Moral Stephens developing into a nice surprise for Dan Mullen

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Moral Stephens has emerged as quite the surprise this season for Dan Mullen and the Florida offense.

"When coach Mullen first got me the playbook, I was looking over them like, some of these routes; I ran these in high school. I can run this route," said tight end Moral Stephens. "And then once we actually got on the field, Feleipe [Franks] already knew my ability so he gone give me a shot, if I’m open he gone give me a shot because he already know what I can do.

"Soon as I seen in the spring how he was splitting us out and putting us in situations to where I could run routes and use my ability that I always did since high school, I knew it was gonna be a big year for me."

Sure enough, Stephens has emerged as one of Franks' top targets. Stephens has already ranked up six catches for 76 yards and three touchdowns. Just for perspective under Jim McElwain, the unit only managed two touchdowns and just 26 receptions and 287 yards.

"Moral brings a little more of a different element because he is a little bit of a smoother athlete," said tight ends coach Larry Scott. 'He can run; has good strides; he runs really well for being 6'4", 245-pounds and has the ability to get in and out of breaks and doing that really well and be on time for the quarterback."

“He’s got really good hands, and he’s really athletic, really good ball skills and really athletic," said Mullen.

"I think Moral is developing," said quarterback Feleipe Franks. "Ever since Coach Mullen got here, he’s been one of those guys that has continued to develop. He’s not too far from where I’m from so I played him in high school all the time. He’s always the guy that mossed our guys. He’s always been a really good player.

"Just seeing him develop this year as opposed to the last two years, he’s just getting better every single day. He’s one of those guys that is super crisp in route running, a super route runner. We have a lot of those on our team, but he’s one of them."

The key word: development.

Stephens always had the raw talent, however, the fifth-year senior physically was not ready when Mullen arrived.

"He's very athletic and has really good ball skills. I think one of the things is, when I got here, he was just underdeveloped," said the Gators head coach. "looked at his numbers, his testing numbers in the weight room and I'm like, 'What have you done for the last couple of years?' He benched about the same as I did, and I run now. I don't lift as much anymore, you know. It's just not right."

"He is kind of in that progression that you would like to see in a year and a half, two-year player," added Scott. "It's just a shame that he is in year four and starting to really turn on and click for him. If he had that type of progression earlier in his career, just from a physical standpoint in strength and those things, he probably would be a bit further along as a player."

"Coach [Nick] Savage coming in, I feel like the strength and conditioning part was a lot better for me," said Stephens. "And I seen better improvements, faster improvements like with my body and stuff. And then as far as with Coach Mullen, I feel like as soon as he got here, he noticed my talent and he put my in positions to make plays for the team."

According to Stephens, he was never a player to tell coaches who they should give the ball to - even when he thinks he should contribute more often on the offense.

"He's a guy that's been working since I've met him," wide receiver Josh Hammond said. "He's never been the guy to beg for the ball or anything like that. He's just always did his job and always stayed humble and continued to work, continued to work, continue to work."

"I always felt like that I could make plays," said Stephens. "When I first got here my opportunity was limited you know, as far as with the different coaches and the scheme they had for the team."

Stephens has certainly put in the extra effort since the new staff's arrival.

Savage "kept picking up the intensity, because I had to gain fast," said Stephens about his lifting workouts. "I’m a senior, so I had to gain it faster. I just feel like, like I said before, I ain’t trying to bash the last strength and conditioning staff. I just feel like they focused more on the cardio, like keeping us in shape. We weren’t really focused on a lot of strength stuff.

"This staff focuses on all of it. You’re gonna be in shape, you’re gonna get your muscle gains, you’re gonna shed fat. And they keep tabs on all that.”

"All we can do is pick up the pieces right where we are, and get him to realize the things that we need him to do better and get him to strain to bring and come along as fast as he can. He has done a really good job responding to that."

"It's a tragedy that we don't have him for longer, where he can get a real offseason to let his body develop," said Mullen. "He might have a future even beyond this year if he decides to work at it. I think he's just scratching the surface for what his development could have been."

Although Stephens may had to battle a few more adversities, the Florida native has never once given up hope of achieving his NFL dreams.

"I always have faith in myself. I always have faith in my abilities," he said. "I always believed I could make plays for the team. I was just waiting for my opportunity.”