Dan Mullen can’t follow same QB script if Florida wants chance against Alabama

Florida coach Dan Mullen explained his method for handling suggestions ahead of Saturday’s showdown with No. 1 Alabama. 

“I don’t listen to many suggestions,” Mullen said at his weekly press conference. “If you’re in our staff meeting, I might listen to your suggestion. I don’t run down to Shands Hospital and say, ‘Boy, I think you should really do that procedure this way.’ I think those guys probably got that under control.” 

The most-frequent suggestion for Mullen this week revolves around freshman quarterback Anthony Richardson, the freshman quarterback who made the most of his sample through two games. 

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Richardson has hit 6 of 11 passes for 192 yards and two TDs. He has 11 carries for 275 yards and two TDs. That’s an average of 21.2 yards per play; essentially a chunk play every time. Richardson battled a hamstring injury in practice this week, but the suggestion is out there. 

Why not start Richardon instead of Emory Jones and see what happens against the Crimson Tide? Jones has more experience but has also thrown four interceptions in two games. Mullen hinted that the plan will be to start Jones and work Richardson in, which has been the case in walk-over wins against FAU and South Florida. 

“There are some circumstances maybe that would change that, but I mean everybody is kind of planning on going into the game that, ‘Hey, (Richardson) is going to play the third series,” Mullen said. 

But you beat Alabama by going off the script. That’s what makes Richardson such an intriguing player heading into Week 3. The last Florida quarterback to beat Alabama was Tim Tebow in the SEC championship game on Dec. 6, 2008. 

Alabama has lost just 16 games since, and that includes just 11 regular-season games. 

QBs who beat Alabama in regular season since 2009 

Everybody remembers the Heisman Trophy-worthy performances by Cam Newton, Johnny Manziel and Joe Burrow. Former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn beat Saban with Nick Marshall, Jarrett Stidham and Bo Nix. Former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze did the same with Bo Wallace and Chad Kelly. Former South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier did it with Steven Garcia, the outlier on this list.

The Jones-Richardson dynamic at Florida is different from what former LSU coach Les Miles did with Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson twice. Most of those quarterbacks presented problems for Alabama with their mobility — the uncanny knack for making the big play when the script was ripped up.

Can Mullen, who is 0-10 against Saban, find that combination with Jones and Richardson? WIll he give Richardson more reps this week? It’s a tough call given the inexperience.

Jones (63.3 completion percentage) and Richardson (54.5%) are still growing into their roles, and Alabama’s defense limited Miami’s D’Eriq King to 189 total yards and forced two turnovers in a 44-13 blouwt on Sept. 3. Mullen will be asking those quarterbacks to match Bryce Young, who has taken the early Heisman Trophy lead after back-to-back brilliant performances.

Still, this is a tremendous opportunity for Florida to break a seven-game losing streak to the Crimson Tide. Kyle Trask threw for 408 yards and three TDs in that list, so a brilliant quarterback performance still might not be enough.

“It’s a chance for this team to see where we are at this point of the season,” Mullen said. “The outcome of this game is not going to define the season either way.” 

It will define who Florida’s quarterback is for the rest of the year.

We would not suggest anything less.