Are We Shortchanging Franks As A Dual-Threat QB?

[GatorTruth133]

I think that Franks getting benched opened his eyes that he needed to do more in both the run and passing game. He had some great runs too. He rarely pulled on the Read Option the first half or more of the season, but did it more late and was very effective

 

[5-Star Finger]

That run of 70+ yards against TAMU in 2017 was entertaining, ugly uniforms aside.

Yeah it's one of my favorite clips:

 

[MJMGator]

He’ll have a full year in this system and I think he’s got his teammates respect. I expect a big year from Franks and this offense.

 

[alcoholica]

His last 4 games he was a completely different QB. I attribute it to Mullen finally letting him run....or dare I say it, he "trusted" Franks to run.

He needs to improve his completion percentage and he'll be a good QB in this system. Right now, due to his sub-60% completion percentage he'll continue to be limited vs. the 'big boys' on our schedule.

Or he finally convinced him to pull the ball and run.

 

[Marine1]

His last 4 games he was a completely different QB. I attribute it to Mullen finally letting him run....or dare I say it, he "trusted" Franks to run.

He needs to improve his completion percentage and he'll be a good QB in this system. Right now, due to his sub-60% completion percentage he'll continue to be limited vs. the 'big boys' on our schedule.

FF was only 5 completed passes away from 60%. Certainly room for improvement but 60% is a nice jump over the previous year.

 

[Jake from State Farm]

No!

 

[Okeechobee Joe]

It's a new concept-- a Gator quarterback who is actually getting better instead of getting worse or transferring. I like it. I like it.

 

[NavetG8r]

Yeah it's one of my favorite clips:

I'm probably going to hell for it, but that's EXACTLY what I saw when he was running in those god awful spotted gator skin whatever those ugly @ss uniforms were supposed to be.

 

[BMF]

FF was only 5 completed passes away from 60%. Certainly room for improvement but 60% is a nice jump over the previous year.

I agree, but he needs to do it consistently. I don't care if he's 75% vs. Charleston Southern then goes 51% vs. UGA (or other big-boy team we play), it needs to improve. His completion percentages killed a lot of drives (remember the inexplicable INT he threw right to a UGA defender early in the game?). His running greatly improved the last 4 games. If he can take the next step - which, imo, is upping his completion percentage - I think he'll be a very good QB in this system (a system he's really not built to be in). I was about as negative as anyone could be about Franks heading into the season. He completely changed my opinion and I like the kid now. I love his fire and passion (he needs to back off the "me against the world (fans)" mentality a little bit though). With the rebuilt OL he's going to need to be a team leader this year.

Also, he was 54% in 2017 and 58% in 2018. I'll take a 4% improvement again next year to get to 62+%.

 

[5-Star Finger]

I agree, but he needs to do it consistently. I don't care if he's 75% vs. Charleston Southern then goes 51% vs. UGA (or other big-boy team we play), it needs to improve.

Consistency has to be the buzz word for Mullen as he works with him in the spring. Franks was very raw when he got to campus and didn't progress meaningfully at all. There were some areas of his game that improved tremendously (learning how to throw the ball away rather than running out of bound 5 yards behind the line - for example) and others that made progress but still have a long way to go (using his eyes to move safeties, throwing on time). Coach has his work cut out for him; but at least there are a couple of guys behind him that should be putting legitimate pressure on him to grow.

 

[78]

I agree, but he needs to do it consistently. I don't care if he's 75% vs. Charleston Southern then goes 51% vs. UGA (or other big-boy team we play), it needs to improve. His completion percentages killed a lot of drives (remember the inexplicable INT he threw right to a UGA defender early in the game?). His running greatly improved the last 4 games. If he can take the next step - which, imo, is upping his completion percentage - I think he'll be a very good QB in this system (a system he's really not built to be in). I was about as negative as anyone could be about Franks heading into the season. He completely changed my opinion and I like the kid now. I love his fire and passion (he needs to back off the "me against the world (fans)" mentality a little bit though). With the rebuilt OL he's going to need to be a team leader this year.

Also, he was 54% in 2017 and 58% in 2018. I'll take a 4% improvement again next year to get to 62+%.

Part of that was due to real improvement, part of it the play calling of Mullen, which calls for a lot of quick pops. I'd like to see comparative stats on his intermediate throws.

