Florida football coach Jim McElwain announced Wednesday that sophomore quarterback Treon Harris and sophomore cornerback Jalen Tabor will miss Saturday’s game against Tennessee due to a violation of team rules.
"Jalen Tabor and Treon Harris won’t be with us this week, which simply means we’ve got to have some guys step up," McElwain said. "They will be back the following week."
Harris didn’t play against Kentucky on Saturday as the Gators rode redshirt freshman Will Grier to a 14-9 victory, but McElwain had said earlier in the week he could envision the Miami native taking snaps against the Volunteers.
The first-year Florida coach commended Harris for keeping a positive attitude despite seemingly losing the quarterback battle with Grier.
"He’s a true team guy," McElwain said Monday about Harris. "Obviously disappointed and yet, you know what, he’ll prepare, he’ll be ready and we’ll see what happens this week."
Throughout the first three games, Harris is an efficient 19-for-27 for 269 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
He’s also displayed athleticism in the open field with eight rushes for 55 yards.
Harris has made one start this season, the team’s 61-13 season-opening win against New Mexico State.
Grier has started the last two games, including a wire-to-wire stint against the Wildcats on Saturday and will now have the chance to do so against Tennessee.
McElwain said he was "hurt" by the two suspensions but said both players made "choices" that left the Gators with no choice but to suspend the pair.
"I’m not angry at them at all. It’s a choice," McElwain said. "It hurts, because we’ve got a lot of guys that really care about this team, and we’ll have to have some of the guys to step up and play."
With Grier set to start against Tennessee, UF will look to Vanderbilt transfer Josh Grady to fill the role of backup quarterback.
McElwain admitted Grier has an opportunity to prove he can run the offense effectively and possibly become the de facto starter for the foreseeable future.
"He’s going to have an opportunity to run the ship," McElwain said about Grier. "We knew we were thin at the (quarterback) position coming in."
Tabor had apparently asserted himself as the No. 2 cornerback opposite junior All-American Vernon Hargreaves, but the team opted to give Quincy Wilson the start against Kentucky.
Tabor has contributed 10 tackles on defense this season and had a 39-yard pick-six against East Carolina that McElwain considered to be the turning point of the 31-24 win.
Wilson – who had the game-sealing interception in the closing seconds against the Wildcats – will likely get the starting nod with Tabor scratched. Redshirt sophomores Nick Washington and Marcell Harris will also provide support in the defensive backfield in Tabor’s absence.
McElwain has repeatedly stated the team wouldn’t dwell on who’s not able to play, choosing to focus on the next guy on the roster that can step up and contribute.
"Yeah, remember we were without Vernon, we were without (starting safety) Keanu (Neal). We’ve been without some other guys periodically," McElwain said. "That’s next guy up. That’s just how it works."
In Florida’s 10-9 come-from-behind victory against Tennessee last season, both Harris and Tabor had breakout performances as freshmen.
With the Gators trailing 9-0 late in the third quarter, Tabor came up with a strip-sack that gave Florida a short field and the chance to put points on the board.
Harris then entered the game in favor of starting quarterback Jeff Driskel, who already threw three interceptions throughout the contest, and led Florida on back-to-back scoring drives to seal the victory.
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UF quarterback Treon Harris (3) watches on from the sidelines during Florida's 14-9 win against Kentucky on Sept. 19, 2015, at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky
Sophomore defensve back Jalen Tabor (31) dances while the Gator Marching Band plays following Florida's 61-13 win against New Mexico State. The win made a new record for most points scored during a UF head coach's first game.
