10:03 pm | August 20, 2018 | Go to Source | Author: Robbie Andreu
It looks like Florida’s quarterback situation will be cleared up sometime within the next few days.
UF coach Dan Mullen indicated Monday he is moving closer to naming a starter following Sunday night’s scrimmage in The Swamp.
“We’re getting guys ready to go play right now,” Mullen said of the quarterbacks.”Over the next couple of days, (quarterbacks coach) Brian (Johnson) and I will really sit down and evaluate who is going to give us the best opportunity to win games.”
Mullen said the three quarterbacks — Feleipe Franks, fellow sophomore Kyle Trask and true freshman Emory Jones — all made progress in the scrimmage, and all graded out a champion.
“None of the three graded champion in the first scrimmage,” Mullen said. “All three graded a champion in this scrimmage. So, that’s a real positive of the steps they’re taking forward and the comfort they’re getting within the system and within the offense.”
Mullen said the coaches simplified certain aspects of the offense for the second scrimmage and the quarterbacks showed a better understanding and command.
The three shared reps with the No. 1 offense.
“I just think managing the game, a little better decision-making,” Mullen said of the progress the three showed. “I think the first scrimmage we were trying to get to show and get a look at a lot of different things. I think we simplified it for them and tried to treat it a little more like a game.
“That helped them. Whether they realized it as much as we did, I don’t know. I think just in that term, instead of just trying to get things called and taught, to get them more into a game flow and I thought that helped them a little bit.”
Mullen said earlier this summer there was a chance he would play more than one quarterback in the opener. He ruled that out Monday.
Once a starter is named, the intention is he’s going to be the guy for the season.
“Yep,” Mullen said. “Unless all of a sudden, they perform differently on game day than we’d expect someone to perform or something falls off the cliff that way. I’d like to have it that this is the starter and it’s their job from that point forward.”
The quarterbacks weren’t the only offensive players singled out for their scrimmage performance. Mullen also praised the play of running backs Jordan Scarlett and Lamical Perine. Malik Davis sat out the scrimmage with a sore ankle.
“I thought Jordan Scarlett, and Lamical Perine both ran the ball really well,” Mullen said. “(They’re) getting into a little bit more game ready form. I thought those guys kind of stood out.”
Mullen seemed pleased with the Gators’ overall performance Sunday night, but he said they still have some ground to make up before the start of the season in less than two weeks.
“I have such a high bar of where I want it to be, and I don’t think we’re close to that, but we’re progressing in the right direction,” he said. “I don’t think I freak out. Maybe I would have a long time ago where you’re like, ‘Oh, my goodness, this is where we have to be,’
“We’re heading in that direction. We’re going to be developing throughout the season. We’re certainly not going to be a finished product week one or two or three.”
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