Gators have two quarterbacks "ready to play"

Emory Jones is the Florida Gators starting quarterback. It's the worst kept secret in college football but a fact.

Dan Mullen has yet to utter the words but Florida Gators quarterback coach Garrick McGee wasn't as shy.

"Emory takes the majority of the reps with the ones. At some point in the practice session, Anthony will go with the ones so that he’s comfortable with the No. 1 center and communicating with the No. 1 center. So those two guys, they get about the same amount of reps, but Emory is the No. 1 quarterback," McGee said on Wednesday night. "So he gets most of his reps with the 1’s and Anthony gets most of the reps with the 2’s. But at some point in practice, they switch."

Jones has waited a long time to have that title attached to his name but the wait will soon be over when he takes the first offensive snap on September 4, against FAU.

It's almost been odd the way Mullen would bring up Richardson whenever asked about Jones. Mullen is historically hard to please when asked about his quarterback's performance but Jones has earned praise from everyone in the building. It does make sense to have two quarterbacks ready to go. The way Florida structures its practices with Jones and Richardson both getting valuable snaps with the first team offense makes sense.

"That's his vision of building depth in the team. It gives everybody a chance to get prepared for the game and have passion about their preparation because they know at some point they're going to be out on the field," he said. "You know, so I think it's, you know, a really good thing for our program and that's how we'll go about it, you know with our two guys that are ready to play right now."

Last season with Kyle Trask and Emory Jones there were clear differences in the skill set. Jones would get his plays and even drives but the offense would look much different when he was in the game versus when Trask was. This year, Jones and Richardson are much more similar, and yet, both are expected to play.

What does that mean for the Gators?

"Emory is an electric, electrifying guy. He's very talented. He has a strong arm. I feel like I have the same things," Richardson said of his teammate. "I'm capable of doing the same things he's doing. I feel bad for a lot of teams this year because once he does his thing I'm going to come in there and try to do the same thing. That's why I call it a one-two punch."

And to Richardon's credit, he's taking being the backup in stride. He's watched as Kyle Trask waited nearly four years for an opportunity and as Jones has waited three for his. In an era where the transfer portal moves more people than the New York subway system, Richardson is more than ready to be patient.

"Just trust the process because not everything is going to be sweet for you. Just trust the process and let everything work out in your favor," he said. "Seeing Emory do that is encouraging because you never know if that's going to be you in that situation, so trust in the process."

It means this season the Gators will have two players ready to go at quarterback with a clear dichotomy and at least one quarterback ready to lead the program in the future.

Not a bad deal for Dan Mullen.