Feleipe Franks will start for the Florida Gators this week against the Northern Colorado Bears on Saturday.
The redshirt freshman quarterback started his first game last Saturday against Michigan but was pulled in favor of Malik Zaire.
Franks beat out veterans Zaire and Luke Del Rio to earn the start against Michigan in the season opener.
Franks completed a 34-yard pass to Josh Hammond on Florida’s first drive, a perfectly thrown ball, but Franks was only given nine opportunities to pass.
“We felt like going in we could do some things with some shifts and motions and get something out of the run game,” McElwain said when asked why there was such a large discrepancy in the play calling.
McElwain said the plan going into the first game was to play both Franks and Zaire. When Franks fumbled for the second time, this time losing the ball, McElwain made the move to go to Zaire.
The Gators offense looked worse with Zaire in the game.
“I thought Malik, he was looking probably to get out of the pocket first before delivering the ball,” McElwain said. “You can see that from the standpoint of the comfort piece. It’s something he’s got to get better at.”
McElwain thought about making a move at quarterback, but not to bring Franks back in.
“It was one of those things we were actually going to go Luke (Del Rio) there in two-minute situation,” said McElwain. “If there was something that would have probably been the one thing. And yet we just felt he gave us an opportunity there to maybe get out of some of the trouble that we were in.”
Franks finished 5-of-9 passing for 75 yards against Michigan. He showed the arm strength we’d all known about, but he also showed poise in the pocket and an ability to run. Franks scrambled for 16 yards on a third-and-15 to pick up a first down. He’s not going to shock anyone with his speed, but the long strides of his 6-6 frame cover a lot of ground.
“Feleipe, I thought. … obviously did exactly as he was supposed to do on the first play,” said McElwain. “He did give us a big first down on a third-down scramble. Ball security is an issue on the next one.”
Franks will get the start but McElwain wouldn’t divulge his quarterback “plan” for the week. Will the Gators trot out Zaire for a series or two? Will Del Rio get some action? Or is this Franks’ game completely?
The Gators should be able to move the ball at will this weekend against a Northern Colorado team that surrendered 336 yards to the College of Idaho… not Idaho…. The College of Idaho.