Will Grier questions support he got at Florida after PED test

West Virginia quarterback Will Grier said he received no “guarantees” from Florida coach Jim McElwain after Grier’s positive test for Ligandrol.

Grier was suspended for a year in October 2015 after he tested positive for the banned substance. In a first-person article for Bleacher Report, Grier said it was “obvious” McElwain did not want Grier to stay at Florida following the test.

The QB, who transferred to WVU in the spring, said he met with McElwain after the test. From Bleacher Report:

I said, the exact quote, “I just want to know what your plans are for the future. Are you going to bring in more guys? Am I a guy you don’t see playing here in the future?”

He said, “You’re welcome here in the future, you’re a Gator, but I’m not telling you my plans. I’m not giving you any guarantees.”

Two weeks later, I decided to have one more meeting, man-to-man, and ask McElwain what the future held. I kept asking him what I could do to make it work there. He finally ended up saying, “Maybe a fresh start isn’t the worst thing.” He said that, and I said, “So I guess that’s the move.”

Grier said McElwain was two hours late to the first meeting because he was on a recruiting trip scouting a quarterback. When asked about Grier’s claim, McElwain said ““Was I late? I don’t know. … I’d have to check my calendar. I recruit a bunch of guys. We had 24 guys in that recruiting class.”

Florida was 6-0 at the time of Grier’s suspension. The redshirt freshman had become a stabilizer for the offense, which was excelling with Grier under center. After Grier had to miss the rest of the season, Florida went 4-4, including losses in its last three games of the season.

Grier apologized for the positive test when it was announced, as he said he failed to check with Florida’s athletic department about the supplement he bought at True Nutrition. McElwain publicly used Grier’s test as a learning moment and said the team felt his pain.

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Grier also revealed that Ohio State coach Urban Meyer “probably recruited me the hardest” following his transfer and that he committed to West Virginia when coach Dana Holgorsen said the team would gladly take him even if his appeal to play at the beginning of the season is denied.

Since Grier was suspended midseason in 2015, the suspension carries over through the first six games of the 2017 season unless the appeal is successful.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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