GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- With sophomore quarterback Treon Harris missing three practices due to a death in the family, the remaining quarterbacks on the roster got plenty of extra reps to show Jim McElwain what they could do.

McElwain was asked specifically whether it helped getting an extra long look at redshirt freshman Will Grier, who many had pegged as the front-runner for the job entering the spring.

The first-year head coach didn't really talk about Grier in his answer, but he did name a walk-on who has impressed through the first nine practices.

"[Jacob] Guy came in and had a really good scrimmage," McElwain said. "He did some good things for us."

Guy, a less-heralded high school prospect from Pasco High School in Dade City, is a 6-foot-5, 224-pound redshirt junior. He walked on at Florida out of the 2012 recruiting class after receiving a handful of offers to smaller Division I programs.

As GatorBait.net has noted twice this spring, you'd never know he wasn't a walk-on player if you ventured out to practice and had no preconceived notions.

"He does a nice job," McElwain said. "He’s a big, strong guy that throws the ball well. I think did a pretty good job on scout [team] last year, at least the bit I watched."

While it'll be an uphill battle if Guy wants to win the starting job, he's already caught the head coach's eye, which isn't the easiest thing to do as a walk-on quarterback.

For him to make the next step and turn it into a more notable story than a simple spring sidebar, he'll have to continue to pick up the playbook and the offense.

"He’s got good size, good velocity," McElwain said. "There again, understanding how to play the position. He got away with a couple throws, misread on a rotation [on Saturday].

"It worked out, sometimes it does work out. He’ll learn from that and that’ll be interesting to see how he did in today’s practice."