Florida starting quarterback Will Grier has been suspended from the football team for 12 months following a violation of the NCAA’s substance-abuse policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
Both Grier and UF coach Jim McElwain said Monday that the failed drug test resulted from Grier taking an over-the-counter supplement that wasn’t shown to or approved by Florida’s medical staff.
McElwain said UF plans to begin its appeal process on the length of the suspension today.
"It’s something that he feels horrible about," McElwain said. "It’s an honest mistake and yet can be prevented by just checking with our medical staff. Want everybody to understand that this is a mistake we’ll learn from."
UF did not disclose the supplement Grier used but refuted earlier reports that it was Ligandrol, a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) and an alternative to anabolic steroids.
"Obviously there’s a leak in this system, and I’m OK with that," McElwain said, "but leak the right things."
Grier, a redshirt freshman, is officially listed at 6-foot-2 and 201 pounds, which is 18 pounds more than when he first came to campus in Spring 2014.
Until the appeal is resolved, Grier will remain ineligible to compete and is not allowed to travel with the team. However, he is allowed to participate in team practices.
If the appeal is denied, he will be eligible to compete until Oct. 12, 2016, resulting in Grier missing the remainder of this season plus the first six games of the 2016 season, a slate that includes Massachusetts, North Texas and Florida’s first four Southeastern Conference games.
An emotional Grier, fighting back tears at the lectern with his head coach by his side, stood in front of about 30 media members, five television cameras and athletics director Jeremy Foley as his words were captured on an Internet live stream.
"I really hope that people can learn from this, learn from my mistake," Grier said, his voice breaking. "Really sorry to everyone. Just really sorry."
McElwain hugged Grier after the quarterback’s minute-long speech, a message given less than a half hour after his teammates heard about the news.
"Look guys, obviously this is hard," McElwain said. "I don’t want anybody in here and anybody to forget we’re in this for these young men. We feel for him. We feel his pain."
McElwain, who said he learned the results of the test on Sunday, said the team embraced Grier with open arms, respecting his honesty and willingness to accept the mistake he made.
"When you have an opportunity to sit down and visit with him and see the remorse and the sorrow, that’s hard," McElwain said. "That’s really hard. As a coach, but more so as a human, to see someone go through that. It’s not easy. But he knows we’re here for him."
Through six games — including five straight starts — Grier has thrown for 1,204 yards with a Southeastern Conference-leading 65.8-percent completion percentage to help the Gators start the season 6-0 — 4-0 in conference play — and rise from unranked to No. 8 in the country.
He has thrown 10 touchdown passes against just three interceptions while also rushing for 116 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Grier has excelled in SEC play, averaging 221.8 yards per game and throwing six touchdowns to just two interceptions.
He threw four first-half touchdowns in Florida’s 38-10 upset victory over then-No. 3 Ole Miss, the first UF quarterback to do so since Chris Leak in 2005.
With Grier benched for the foreseeable future, sophomore Treon Harris will be the Gators’ starting quarterback against No. 6 LSU (5-0, 3-0 SEC) on Saturday, with Vanderbilt transfer Josh Grady serving as the backup signal caller.
Harris started the season opener for the Gators this year and has played in four total games, going 19-of-27 for 269 yards and two touchdown passes.
Last season, Harris’ freshman year, he started the final six games of the season, going 55-of-111 for 1019 yards, with nine touchdowns and four interceptions and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team.
"He’s been practicing all the same stuff and obviously he has a different skill set," McElwain said. "He can do some things with his feet that are different and he’s done a good job of extending when he’s in there."
For the list of banned drugs provided by the NCAA, go to www.ncaa.org/2015-16-ncaa-banned-drugs
Contact Jordan McPherson at jmcpherson@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @J_McPherson1126
UF quarterback Will Grier runs onto the field prior to Florida's 14-9 win against Kentucky on Sept. 19, 2015, at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.