 

[Lake Gator]

I'm probably going to hell for it, but that's EXACTLY what I saw when he was running in those god awful spotted gator skin whatever those ugly @ss uniforms were supposed to be.

Missed opportunity. Franks uniform camoflauged as giraffe hide in lieu of gator hide. Woulda been even more awesome than it was.

 

[Homer J]

The light went off in the 3rd qtr against USCe. When he started running the ball, the ffense started opening up. The RB run game picked up due to fear of the QB keeper. The pass game opened up due to the QB keeper. Passes became easier to complete.

I think he runs more this year due to Trask & Jones x 2 behind him.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Part of that was due to real improvement, part of it the play calling of Mullen, which calls for a lot of quick pops..

butters mcnussdrunk call nothing but short passes too, although on third-and-long it was always a play-action.

 

[Gator Fever]

I think once Jones gets his shot he will prove to be better than Franks by a longshot. Franks just doesn't have good field awareness etc. when it comes to passing the ball down the field. With how good our running game was this season and the receivers we have he could have had Prescott MSU passing numbers if he had a good passing skill set.

 

[5-Star Finger]

I think once Jones gets his shot he will prove to be better than Franks by a longshot. Franks just doesn't have good field awareness etc. when it comes to passing the ball down the field. With how good our running game was this season and the receivers we have he could have had Prescott MSU passing numbers if he had a good passing skill set.

Franks has unreal arm talent. Both of the Jones kids have good arms, but Frank's arm is elite. If he can ever put it together mentally he could have a big future. This throw at 11:27 is one that some guys playing professionally wish they could make. 25 yards, while running, on a frozen rope.



His biggest problem is the mental side of the game and we'll find out this next year whether he can get it at a high level or not. If he can and if he's willing to run tough (if comically awkward) enough to put the players in conflict the play design dictates he could be really good and so could this offense.

 

[Gator Fever]

Franks has unreal arm talent. Both of the Jones kids have good arms, but Frank's arm is elite. If he can ever put it together mentally he could have a big future. This throw at 11:27 is one that some guys playing professionally wish they could make. 25 yards, while running, on a frozen rope.

His biggest problem is the mental side of the game and we'll find out this next year whether he can get it at a high level or not. If he can and if he's willing to run tough (if comically awkward) enough to put the players in conflict the play design dictates he could be really good and so could this offense.

Yep he has a big arm that is for sure. We will have to see what happens in Spring and camp before the season but I think it will be a hard enough decision where Mullen will have a quick leash and where if he got injured he may never get the job back. If I was Franks I would definitely not want to blow that opening game.

 

[Jbossgator8]

No surprise we go from 4-7 to 10-3 and a major bowl win because of Mullen and his coaches. The future is bright at UF! Go Gators!!

 

[Uncle Rob]

Franks is tough and tries hard, but he has zero moves. If he is going to keep running, he needs to figure out how to avoid the head on hits. You could tell that he was in some serious pain by the end of the peach bowl. Maybe Toney could work with him on ways to be elusive. Maybe we could hire Doug Flute to work with him. That guy lasted so long because no one ever got a square hit on him.

 

[Sec14Gator]

As to the OP question, NO we are not shortchanging him as a runner/dual threat.

First, Rog, your numbers are off. Every site I can see has him at 350 rushing yards for the season. That is a 3.2 YPC, not 5.5. Even if your numbers are accurate yardage, they come out to 4.4 per carry. He does have sacks, which must be accounted for, but if you eliminate all plays with losing yards (some of which were not sacks), he still only gained 4.5 YPC using official UF figures.

He is at most a willing runner, not a good one. He also definitely got better when he decided to run at people, rather than around them.

Both Jones's should be much better runners. I expect JJ to eventually beat out EJ mostly due to size. He just seems more stout. Hopefully EJ adds a lot of weight and can be a truly dynamic runner, not just a willing one.

Franks' accuracy, especially on passes downfield really didn't improve much at all, because that is who he is. Strong, but inaccurate arm. Mullen did a great job putting him into better situations though to minimize that issue.

Where it seems Franks improved the most is his decision making. 2017 he had 9 TDs to 8 Ints. In 2018 it was 24 and 6. He fumbled 6 times on 58 carries in 2017, with 7 on almost double the carries in 2018 (still not a great number).

It was drastic improvement in his very official Not F*cking Up Rate that made the season outcome better. Franks and Mullen do get a lot of credit for that.