What the Gators are getting in Luke Del Rio as their quarterback

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – So it’s settled – Luke Del Rio’s the man.

When Gators coach Jim McElwain met with the media Friday, he said the timing felt right to make the call.

“Going into this scrimmage we just felt it was time to make this move,” McElwain said.

What exactly are the Gators getting with Del Rio as the starting signal-caller?

Throughout camp, there has been a common theme from players: Del Rio has the better understanding of the offense while Purdue transfer Austin Appleby has the stronger arm.

McElwain was looking for more from his quarterback than a strong arm, as he explained to ESPN’s Ivan Maisel last month.

“In playing effective quarterback, it’s not necessarily being the guy with the strongest arm or the best feet — obviously those are things that help you play the position. But the key to playing winning football at that position is making the other 10 guys around you play at a higher level because of who you are,” McElwain said.

The “other guys” were referenced again Friday when McElwain discussed why Del Rio is now the starter.

“We talked about consistent movement in different situations and the response of maybe some of the people around that position,” McElwain said.

McElwain noted that Del Rio has displayed a command of the offense throughout camp.

“Luke’s command on everything we’re trying to do has been good,” McElwain said. “Now, he’s made some mistakes. He knows that this is by no means, ‘Now I have it and it’s there for good.’ There’s constant competition going on, as there is in a lot of the spots. He’s done a heck of a job. I’m excited to roll him out there.”

Familiarity with coordinator Doug Nussmeier’s offense helps him be able to command it with confidence.

“I’m very, very comfortable in this offense. Third year in it,” Del Rio said Friday. “I’ve known coach Mac for a long time. Known coach Nuss for a good bit as well. I think the fact that I’ve had this relationship has really helped me in this camp being comfortable with the offense.

“And also being here last year helped me with the wide receivers. I may not have been able to practice with them, but just kind of the chemistry that we formed off the field relationally. We’re good friends. Everybody kind of gets along. It’s a very tight-knit team. So I think all those factors kind of played a role in it.”

Though Del Rio is classified as a redshirt sophomore, he’s entering his fourth season on a college campus, having graduated high school in 2013. He was offered by McElwain at Colorado State that year, but chose to walk on at Alabama, where Nussmeier was the offensive coordinator.

Del Rio then transferred to Oregon State for the 2014 season, and found his way to Florida in 2015. It’s been a long, sometimes lonely, journey to become a starting quarterback.

“People don’t realize when you transfer, it’s not like you leave one school and you’re at the next school the next day,” Del Rio said. “In between Alabama and Oregon State and Oregon State and Florida there was probably seven months combined where everybody else is in school and my dad is coaching, my mom is helping out with my dad and my sisters.

“Lots of lonely days and just trying my hardest to stay focused. Just having the support system that I did really helped keep my head on straight and stay positive. But it was definitely rewarding to hear coach Mac give me the keys to the car, as he calls it.”

His test drive came on April 9 when he led Florida’s first-team offense in the spring game. Del Rio’s maturity and grasp of the playbook were on display, as he went 10-of-11 for 176 yards and two touchdowns. It’s interesting to note that during the game and later in the offseason, Del Rio was praised for one play in particular: the incompletion.

While calling the game, SEC Network analyst Greg McElroy, who played for McElwain at Alabama, said that it was the throwaway on a protection breakdown that was Del Rio’s top play of the night. McElwain later echoed his former pupil’s assessment.

“Luke had a pretty good spring game,” McElwain told Paul Finebaum in May. “In fact, best play he made was the one he threw out of bounds on a missed protection. That’s what it’s all about.”

For McElwain, it’s all about decision-making. Del Rio was able to move the ball (on the second-team defense) by making quick decisions and hitting the open receiver, often at short distances.

Luke Del Rio was 10-11 in Florida spring game, but averaged just 7 air yards per attempt – lowest AY/A of the four Florida QBs.

— CFB Film Room (@CFBFilmRoom) May 6, 2016

Even though it was the first-team offense going up against the second-team defense, McElwain believes that his X’s and O’s will get receivers open against any defense. In Del Rio, the coach sees a quarterback who will effectively find the open man.

When one considers that Florida has one of the SEC’s best defenses, an excellent punter and a capable kicker, McElwain doesn’t have to ask his quarterback to do too much – just to do things like throw the ball away when the offensive line collapses.

Andrew Olson

Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.