Redshirt Freshman Report: Anthony Richardson

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The Florida Gators are in the middle of their summer offseason strength and conditioning program, making strides towards the 2021 season. With less than 80 days until the season Gators Territory will begin looking at the younger players on the roster who have a chance to make an impact next season.

Nothing will get a fan base more excited than a talented quarterback signing with their team and when that quarterback is a hometown kid it's even more exciting. That's what the Florida Gators have in Anthony Richardson. Not only was Richardson a member of the Rivals 250 and the sixth-ranked quarterback in the class of 2020, but he's also playing just a few miles from his home. Richardson finished his four-year varsity career at Eastside with 4,633 passing yards and 37 touchdowns, along with 1,633 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns.

With Kyle Trask putting up record-breaking, Heisman-worthy numbers, and Emory Jones ahead of him, Anthony Richardson was going to be hard-pressed to get significant snaps in 2020. The true freshman played in four games, making his first career appearance against Missouri, and threw his first touchdown against Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl. Richardson completed 1-2 passes for 27 yards and one touchdown. He also carried the ball seven times for 61 yards in his first season with Florida.

Emory Jones left spring camp as the presumed starter. The redshirt junior has put in his time and is ready to lead the offense. That doesn't mean that Richardson will sit by and be happy to watch Jones take every snap. He's competing each day as if he's the starter. If you've followed Florida football for very long, something Richardson surely has, he knows he's just one snap or one unfortunate practice play away from being the starter.

"I mean, it's always a competition here. Anthony, he's been on my butt every practice," Emory Jones said during spring camp. "I mean, like we're all out there competing, just trying to get better. Like I said, I'm really just glad that we're having spring camp this year, so we're all just out there trying to get better."

That competition is part of it. It's something Florida wants at every position but no position is as critical to the success of the Gators as the quarterback. Even without being the starter, you can expect Richardson to get some early snaps to give him some more meaningful playing time to get him more experience.

"He's just an extremely talented kid, he's still really young. We got fortunate, the only thing you know, good about this COVID is that Anthony ends up with another year, so he's really a true freshman still. And that's, like wow, I can't believe, when I watch him at practice, I'm thinking 'This guy's a true freshman,' you know, it's amazing," McGee said. "But, just think he's an extremely talented kid. He's learning a lot, how fast the game is moving, how you have to throw on time, you have to stay on balance, so I'm just, the future is definitely bright for that kid."

The future may not be in 2021 but the future is bright for the redshirt freshman from Eastside High School and he'll be prepared whenever his number is called.