Buddy Martin Blog: In The End, Mullen’s Wisdom About Playing Two QBs May Have Been The Better Choice
Updated: Sep 13, 2021
Dan Mullen had the chutzpah to stand up in the face of criticism from some members of his own fan base, the social media and the legit working media, who were all shouting: “PUT ANTHONY RICHARDSON IN THE STARTING LINEUP!”
Turns out maybe Dan Mullen was right. At a time when it was looking like a battle of the fans’ will and his own coaching philosophy colliding from both sides of the aisle, the head coach stood up and took the bullets.
It takes two quarterbacks to run his offense. And we were reminded of The Unintended Consequence of Mullen’s mule-stubborn philosophy the moment Anthony Richardson pulled up lame after his dazzling 80-yard touchdown run against South Florida. It’s good to have a permanent backup.
There’s no quarterback controversy when only one is physically capable of playing. Is that the case this week? Who knows yet? Stay tuned.
Just how much the wunderkind Richardson will get on the field against Alabama depends on what the medics say and how well he can run on that gimp right hamstring. Although we don’t speculate on health issues, there is a strong buzz around Gainesville that the MRI shows good news: No tear or damage. So yes, there is a chance.
Mullen had the chutzpah to stand up in the face of criticism from some members of his own fan base, the social media and the legit working media, who were all shouting: “PUT ANTHONY RICHARDSON IN THE STARTING LINEUP!”
No, he said, this is still Emory’s team. Just about everybody, including me, was bumfuzzled. We’d seen enough from one of the most spectacular players to ever don the Orange & Blue. And after all, are we all the experts here?
Raise your hand if you were screaming at the TV, or yelling in the stands, “PUT ANTHONY RICHARDSON IN THE DAMN GAME!”
After two spectacular games of lightning-strike offense that has rarely, if ever, seen before from a young Florida player, we all pretty much asked the group rhetorical question: “How can he keep Richardson off the field?” Especially after the way he played in the win over South Florida, right down to losing his helmet, losing his chance to finish off the drive (Mullen’s choice) and coming back after two picks by Emory Jones to reignite the offense for Florida’s only second half touchdown.
And let’s just be honest here: With child-like glee we’re all infatuated with the notion of homegrown #15 taking Steve Spurrier-Florida Field to slay the giant.
Mullen will argue that while spectacular plays are fun to watch, the quarterback position is also about knowing the offense and being a team leader. Most of you will argue that when you put up the numbers like Richardson has, doesn’t that mean you know the offense pretty well? Especially when 90 percent of it runs through No. 15.
But, hey Dan, don’t you see what we all see?
''He does special things. He doesn't always do the right thing, but he does special things,'' Mullen said of his red-shirt freshman phenom. ''We have to keep coaching him up.''
He went on to say that Jones will start and both will play vs. No. 1 Alabama in a Top Ten (Or top 11, depending on the poll you like) SEC matchup that has playoff implications, with the Crimson Tide favored by 15.
On the QBs, I’m going to defer to the wisdom of Dan Mullen, whose sufficient knowledge about the position trumps all of ours. At the same time, if I’m allowed an appeal, I’d offer up what the experts on College Football Committee often default to: The Eye Test.
In 50 years of watching Florida, I’ve never seen a young quarterback with more dynamic skills and combustible playmaking as Anthony Richardson this early in his career.
I get Dan Mullen’s loyalty and admire it. If Richardson is healthy and his brilliance doesn’t come shining through to warrant him being Florida’s No. 1 Quarterback by next week, then what I’m seeing with my eyes is all a big lie.
For right now, however, it’s good to be the man with two quarterbacks. After all it’s not bigamy.
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