The quarterback situation at West Virginia just got more interesting for the 2017 season with Will Grier in the fold.
At Florida, Grier made a name for himself, for the wrong reason, last football season with a suspension for use of a performance enhancing drug. He later announced his intention to transfer from the Gators’ program and wound up on WVU’s campus in March.
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This week Grier made it official that he will become a Mountaineer.
Grier has enrolled at West Virginia and can practice with the football team. However, he will not be eligible to play until the 2017 season. His suspension will cut deeper into that year, though, as Grier will potentially have to sit out six games in 2017.
There are nineteen games between now and then, even though Grier has the talent to be WVU’s current quarterback.
Unfortunately, that is impossible. Fortunately, for Skyler Howard, his job seems to be secure as the team’s starting signal caller for the 2016 season. But, come 2017, there could be a quarterback controversy.
Grier, who won all six of the games he started at Florida, could appeal his suspicion in 2017. Those six games could be cut down to four or three, or eliminated altogether.
He has already tried to appeal the suspension, but lost. Compliance officials at West Virginia may be able to aid him further, now that he is secured as a Mountaineer.
Before the controversy at Florida, Grier was regarded as the top quarterback in the country out of Davidson, N.C. In 2013, he was Gatorade Player of the Year, Maxwell Player of the Year and Tom Lemming Offensive Player of the Year. Grier was skilled as a rusher and passer putting up eye-popping numbers at Davidson Day High School.
The beginning of his college career looked to be just as explosive as his high school days. He threw for more than 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in the six games he did play in at Florida. Grier’s momentum was obviously derailed as he has not been able to perform in a true game situation since October 2015.
That has only been five months and he’ll have to go at least another 17 months before he can compete again.
Grier’s track record shows that he can excel at any level. However, he has yet to receive a true test. This layoff will test his talents, time and patience. How he adjusts to WVU, reacts to the bench and focuses on improving will define him as a player. Grier has two years of eligibility left and they can be two great seasons for him and the Mountaineers.
He won’t be winning games at Mountaineer Field, but Grier can earn personal victories as he prepares on his own.