100 Days of Florida Football: No. 7 Will Grier

Ask pretty much any Gator fan which freshman they’re most excited to see on the field and most of them will say quarterback Will Grier. Grier put up video game numbers in high school and in the process became one of the most highly sought after recruits of the 2014 class. Now, he’s firmly entrenched in a battle with fellow freshman QB Treon Harris to see who will win the right to back up Jeff Driskel.

You have to see Grier’s numbers at Davidson Day High School in North Carolina to believe them. Over his career, Grier threw for 14,565 yards, second most in North Carolina history behind Gator great and current WR coach Chris Leak. He did best Leak in touchdown passes as he holds the state record with 195. Grier was also a threat on the ground, rushing for nearly 3,000 yards (2,955) and 31 TDs. Maybe most importantly, he and his father/head coach Chad Grier (also a former East Carolina standout QB) led the Patriots to three-straight NCISAA Division II state championships in the programs first four years of existence.

Grier started his assault on the record books in his sophomore year of high school when Davidson Day started their football season. He completed 61.6 percent of his passes for 3,791 yards and 49 touchdowns. He also ran for another 891 yards with 10 scores and even hit five PATs.

Grier’s junior campaign was his most prolific season through the air, throwing for 5,785 yards and 69 TDs with completing 78.3 percent of his passes. He got nearly 15 percent of his yards and 13 percent of his touchdowns that season in a single, record-setting game. Against Harrells Christian, Grier threw for 837 yards and 10 touchdowns. IN A SINGLE GAME. Davidson Day went on to win that game 104-80. That’s not a basketball score. Grier added 813 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, hit five more PATs, and added the title of punter to his repertoire. He had seven punts for a 38.4 yard average with a long of 47 yards. His amazing season culminated with him being named the Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year and invites to the Elite11 QB competition and The Opening located on Nike’s campus in Beaverton, OR.

As you would imagine, it’s tough to top a season where you throw for 5,685 yards and 69 touchdowns, but Grier managed to do it. His passing yards took a little bit of a hit, only throwing for 4,989 yards, hitting his target 70.4 percent of the time. But Grier led the nation in TD passes with 77 and showed off his legs a little bit more. He rushed for 1,251 (10.9 ypc) and 13 touchdowns. He saved his best for last as he led Davidson Day to another state title and in the process, threw for a season-high 599 yards and seven touchdowns. The team he did that against? None other than the Harrells Christian Academy Crusaders. Grier once again showed his skills on special teams, punting four times for a 45.8 yard average and a long of 67 yards, and hitting 30 PATs. His phenomenal season earned him Gatorade NC Player of the Year honors for the second straight year, the title of Mr. Football USA (as chosen by StudentSports.com), and a trip to San Antonio to participate in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Grier hit four-of-eight passes for 109 yards, including a 51-yard completion which was the longest play in the game to cap off his prep career.

There are a bevy of highlights available to give you a taste of what to expect from Grier in the future, but this is just his senior season. He’s got all the intangibles you want out of the quarterback of the future and has the leadership skills to boot. The only worry with Grier is his thin frame, although training and dietitians at UF can help with that, and his three-quarters release with the football. His delivery could be troublesome for his shoulder further down the road and provides an easier target for defensive lineman to tip and bat down the ball.

Any major college program you could think of wanted Grier. But early in the process (November 2012 to be exact), Grier committed to Florida and stayed true as the longest commitment the Gators had in the 2014 recruiting class. He just missed out on five-star status and was ranked as the second pro-style QB (which I have reservations about given his athleticism and rushing numbers), second in NC, and 48th overall player of the 2014 cycle, according to 247Sports composite rankings. He decided to attend Florida over Arkansas, Auburn, East Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Wake Forest, among 14 other schools of interest. Grier originally committed to UF when Brent Pease was in charge of the pro-style offense, but it seems like Kurt Roper’s spread system works better to his talents.

Now, Grier is looking for the title of backup quarterback for the Florida Gators, but Harris is giving him a run for his money. With Driskel, Harris, and Skyler Mornhinweg in the mix, there’s a good chance one of the freshman QBs will take a redshirt to preserve his eligibility. Grier previously said he was going to redshirt, but after the disaster that was last season, Will Muschamp has to make sure the player that will help him win the most sees the field. Harris has a little more positional flexibility, but he could end up being the second-string QB this season to give the quarterback of the future, Grier, more time to fill out his frame and adjust to the speed of the SEC.

Grier’s been making highlights his entire career, but one of his first at UF happened pretty recently. He and fellow freshman DeAndre Goolsby posted a video on Instagram that ignited the interwebs and showed off the 6-2, 190 pounders athleticism. It’s just one instance in a number of videos of Grier flipping out.

He’ll have his hands full, but Grier has the work ethic and talent to become one of the most prolific passers in Florida football history. It’s only a matter of time before he takes the starting job. With the state of the Gators program, Grier could be the most important recruit to come to Gainesville since Tim Tebow. And in a week, we’ll find our answer to the backup QB question as Florida takes the field for the first time.

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