaire will all play against the Wolverines.

“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.”

After taking his time making a graduate transfer decision, Zaire did not arrive in Gainesville until June. So his knowledge of the offense is surely more limited than that of Del Rio or Franks. That’s not to say he won’t play early in the season, but Zaire may not really assert himself as the starter until late in the season. If he ever does.

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McElwain has yet to revive the Gators’ offense in his two seasons as head coach. Quarterback play has often taken center stage in that struggle, and a resolution does not seem imminent this year.