Paperwork holding up Grier’s appeal
GAINESVILLE — With Treon Harris the unquestioned starter heading into Saturday’s game against Georgia, Florida coach Jim McElwain provided an update on suspended former starting quarterback Will Grier.
McElwain said Grier is taking some time away from the team as the university works on appealing his yearlong suspension for failing an NCAA drug test for over-thecounter performance-enhancing drugs.
“Right now, they’re collecting all the — there’s like these letters of appeals that have to go in together,” McElwain said, before adding that the Gators will have the appeal submitted “shortly.”
“We’re working very closely, obviously, with his family and him to put everything that we can into the NCAA,” McElwain said.
He further empathized with the situation Grier is going through, considering his abrupt departure from the team during Florida’s rise into the top 10.
“There’s a pretty traumatic little deal he’s gone through there, right? He’ll be there. He’s still part of the team,” McElwain said.
With Harris at quarterback last season, the Gators upset Georgia 38-20 thanks to more than 400 yards rushing between running backs Matt Jones and Kelvin Taylor
McElwain, who again reiterated he needs the quarterbacks to improve at “throwing to the right color jersey,” said Har- ris should have more of a role in the passing game against Georgia than he did last year.
“Well, shoot, I think (against Georgia) he only threw it six times,” McElwain said. “He didn’t get a chance to throw interceptions.”
Callaway dealing with foot injury: Antonio Callaway has been a revelation for Florida’s passing game this season, but McElwain said Wednesday the freshman receiver’s status for Saturday’s game is now uncertain after he sustained a foot injury during practice.
“We’ll kind of see what happens there, but we’ll get that report (Wednesday night) or (today) and see what’s up,” McElwain said.
“He’s learning every day. He’s a guy that loves football. He’s fun to be around. I am going to teach him eventually how to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with the crust on. Not having to cut it off. But I do pamper him a little bit, so that’s the way it is. But he’s getting a little bit better every week.”
Even though Callaway has played just four SEC games in his short collegiate career, McElwain said he’s already a “topnotch SEC receiver.”
“We kind of knew what we were getting when we recruited him,” McElwain said. “Obviously, he’s living up to that.”