Emory Jones exhibits perseverance, dedication during 2021 season

Emory Jones has been through a lot at the University of Florida. He was a backup. He waited his turn for more than three years to get a crack at being the starting quarterback of the Florida Gators and through it all, he's remained loyal to the coach who was his first SEC offer and the school he signed to back in 2017.

Jones earned the starting job heading into the 2021 season but came out of the gates slow, throwing four interceptions in his first two games against FAU and USF. Even as Anthony Richardson won over the hearts of fans with long touchdown runs, Dan Mullen stuck by Jones.

"Obviously, Emory is our starter and we say, but as you get the experience you roll the guys through," Mullen said after the FAU game. "We did that tonight and it was great to see them both make some really explosive plays."

Richardson injured his hamstring during an 80-yard touchdown run against USF and would miss the next two games. Jones played fine against Alabama, not good enough for the Gator to pull off an upset but he was hardly the reason Florida lost the game. Still, Jones left the game with more turnovers (5) than total touchdowns (4). Jones and the Gators left the Alabama game with renewed confidence and Jones bounced back with a great game against Tennessee. The redshirt junior completed 77.8% (21-of-27) of his pass attempts for 209 yards and two passing touchdowns. He added 144 rushing yards to become the first player to pass for 200-plus yards and rush for 100-plus yards in the same game since Tim Tebow accomplished the feat on Nov. 21, 2009, vs. FIU.

Jones' play continued to fluctuate throughout the season. He entered the LSU game with 9 passing touchdowns but seven interceptions. He was replaced by Anthony Richardson – who led four consecutive touchdown drives but threw two interceptions of his own — in a loss to LSU.

Jones had to come back into that LSU game when Anthony Richardson sustained a cut on his left pinky finger. Jones converted a third-and-13 attempt to extend Florida's final offensive drive.

“I don’t think anybody can understand how big of a play that was, that Emory made for a quarterback," Mullen said after the LSU game. "In that situation to come up and make that play that he made, that was probably the play of the game, for us offensively. The ability to come in and do that, I thought was pretty special."

Mullen made the decision to start Richardson the following week. The opportunity that Jones had waited for was over just seven games after it began. It's late in the season, so entering the transfer portal upon hearing the news from his head coach may not have been a realistic option, but according to his coach, it wasn't even a consideration.

"If you want to see the character that he has, didn’t flinch," Mullen said after the Georgia loss. "When we said hey, we’re going to go with Anthony here, Emory’s response is, ‘Whatever it takes to help the team win, I’m all in. And I’ll be ready, Coach. You just point to me, and I’ll be ready to go.’ And he came in and I thought played really – I thought Emory came in and played really well, also.”

After Anthony Richardson left the Georgia game with a concussion, Jones came in and led the Gators' lone touchdown drive. He completed 10-of-14 passes for 112 yards and scored with his legs.

Anthony Richardson wasn't able to practice on Monday or Tuesday this week leading up to the Gators' game against the Gamecocks this weekend in Columbia. If Richardson can't go this weekend it will be Jones back in the saddle as the Gators look to finish their season on a high note.

Jones has been on a rollercoaster, but he's remained steadfast in his dedication to his teammates and his university, which is commendable and certainly has made an impression on his head coach.

"We had a discussion, he said, 'Coach, I'm 100% all-in, I'm ready to go, I'm prepared. You point at me to get in that game, I'll go execute and play. I'm ready to go.' He came in the game, I thought he played really well on Saturday," Mullen said of Jones' play against Georgia. "So I mean that's why I have so much respect for Emory within his preparation."

"He's come in with an unbelievable attitude ready to prepare to do your best at any moment, whatever the situation is. 'I've got to prepare for that situation, be ready to be my best.' And it just shows his character and the type of young man that he is that he was prepared for that moment."