Florida to begin ex-Buckeye QB Miller in bowl

GAINESVILLE, Fla.– Florida quarterback Jack Miller, who moved from Ohio State last December, will make his first college start when the Gators play 17th-ranked Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl next week.Coach Billy

Napier made the announcement Thursday, 3 days after standout Anthony Richardson left school early to start getting ready for the NFL integrate and a week after backup Jalen Kitna was started the group following his arrest on child pornography charges.Miller was slotted to

be Richardson’s backup throughout training school before injuring his best thumb in August and requiring surgical treatment. Four months later on, he’ll get a possibility to reveal he deserves to a minimum of be in the mix for the No. 1 job next season.

“He has actually been participating in practice for a variety of weeks,” Napier stated. “He’s completely healthy. … While he was rehabbing, we were really deliberate about keeping those guys engaged. He’s taken a trip with us. He’s went through the process of prepping each week, seeing the cut-ups, all those things at the end of the week from a test and ideas standpoint.

“So he’s been through the prep for a game. Obviously, the volume of work will be a bit various for him. That’ll be the greatest difficulty.”

Miller will lack a minimum of two offensive beginners since the Gators (6-6) had 4 players pull out of the bowl: Richardson, All-Southeastern Conference guard O’Cyrus Torrence, linebacker Ventrell Miller and receiver Justin Shorter.Defensive tackle Gervon

Dexter turned professional Monday however will remain for the Vegas trip. Numerous teammates who either currently went into the transfer portal or considered skipping Florida’s bowl likewise agreed to play the season finale, a few of them definitely since of the destination.”We have actually simply got a great deal of men that are searching for a chance,”Napier said.”They wish to play, and we have actually got a lot of regard for that.” The Las Vegas Bowl is Dec. 17. Miller played sparingly behind Heisman Trophy finalist C.J. Stroud in 2015 for Ohio State, completing 7 of 14 passes for 101 backyards. He also ran for 22 yards and a score in mop-up duty. Not wishing to sit behind Stroud another season, the 6-foot-3, 211-pound Arizona native landed in Gainesville to compete with Emory Jones and Richardson.He rapidly moved up the depth chart after Jones left in March (transferred to Arizona State) and Carlos Del Rio-Wilson left for Syracuse a month later.With Kitna and Richardson now gone, the Gators are down four scholarship quarterbacks over the previous 9 months. Kitna would have begun the bowl, but he was apprehended recently after a police examination discovered he allegedly shared child pornography pictures on a social media platform.”Clearly it’s an unfortunate, awful occasion for all individuals included here,”Napier said in his first public comments given that Kitna’s arrest.” I believe actually trying to assist all

individuals involved.”Certainly, Jalen is going to need to move forward. However it’s an obstacle, and it’s one that I appreciate our leadership … certainly we’ve done everything we can do to assist our players and staff. However as you stated here, there’s some things that include that. We’re turning the page and moving forward. “Napier will rely on the transfer portal for aid. He has four-star dedication Jaden Rashada prepared to sign later this month but is expected to sign a refined starter and possibly another quarterback from the website to offer more depth

. Behind Miller, Florida has walk-on Kyle Engel and freshman Max Brown.”I believe we all would concur that this game, the quarterback position’s effect on your team with not just the production part but the leadership part, it’s important,” Napier stated. “We’ll be striving to resolve a few of the issues at that position.

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