GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Emory Jones is coming off his best performance in a Florida jersey.
"He can make some special things happen on the field," said Gators head coach Dan Mullen. "He's got a lot of talent, both running and throwing with his arm."
The redshirt freshman quarterback went 2-for-3 passing for 37 yards and rushed five times for 34 yards and three touchdowns - a career-high - in the Gators' win against Vanderbilt.
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"Definitely excited for me to go out there, and score a touchdown in The Swamp, let alone three, so I feel excited," said Jones of his performance against Vandy. " I took advantage of my opportunities so I feel good."
When Feleipe Franks went down in the game against Kentucky, the question was who would step up at quarterback. According to Jones, Mullen was pretty straightforward to both Kyle Trask and himself, both of them had to be prepared.
Ultimately Trask won the starting job but Jones was not relegated to the sidelines completely. The quarterback has played in a few games this season, demonstrating his athleticism in spurts.
"The first thing I think of when I first go out there is I don't want to do too much, I just want to manage the game and just the flow of the game," explained Jones.
Jones, who was a highly-regarded high school recruit, has needed to be patient - which is not easy for a young quarterback.
"It's kind of hard for anybody, especially in my position."
Thats where Dan Mullen comes in.
"Just always stays in your ear," said the Peach State native. "I feel like it keeps us going, keeps us like staying motivated and stuff like that about what he's saying.
"He always comes and pulls me to the side, tells me 'It's a process', tells me 'Just patience', and tell me one thing I need to work on. So I just focus on those things more."
"His biggest thing that we always talk about with him, and he knows this, is just consistency," said Mullen. "Consistently making unspectacular plays. He can make spectacular ones. But consistently make the easy, unspectacular play. I think that is always a learning curve, especially for younger guys. 'Coach, did you see this spectacular play.' 'I did. Absolutely, I saw it. It was unbelievable.' Right? But what about this little simple one here.
"Do the little things and the simple things really, really well. That’s a big part of development. That’s what he’s improving on and continues to grow on and continues to learn for him to do that.”
"I feel like me getting better is like the biggest thing to me anyways, just getting better day by day," said Jones."If I'm playing or not, I'm still bettering myself so, I'd say that feels better."
It certainly helps that Mullen has quite the resume to show any quarterback.
"Coach Mullen he has worked with all different type of quarterbacks and different systems, and all of them seem to revolve around the quarterback," said Jones. " Right now it revolves around Kyle until I get into the game, so I mean, I feel like when I get that spot eventually, like it just be crazy like, we can do a lot of things."
Trask is a great example of how coaching and hard work can help you achieve your goals. The Texan native has stepped up when the Gators lost their starting quarterback just 11 quarters into the season. The redshirt junior is one of the main reason's Florida is 8-2 since Franks' injury.
Jones has learned a lot from the older quarterback.
"Just like his poise... I've never seen him get rattled," said Jones of Trask. "I think that's the main thing, I've been learning a lot from him, just like seeing him making mistakes and not getting down about it, that's probably the biggest thing."
Learning. Watching. Working.
Jones understands it's a process, and a process that does not happen overnight. The second-year Gator told reporters the process will continue this offseason for him when he hits the weight room, hoping to add 13 points to his 202-pound frame.
" I think it would help us out a lot," said Jones.
The elephant in the room, however, is what will happen in the spring? The quarterback question will likely loom in Gainesville, when Franks has rehabbed from his injury and Trask is coming off a good debut season. Where does that leave Jones?
"I approach like any spring. Just going there and trying to be better and finding little things that we need to work on before getting into camp," said Jones. " I am focused on getting better myself and just staying focus on the next step in the process."
For now, Jones is focused on helping his team achieve its goals, and of course working on the little things that will make him better.
"Rest of the season I just want to focus on taking advantage of my opportunities because I know they are limited. So when I get in there, I have to make something happen."
