The timing isn’t ideal. But Florida will need to break in a new quarterback in its huge SEC East showdown game on Saturday at Tennessee.
With starting QB Luke Del Rio out with a knee injury, redshirt senior QB Austin Appleby will make his first career for the Gators in a pivotal game against the rival Vols.
A graduate transfer from Purdue, Appleby started four games for the Boilermakers last season and shouldn’t be fazed by playing in front of 108,000 at Neyland Stadium, having played in Big Ten stadiums and hostile environments at Nebraska and at Iowa.
“I’ve come to the University of Florida to play,” Appleby said. “That’s ultimately why I chose to come here. I want to be part of something special. I don’t think you ever want to be someone’s caddie. You want to be the guy that’s got the ball in his hands. I’m excited about my opportunity. It breaks my heart that it had to come by an injury.
Del Rio suffered the knee injury when he was sacked low late in the third quarter by North Texas defensive lineman Joshua Wheeler, who was flagged for a late hit on the play. According to multiple reports, Del Rio suffered a sprained MCL and will be out 2 to 4 weeks, but Florida coach Jim McElwain did not confirm the diagnosis in his Monday press conference.
“He should be back some time,” McElwain said. “I’m not going to rush him back. We’ve got other guys. I feel horrible for him, especially how it happened.”
The move from Del Rio to Appleby should add even more intrigue to the highly-anticipated showdown. Tennessee (3-0) was picked to win the SEC East this season, while the defending division champion Gators (3-0, 1-0 SEC) were picked to finish second. Florida has won 11 straight in the series, though the Gators have won each of the last two games by just one point.
“That’s why you come to Florida, to play in these kind of rivalry games,” McElwain said. “Here’s the great thing about Florida, we have more than one of them. That’s what I want, for our guys to let loose and enjoy the environment, the atmosphere because I’ve been at places where you had to make the rivalry up.”
NOTES, QUOTES
PLAYERS TO WATCH
–QB Austin Appleby will make his first start for the Gators in an important game. Appleby completed 2 for 4 passes for 30 yards after replacing starting QB Luke Del Rio late in the third quarter. Appleby has a stronger arm than Del Rio, but isn’t as accurate. At Purdue last season, Appleby passed for 1,260 yards and 8 TDs in five games (four starts).
–RB Mark Thompson rushed for 85 yards on 11 carries and 1 TD against North Texas. The 240-pound Thompson is the biggest of four running backs UF’s is using in a committee approach. The JUCO transfer has rushed for 166 yards and 2 TDs this season on 5.2 yards per carry.
–DL Jabari Zuniga continues to play at a high level. Zuniga had two more sacks against North Texas to increase his team-leading total to 4 sacks on the season. The 6-3, 245-pound redshirt freshman from Marietta, Ga., also had 3 tackles and a forced fumble.
–S Marcell Harris recorded his first career interception against North Texas and returned it 25 yards. Harris finished the North Texas game with three tackles and will be counted on in pass coverage for the Gators against Tennessee.