Florida’s quarterback competition for the Outback Bowl is closed. The decision has been made. Senior graduate transfer Austin Appleby will start and go the distance as long as he stays healthy.
But after the Jan. 2 game in Tampa, the competition for the starting role becomes wide open again between former starter Luke Del Rio and redshirt freshmen Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask.
“Absolutely, I mean every year it is. That doesn’t change,” UF coach Jim McElwain said. “And that would be going through spring and you know summer and obviously fall.”
Although Del Rio began this season as the starter, a sprained knee and injured shoulder have cost him half the season (six games) and opened the door for the two freshmen to position themselves to contend for the starting role in the spring and summer.