Suspended Florida Gators QB Will Grier to transfer
Suspended quarterback Will Grier will never play again for the Florida Gators.
The former Davidson Day star has opted to transfer, a source confirmed to the Orlando Sentinel. The Gators later used their Twitter account to confirm Grier's exit first reported by Scout.com.
Grier currently is serving a 12-month suspension for violating the NCAA's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. Grier still was allowed to practice with the Gators but has not done so since the Oct. 12 announcement, where the 20-year-old fought back tears and said, "I'm really, really sorry to everyone."
Grier had hoped to return by the beginning of next season. But the NCAA recently rejected Grier's appeal to reduce his suspension to just the 2015 season.
Confirming @BobRedman_Scout’s report that Will Grier will transfer. Quote from Coach McElwain: pic.twitter.com/doKYAMTb7w
— Gators Football (@GatorsFB) December 19, 2015If Grier lands at another Football Bowl Subdivision school, he will have to sit out a season under the NCAA's transfer rules and would return in 2017 as a redshirt junior.
With Grier suspended, the Gators offense increasingly has struggled with sophomore quarterback Treon Harris. Harris could not get Florida in the end zone during a 27-2 loss Nov. 28 to Florida State. He managed four touchdown throw and six turnovers during the three games leading up to the matchup with the Seminoles.
The Gators were 6-0 and 42nd nationally in passing offense at the time of Grier's suspension. The 6-foot-2, 201-pound redshirt freshman led the SEC with a completion percentage of 65.8 and was the first Florida quarterback to pass for at 200 yards in three consecutive games since Tim Tebow in 2009.
Harris is 4-3 since he replaced Grier as the starter and has completed 50.9 percent of his throws while the Gators' passing offense has fallen to 74th nationally.
Florida QB Will Grier will transfer, according to multiple reports Gators were 6-0 with Grier as QB, 4-3 without pic.twitter.com/nUZexG5Y6H
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 19, 2015As things stand now and with Grier out of the picture, Harris and transfer Luke Del Rio would enter the spring vying the Gators' starting job.
But coach Jim McElwain has aggressively recruited quarterbacks this fall and could go in another direction.
▪ Grier is the older brother of Nash and Hayes Grier, who have achieved fame through the video sharing service Vine. Hayes also paired with Emma Slater to finish 8th in the 21st season of Dancing With The Stars. - Observer staff
This story was originally published December 19, 2015 at 4:32 PM with the headline "Suspended Florida Gators QB Will Grier to transfer."