Advertisement

The Florida Gators' case for QB Luke Del Rio

 
Florida Gators quarterback Luke Del Rio (14) warms up next to quarterback Austin Appleby (12) before the game against the North Texas Mean Green on Saturday September 17, 2016 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida. Final score was Florida 32 North Texas 0. (Monica Herndon, Times)
Florida Gators quarterback Luke Del Rio (14) warms up next to quarterback Austin Appleby (12) before the game against the North Texas Mean Green on Saturday September 17, 2016 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida. Final score was Florida 32 North Texas 0. (Monica Herndon, Times)
Published Aug. 19, 2017

GAINESVILLE — It took three years and two transfers for Florida's Luke Del Rio to become a starting quarterback.

When he finally earned that title a year ago Friday, he wasn't going to let it go easily.

"It's kind of hard to be like, 'Hey, I'm in pain, I don't want to play,' " Del Rio said.

But Del Rio was in pain — much more and for much longer than he let on during his six games last year.

That helps explain his struggles, like his eight touchdowns and eight interceptions and a passer rating that ranked 14th in the 14-team SEC. It also explains why the Gators implicitly and explicitly maintain that he remains in the mix (along with Notre Dame grad transfer Malik Zaire and redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks) to start the Sept. 2 season opener against Michigan.

RELATED: How Luke Del Rio earned Florida Gators starting QB job.

Del Rio's downfall began a month and a half before the dreadful 31-10 loss at Arkansas that ended his redshirt sophomore year.

On the fourth play of the third game, two North Texas defenders landed on him. Del Rio said he suffered a Grade 1 or 2 sprain in his throwing shoulder's AC joint — comparable to what sidelined the New England Patriots' Jimmy Garoppolo last season.

Del Rio kept playing, at least until he tore his meniscus later in the game. But his shoulder didn't completely heal, and it got worse four weeks later with a hit against Missouri.

Then against Georgia, Del Rio's left shoulder popped out of his socket when a defensive lineman fell on him during a third-down slide. The torn labrum made it impossible for Del Rio to remove his own shoulder pads, but he didn't care; the injury was to his non-throwing shoulder.

"I wanted to play," Del Rio said. "I was trying to prove I could still play."

And that led to the end in Fayetteville.

RELATED: Luke Del Rio injured; quarterback picture fuzzy at Florida.

A first-half hit to his throwing shoulder aggravated the sprain to a Grade 3. Del Rio said he couldn't feel much after that, which explains a deep interception that was one of the lowlights of the season.

"I wasn't even aiming there …" Del Rio said. "That's when I knew — I need to stop. I'm just hurting the team now."

UF shut Del Rio down, and he underwent offseason surgeries to repair both shoulders. The six-month recovery was so brutal that the son of NFL coach Jack Del Rio thought about quitting.

"I was done," Del Rio said. "Then I felt myself getting better. I never really, officially quit. I wanted to see — is this the injury talking, or am I really done?"

It turned out to be the injury, which is why Del Rio returned, ready for another competition.

The Gators aren't sharing much about the battle, but coach Jim McElwain said Del Rio "did some really good things" in last week's scrimmage, and Del Rio got some first-team reps during practice this week. We'll get a better update today, when McElwain and all three quarterbacks are expected to speak with reporters.

Stay updated on Tampa Bay’s sports scene

Stay updated on Tampa Bay’s sports scene

Subscribe to our free Sports Today newsletter

We’ll send you news and analysis on the Bucs, Lightning, Rays and Florida’s college football teams every day.

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

RELATED: How Feleipe Franks, Luke Del Rio responded to Malik Zaire transfer.

While he doesn't have Zaire's speed or Franks' arm strength, Del Rio has the most experience in McElwain's system. And, when fully healthy, he was more effective than fans give him credit for.

He threw for more than 250 yards and completed at least 55 percent of his passes in his only two healthy starts. No UF quarterback had done that in back-to-back games since Tim Tebow in 2007.

Del Rio's 320 passing yards and four touchdowns against Kentucky were the most by a Gators passer in an SEC game in 15 years. It was the top performance allowed by a Wildcats pass defense that finished 35th nationally and faced SEC offensive player of the year Jalen Hurts and Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson.

But the most important statistic for McElwain: UF was 5-1 with Del Rio as the starter.

"He should have been a 5-0 quarterback a year ago, had I not played him in the Arkansas game — which I shouldn't have," McElwain said.

While McElwain clearly regrets putting an injured Del Rio on the field, Del Rio doesn't view it that way.

"You don't know how many opportunities you're going to get," Del Rio said.

He has at least one more opportunity this fall. He doesn't want to waste this one either.

Contact Matt Baker at mbaker@tampabay.com. Follow @MBakerTBTimes.