Emory Jones has the quarterback spot for the Florida Gators in 2021. However, there’s some attention on backup quarterback Anthony Richardson.
The team is high on Richardson’s potential in the system and could very well get some playing time this year, according to 247Sports Late Kick host Josh Pate. Pate said Jones could end up struggling and Richardson could see some time.
Speaking on Late Kick, Pate questioned if there could be a quarterback controversy brewing and if head coach Dan Mullen could have a difficult situation on his hands.
“Quarterback is worth watching in Florida, too,” Pate said on Late Kick. “You may think, if you’re not a Gator fan, did Emory Jones get hurt? No, he did not get hurt, but Emory Jones is who he is, there are a lot of good qualities about Emory Jones, but he is not a guy who is going to light the world on fire through the air, he’s just not anyone who expects that is setting themselves up to be disappointed. Now, most people around Florida don’t believe that. But I have a little internal dynamic here that is a dilemma because Anthony Richardson, the more you talk to people close to the Florida program is the one they want to talk about.
“That’s not the first time in the history of God’s creation that people want to talk about the backup quarterback. But Anthony Richardson is a tank, physically, and Anthony Richardson has also got a lot of physical qualities that are probably best in that quarterback room. Anthony Richardson will be the first to tell you the mental side of the game, he’s still evolving. I mean if you go by his quotes, he’s got the perfect attitude for a backup quarterback. But I think there’s gonna come a time this year, where he gets on the field in meaningful action. That’s how Mullen handles his roster, really. And I want to see what happens.
“Because I have a sneaking suspicion that what’s going to happen sometime in the first half of Florida season is Emory Jones is going to struggle at some point in a game, and Dan Mullen is going to send Anthony Richardson out there for a series. And then it’s game on, because I think, you and I both know what happens, you can have it in your mind all you want to, let’s give him a series.
“Well, if he goes six of seven, and they hot knife through butter it right down the field and they score, are you taking him off the field? If you do, what (does) the Swamp247 message board look like because I can tell you, they’re very bent out of shape. Regardless, because they are already having to watch the quarterback be pulled out of game. But if you put a guy in there who gets it done, then then you take him out to put the guy who was struggling back in there, then all of a sudden, your entire quarterback pedigree, as a head coach and as a developer, the position goes out the window, it gets folded up like he used napkin.”
In spot duty action over three seasons, Jones is 55 of 86 passing (64% completion percentage) for 613 yards, seven touchdowns, one interception, 514 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
As a member of the Class of 2020, Richardson was a four-star prospect according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He was the No. 30 overall prospect in the state of Florida, the No. 9 dual threat quarterback in the class and the No. 204 overall prospect in the class.
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Florida opts its season Saturday at home against FAU.
