Purdue graduate transfer Austin Appleby will get the starting nod when the Florida Gators host South Carolina Saturday.
UF coach Jim McElwain said first-year freshman Feleipe Franks would serve as Appleby's backup. Kyle Trask, another first-year freshman, would be the emergency quarterback.
"We're not afraid of playing him at any point," McElwain said of Franks.
Appleby started two games for the Gators _ a 38-28 loss Sept. 24 at Tennessee and 13-6 win Oct. 1 at Vanderbilt _ while Luke Del Rio was out with a sprained left knee suffered Sept. 17 against North Texas.
The redshirt senior led UF to 21 points during the first half of the Tennessee loss and showed the ability to attack the defense downfield.
"That first half, he took full-on ownership of the offense," senior receiver Ahmad Fulwood said Monday. "We were killing it. Second half, we just let it slip away."
The Gators then scored just 20 points during the next six quarters prior to Del Rio's return to the starting role.
Appleby's superior arm strength and mobility could breathe some life into the struggling Gators' offense.
Sophomore receiver Antonio Callaway, for example, has seven catches of 20 yards or longer this season _ five with Appleby at quarterback.
