Richardson's Confidence Was 'Shot Down,' And So Were Some Dreams. But There's Tomorrow.
Updated: Sep 12, 2022
Maybe the Florida Gators were not the 12th best team in America, despite what the AP poll said.
By BUDDY MARTIN
GatorBaitMedia.com
GAINESVILLE -- Maybe Kentucky’s not a basketball school anymore. Mark Stoops came into the once-hostile environs of Steve Spurrier-Florida Field Saturday night and broke the dreams of Gator fans who thought maybe Billy Napier had Florida back on a Steve Spurrier-type trajectory.
At the same time, the brother of former Florida defensive coordinator Bobby Stoops accomplished a personal best by notching a 26-16 win in his 61st victory at Kentucky, eclipsing Paul “Bear” Bryant as the winningest coach at UK. It was just the second time Stoops has beaten the Gators in Gainesville, but it was impressive.
Maybe the Florida Gators were not the 12th best team in America, despite what the AP poll said. And maybe Kentucky is, indeed, a better team than we realize, as Chris Doering has been saying – perhaps even No. 2 to Georgia in the eastern division.
And maybe Anthony Richardson is not that wunderkind Heisman hopeful that he was beginning to look like.
For a moment it looked like a setup for the Gators to come back and claim their second win of the season.
However, after playing to a 16-16 tie midway through the third period, with Richardson missing targets badly, the Florida offense was stoned by Kentucky. Richardson seemed out of rhythm and kept missing open receivers.
It was an ugly night for Billy Napier’s offense, with his star quarterback off the mark, overthrowing receivers and coughing up two interceptions, including a Pick Six to Kentucky’s Keidron Smith, who went 65 yards with a ball that had inadvertently hit him right in the hands. After that, with only a little more than three minutes left in the third quarter, Napier’s team was out of bullets.
Giving credit where it is due, in some mid-week trash talking, Kentucky linebacker J.J. Weaver had warned that the Wildcats had a good game plan for the Florida quarterback.
“He’s not going to be able to do any of that (using his legs) against us because we gonna game plan,” said Weaver. Turns out he was right.
Most disappointed in Anthony Richardson was Anthony Richardson.
“My confidence got shot down when I missed some wide open receivers. Mentally I shot myself down, but I tried to stay in the game physically,” said Richardson.
His coach took part of the blame, saying, “We didn’t earn the right to win the game.” Mistakes said Billy Napier, were made by the players and the coaches alike. “We can play better and we can coach better, “said Napier. “But one thing I know about Anthony is he is a fighter.”
Napier went on to stay that no matter that his team was struggled to stay in the game, “it’s a tribute to them that we even had a shot at it after all those mistakes.”
No matter the words, there’s no way to spin it, that Kentucky came into this game at a touchdown underdog, with several suspended players, including the SEC’s No. 1 rusher in Chris Rodriguez and knocked off the nation’s No. 12 team.
It was left to big Gervon Dexter to find a few words to placate the disappointed players, coaches and fans.
“Ain’t nobody won a championship tonight,” said the 6-5, 312-pound defensive tackle.
True, but Dexter and his teammates better hope they pull out of this nosedive before he and his teammates have lost one.
I was at the game. Saw Richardson limping after the first few plays. After that, he didn't limp anymore but he never put any weight on his left leg when motion was disrupted.
Excellent piece of writing, Buddy. I'm sure it was hard to write.