Dan Mullen's Plan For Emory Jones' Summer As He Becomes Florida Gators Starting Quarterback
How do you become the guy that follows the guy?
That’s the conundrum facing Florida Gators quarterback Emory Jones this offseason. He’s made a good start in spring practice, taking over the majority of the starter reps. Now, heading into his fourth year in Gainesville and looking to pick up where Heisman finalist Kyle Trask left off, Head Coach Dan Mullen has seen Jones evolve from “the backup” to the man at the top. It requires moving beyond simple understanding the game to controlling the game.
“One thing he did, he really went from a guy that understands the offense to a guy that's making his reads and working on his technique, fundamentals at the quarterback position, you know? At the backend of spring, if you watch his balance in the pocket throwing the football, instead of just trying to make plays, him focusing on being on balance with his accuracy, you know what I mean? Which is going to improve the accuracy, you know, of making the different types of throws and changing your arm angle to make the different types of throws to be on balance.
“Because he's getting a lot of the one reps, so now it's on him and I think, you know, with that comes the responsibility. Also comes that he's comfortable within the offense, so to sit there and say 'Okay, hey, here's the read,' he knows the read, so let's get through on every aspect of being detailed and exact with making the throw.”
Over the course of his three years, Jones has averaged a 64% completion rate (55-86) for 613 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. He’s added 514 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
While his implementation into the offense over the past three years and willingness to bide his time while most guys would enter the transfer portal would indicate Emory Jones is the de facto starter for the 2021 season, Mullen hesitates to label him as such. That’s not a knock on Jones or even a coaching tactic to inspire competition. It’s simply a survival method that Dan Mullen uses. One that has already paid off in the form of Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask.
“I would say yes [Emory’s the starter], but I don't think of it in terms like that,” Mullen explained.
“I mean you've got to prepare at least two quarterbacks ready to go if that makes sense. So my thought process is, 'How are we getting two starters ready and then we have the two young guys, so what's the backup plan after we have two starters?' Does that make sense? I don't know if I'm explaining it in the right way, but in my mind that makes sense, you know what I mean? Instead of, 'Hey, Emory's the starter, you're the backup' we need two starters and then I've got to figure out the backup situation we've got.”
So essentially, the quarterback depth chart reads 1a and 1b. The 1b is Gainesville native Anthony Richardson. The Eastside alum will presumably fill the role Jones did the past three years; back-up who receives significant playing time and series in big games. And by preparing Richardson as a starter as well, should the worst happen and Jones go down like Franks did in 2019, then the back-up can step up without any drop off.
Even with Richardson nipping at his heels, this is now Emory Jones team. It’s really been his team from the moment the Cotton Bowl was handed over to the young duel-threat passer to conclude the 2020 season. Which means the next five months will determine the Gators course of the 2021 season.
Mullen has often stated that the most important development time in a quarterback is from March to August. That’s when a guy goes from a player who’s just been watching to the one leading, to the voice at the front of the room and the face of the team.
Over the next five months, Mullen has a punch list of priorities on which Jones can work. For starters, he wants the 6-2, 210 lithe quarterback—and one that relies on his legs at that stature—to learn how to protect his body.
"He plays physical and he plays strong at his size out there, so it's about when I get on the quarterbacks, it's about having the stability. The body stability in physical physique, it's that body stability that means you're physical and you're able to stay healthy when you run the ball and when you take hits in the pocket. Do you have the size and the core strength and the body makeup that prevents injury more than getting a specific weight or size or strength? It is that core body makeup for you?”
Additionally, coaches can’t do anything with the team that involves a football per NCAA rules, so the roster is left to their own devices to arrange workouts, throwing sessions and such. So this summer is when Mullen wants to see Jones take the reins of his team and do his part to field a potent offense.
“We're constantly on [Emory]: consistency and the consistency within his performance. He has great talent to go make plays, but getting the timing down. You know, we have some younger receivers, getting all the timing down with them. Him taking that role, both really he and Anthony.
“I talked to the guys [Saturday] and—[Friday] really it was about it— about, you know quarterbacks and receivers right now, you have, April, May, June and July, you have four months where you guys can get out there, you get your timing down, you get that exactness down, you get comfortable with each other and where you're going to be and how you're going to make the throws, and you get the communications down, beyond the coaching where you guys have that kind of feel of how guys are, where they're going to be on field. I think that's a huge part for those guys moving forward.”
How do you become the guy that follows the guy? One day at a time. And for Emory Jones, that starts now.
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