Emory Jones' record day in The Swamp

Emory Jones' name will forever live in the Florida record books for his performance during the Florida Gators' 70-52 win over Samford.

Jones completed 82% (28-34) of his pass attempts for 464 yards and six touchdowns, adding 86 rushing yards and another score. Jones' 550 total yards are the most for a player in a single game in program history, eclipsing Tim Tebow's outstanding Sugar Bowl performance against Cincinnatti in 2009. Jones was also just 18 yards shy of breaking the single-game passing record, something his understudy was campaigning for before Dan Mullen subbed in Anthony Richardson for Florida's last drive. Richardson, after being told he was going into the game, chased down his head coach on the sideline before the kickoff to plead Jones' case.

"The drive before he went in he told Coach Mullen that he didn’t want to go in because I think I had like 20 yards to break the all-time record. He was telling Coach Mullen, don’t," Jones recalled after the game. "I was like nah, go in there and play. I’m not worried about that. Just to have that mindset, it’s always cool to have that guy with you every day in the meeting rooms, always have your back. It’s a blessing.”

Florida's defense struggled Saturday against a Samford offense that has been good in 2021 but shouldn't have been able to move the ball the way they did Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs scored a touchdown on each of their first three possessions and five of their first six, meaning Jones and the offense found themselves in a slugfest needing to respond every time they had the ball.

"I’m always pretty critical. But I thought overall not flinching in his ability to just kind of kind of lead us and you know, you kind of see, we took some, you know, take some shots down the field," Mullen said. "Somehow, a bunch of time, we're trying to take a shot downfield, they're just bailing out of there, tough stuff underneath. Got us into the right checks. And, you know, I know for him, it's a confidence builder for him, how he played today.”

Jones has been through it all this year. He came in as the starter and a fan favorite. interceptions and losses put him in the fanbase's doghouse. He was benched at LSU, lost his starting job against Georgia but was a large part of the reason the Gators were able to win Saturday.

“It’s been a lot of ups and downs for me. I always stay grinding, never get too high. Never get too low. I have the support of all the guys in the locker room and all the coaching staff. They have my back," he said. "They’re all rooting for me and that’s all I can ask for. They’re so supportive of me and I’m blessed to have this locker room, honestly.”

Emory Jones finished with the most total offensive yards (passing + rushing) by a Gator in program history today (550 yards).

Jones passed for 464 yards and added another 86 yards rushing.

Jones broke Tim Tebow’s record of 533 yards of total offense set against Cincinnati in 2009.

Jones’ seven-total touchdowns (six passing, one rushing) today tied the Florida program record.

- Tim Tebow (vs. South Carolina, 2007), Doug Johnson (vs. Central Michigan, 1997), DannyWuerffel (vs. Tennessee, 1995), and Terry Dean (vs. New Mexico State, 1994) all accounted for seven total touchdowns in a single game.

Jones’ 464 yards passing is tied for the fourth-most in a single game in program history.

Jones’ six touchdown passes are tied for the third-most of any Gators quarterback in program history.

Jones is the first Gator to throw six touchdown passes in a game since Kyle Traskaccomplished the feat vs. Arkansas on Nov. 14, 2020.

Jones is the seventh Gator to ever throw six touchdown passes in a game.

Jones threw for 300-plus yards for the first time in his career today, setting career highs with 464yards passing, six touchdown passes and an 82.4% completion percentage.o Jones’ 82.4% completion percentage is the fifth-highest by a Gators QB in the last 25 years.

Jones is Florida’s first 300-yard passer this season and first since Kyle Trask threw for 408yards vs. Alabama in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 19, 2020.

Jones broke his previous career-high of 273 passing yards (vs. Vanderbilt, Oct. 9, 2021).

Jones threw touchdown passes to five different receivers (Gamble, Davis, Wright, Weston, Pierce).

By default, today also represents Jones’ first-career 400-yard passing game.o Jones surpassed 2,000 passing yards on the season with his 464-yard performance through the air today.

Jones recorded his fifth-career 200-yard passing game today (all in 2021).

Jones was 8-for-8 for 128 yards, one passing touchdown, and one rushing touchdown on Florida's first-three drives of the game, translating to a 275.7 quarterback rating.• Jones is the first Gator in the last 25 years to pass for 350-plus yards and rush for 80-plus yards in the same game.