Will Grier Files Appeal to NCAA for 1-Year Suspension: Latest Details, Reaction

Florida Gators quarterback Will Grier reportedly filed an appeal for his yearlong suspension Wednesday.

Nick De La Torre of Gator Country reported the news as the redshirt freshman signal-caller tries to get his NCAA football career back on track. Grier received the lengthy ban due to a positive test for a performance-enhancing drug.

His suspension began October 12, and according to Wednesday's report, his legal team will argue he had no knowledge the supplement that triggered the positive test contained a substance banned by the NCAA. His lawyers will also reportedly argue that the supplement itself was NCAA approved.

Prior to his tenure under center in Gainesville coming to an abrupt halt, Grier beat out talented sophomore Treon Harris for the starting job and guided the Gators to six straight wins to start the 2015 campaign, thriving under new head coach Jim McElwain.

The suspension couldn't have come at a worse time, because Florida had to thrust Harris into duty and wound up losing to LSU, 35-28, in Grier's first game out of the lineup.

In an article for Sporting News, the quarterback's father, Chad, spoke about his son's plight and expressed his support:

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His story is not mine to tell. But I do know the facts. I do know that his mistake was one of naivete, not of malice. I do know that he had no idea that he had done anything he thought was wrong, let alone the NCAA. If and when he's ready, he'll fill in the blanks. ...

... Will loves his teammates and the University of Florida the way the most loyal SEC fans feel about their school. This crisis in Will's life has brought out the best in him as he has asked me to help him find opportunities to serve others while he waits on adults who don't even know him to decide his immediate future.

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De La Torre's sources say McElwain and the university have been supportive of Grier and will continue to be as the appeals process plays out. That McElwain and others are in the young man's corner despite the negative consequences his suspension has had on the team suggests he still has a future to look forward to on the gridiron with the Gators. 

Instead of running from the issue, to Grier's credit, he was candid about his mistake and didn't completely deny the situation, addressing the media in an emotional press conference upon his initial suspension.

As it stands right now, the 12-month suspension will not only cause Grier to miss the rest of this year, but also the first six games of the 2016 season.