Jim McElwain to again play both Harris and Grier at QB against East Carolina

Jim McElwain has taken conventional coaching wisdom and thrown it out the window.

In announcing during Monday’s weekly conference that he had two good quarterbacks in Treon Harris and Will Grier he again intended to play this week against East Carolina, the first-year Florida coach eschewed the notion that somehow playing two quarterbacks means that you don’t have one good one.

“I think both guys played well [in the 61-13 win over New Mexico State],” McElwain said. “Both had mistakes, but that’s a part of playing and that’s a part of learning.”

McElwain said plans on how to use his quarterbacks are yet to be finalized, but added that he anticipated that it would be similar to that seen on Saturday.

The two have battled for the starting job since the spring, leaving many to assume that McElwain would choose one prior to the season’s start and certainly by the first game’s conclusion.

Not so much.

McElwain has every reason to feel as optimistic as he does after watching the Gators quarterbacking tandem go a combined 29 of 36 for 379 yards and four touchdowns without an interception in Saturday’s 61-13 blowout of New Mexico State.

Harris, a sophomore who started six games last fall in place of an ineffective Jeff Driskel, again received the started nod, completing his first seven passes before giving way to Grier.

Harris finished 14 of 19 for 215 yards and two touchdowns, while Grier, a redshirt freshman, completed 15 of his 17 attempts for 164 yards and two scores. Grier rushed for another touchdown, but also fumbled the ball away once.

Both quarterbacks guided six drives, with each tallying four touchdowns and a field goal. Harris’ first drive ended in a punt, while Grier’s fumble accounted for his lone non-scoring drive.

“Both guys, I think, did a good job,” McElwain said. “Both guys moved the team. I think, for the most part, they did a heckuva job.”

The Gators figure to face a stiffer challenge this week from the Pirates in a game that will be a rematch from last year’s Birmingham Bowl that Florida won, 28-20.

In other news from the press conference:

• Florida junior wide receiver Demarcus Robinson has been demoted to third team, according the latest depth chart released by the school on Monday. Robinson started Saturday’s season opener against New Mexico State, catching five passes for 32 yards. He recorded 53 catches for 810 yards and seven touchdowns in 2014, ranking fifth in the SEC at 67.5 yards receiving per game.

McElwain on WR Demarcus Robinson being third on depth chart: "At the end of the day it's about doing what's right and what you put on film."

— Zach Abolverdi (@ZachAbolverdi) September 7, 2015

• McElwain was pleased with his team’s overall clean game (just one penalty) against the Aggies, but said he want to see his team improve on its center snaps to the quarterback. Florida endured three bad snaps against New Mexico State, with two others looking shaky.
• McElwain didn’t rule out again using All-American cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III as a receiver. Specific packages will be devised for him each week, although they might not always be utilized, McElwain said.

John Hollis

John Hollis is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Georgia and Florida.