Treon Harris Named Florida's Starting QB: Latest Details, Reaction

Sophomore Treon Harris will start Florida's Week 1 matchup against New Mexico State but will not receive all the snaps with the first-team offense, Gators head coach Jim McElwain announced Wednesday.

Harris beat out redshirt freshman Will Grier, who McElwain said will receive playing time.    

"Treon is going to start the football game and Will is going to play a lot too,'' McElwain said, per Scott Carter of GatorZone. "This is still a painting in progress. This is two guys pulling in the same direction to help this football team."

A 5'11" dual-threat option, Harris threw for 1,019 yards and nine touchdowns against four interceptions in 2014. He also added 332 yards and three scores on the ground.

Former Gators coach Will Muschamp extensively used a two-quarterback system with Harris and Jeff Driskel, who has since transferred to Louisiana Tech. McElwain did not say how much either of his quarterbacks would play but indicated the team has a plan drawn up.

"We'll have a prescribed set of where it's going to go,'' McElwain said, per Carter. "It's a long season. Somebody had to take the first snap, and Treon is taking the first snap."

Grier is a more traditional pro-style quarterback who was the No. 48-ranked player in the Class of 2014, per 247Sports' composite rankings. It's the second straight year Grier has been beaten out by Harris, the first being for the primary backup job a year ago. Harris' victory in that camp battle resulted in the Davidson Day product redshirting while Harris received game action.

Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun noted how Harris won the job:

As with all two-quarterback systems, this situation remains fluid. Having both guys play is the perfect hedging of bets. McElwain will get a chance to see how both perform in game action and make a more permanent decision once Harris or Grier separates himself. The Gators aren't looking at an especially difficult first three games, with a road trip to Kentucky standing out as their biggest test.

Look for McElwain to use those games as a proving ground and make a firmer selection before Tennessee visits Sept. 26.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.