The Quarterback Situation

[78]

Nope. He starts next year, wins Heisman, and goes to the NFL.

It is a business decision for him.

Remember he decommitted when Dan was chasing Carson Beck.

He’s like Newton, lightning in a bottle. We better bottle that up while we have the chance and while our improved o-line is intact.

 

[UFHealthGator]

Maybe EJ has a poor start and he turns to AR who balls out. That type scenario is the most likely.

Every time EJ plays poor, it gets less likely that you will see AR, because Mullenzez does not want to make it look like he punished him or hurt his confidence. That's Mullen MO 101. He did that with Franks. He is doing it with EJ.

 

[Alagator]

,... but only a moron of a head coach would sit a generational talent at QB for a kid that brings the same skillset to the table, only worse at everything.

Dan Mullen says, "Hold my beer"

 

[Concrete Helmet]

That said, it's incredibly early in the season and even earlier in ARs career.
I'm not saying Dumbass Dan will make the right choice ultimately.

There is more it to than just this but I agree with this post. 2 things we know Mullen has going for him to hide some of EJ's flaws are the same things he had in 2018....we have a VERY good and experienced offensive line and I don't think there is another team in the country with a trio of RB's better than ours collectively....this can help hide some of EJ's blemishes but puts MORE stress on Mullens playcalling IMO.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

He’s like Newton, lightning in a bottle. We better bottle that up while we have the chance and while our improved o-line is intact.

They arent really improved, much, though Braun seems yo know the playbook better.

They averaged like 7 yards a carry when EJ was on the field and EVERYONE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO RUN even last year.

They were MISUSED last year.

 

[RiverRat]

Gotta get AR healthy first those hammies can be a btch to heal.
Did not like hearing some of the fans boo EJ or Mullen or who ever the hell they were booing. Its just not a good look , Collinsworth said as much on SEC football final.

 

[gardnerwebbgator]

Dip**** Dan will **** it up, and AR will be starting QB for Oklahoma next season.

 

[lizardbreath]

Well Mullen is so stubborn it’s hard to tell. My guess is Emory will continue to get the majority of the snaps for the next 3 games but around that point….LSU could be the game AR begins to get featured more. Maybe EJ has a poor start and he turns to AR who balls out. That type scenario is the most likely. If not LSU maybe Georgia. Once it happens….it’s permanent. EJ becomes the guy who comes in for the change of pace and he will be effective in that role.

I like your forecast, I just hope like hell you're right. It would be great if AR heals quickly and gets a legit chance to win the job on the field. Frankly, IMHO, EJ is not a championship QB - at least to this point in time. If he were, he wouldn't have bungled the 2pt conversion that would have tied the game. I believe it's moments like that that separate the champions from the also-rans. The moment was just too big and we spit out the bit exactly like we did on various occasions when Franks was playing and Trask was available but unused. I just can't bring myself to believe that DM is going to make any real change in the number if snaps for either QB in the absence of a serious injury to EJ. He's seems determined to make his plan to go with EJ succeed at all costs - unless EJ just completely falls on his face against someone like UT or UK and even DM finally yields to reality.

 

[Okeechobee Joe]

Picking up on what Marine 1 said in his post above that further down the schedule in a key game the Gators will be behind and look dead in the water which will force Mullen to pull EJ for AR. If AR can lead us to a come from behind win then he can become the starter. In that case it could be EJ who transfers and not AR.

This would be something similar to what happened at Alabama when Tua Tagovailoa pulled Saban's ass out of the fire in the 2018 National Championship game against Georgia. Everybody knew Tua was the better athlete even when he was backing up for Hurts. As mentioned above by '78 if AR gets away then another statue to a Heisman Trophy winner gets built on another campus.

As long as the Gators keep winning with EJ at the helm Mullen is going to stick with him. It's going to take AR leading a dramatic come from behind victory for Mullen to make the change. Mullen knows AR is better than EJ just like Saban knew Tua was better than Hurts, but coaches are stubborn and loyal to their starters but only up to a point.

I know what you're thinking. Mullen ain't as smart as Saban.

 

[URGatorBait]

Dip**** Dan will **** it up, and AR will be starting QB for Oklahoma next season.

I will take that bet

 

[Gator By Marriage]

I sometimes wonder if it’s something deeper with CDM when it comes to Jones. I think he’s convinced himself that Jones can be the QB, Mullen thinks he is and all he needs is more time. Perhaps other guys he’s coached over the years have gone from bad decision makers to good ones, but, as others have noticed, this really seems to be Frank’s 2.0 in many ways. I also think Mullen really likes Jones as a person and this prevents him from judging him critically.

 

[gatorkev85]

Well Mullen is so stubborn it’s hard to tell. My guess is Emory will continue to get the majority of the snaps for the next 3 games but around that point….LSU could be the game AR begins to get featured more. Maybe EJ has a poor start and he turns to AR who balls out. That type scenario is the most likely. If not LSU maybe Georgia. Once it happens….it’s permanent. EJ becomes the guy who comes in for the change of pace and he will be effective in that role.

With how it went yesterday why would you think LSU would be a game that flips the table in AR favor? I see AR getting the same amount of touches as the USF game unless we are winning by a lot which we never seem to do

 

[Marine1]

With how it went yesterday why would you think LSU would be a game that flips the table in AR favor? I see AR getting the same amount of touches as the USF game unless we are winning by a lot which we never seem to do

Because I don’t think Mullen will change anything in the next 3 games. My “guess” is a scenario where we fall behind against LSU or Georgia and AR comes in and pulls it out. (Not just playing great in a game we would win anyway.) I think an impact like that “might” flip the script. Also If AR continues to play extraordinarily well there will be tremendous pressure on DM to make a change. He is already drawing national attention.

Pulling a game out that was not going well might do the trick.

 

[G. Gordon Gator]

I think people believe he ends up in the portal because Emory is not good enough to go pro so he will be back next season. If he's already better than Emory and still not starting what makes him think he will start next season.

 

[oxrageous]

Doesn't matter what I want or you want. We've seen this before and despite our frustration, it worked out.

It sure did - for the Auburn Tigers. They won the friggin' national championship.

 

[CGgater]

Because I don’t think Mullen will change anything in the next 3 games. My “guess” is a scenario where we fall behind against LSU or Georgia and AR comes in and pulls it out. (Not just playing great in a game we would win anyway.) I think an impact like that “might” flip the script. Also If AR continues to play extraordinarily well there will be tremendous pressure on DM to make a change. He is already drawing national attention.

Pulling a game out that was not going well might do the trick.

While nothing “should” surprise me with a stubborn coach, I’m not convinced DM will leave AR on the sidelines if he truly gets back to 100%. Say what you want about pregame back flips, that’s still not an all out sprint for 80 yards. We’ll have to wait 6 days to maybe get an answer.

 

[gator1946]

Dip**** Dan will **** it up, and AR will be starting QB for Oklahoma next season.

I'd like think once AR heals we'll see him first as we get close to the opponents goal line. Remember Tebow's first year. I'd like to think that after that his snaps will be more situational. Enough I hope to keep him around or take over. If this stupid 2 series 1 series stuff continues, then the team will have problems and AR will have problems with the impact on his future as well. For now I'm going to be a pollyanna and assume they were protecting his hammy. There is also no way that EJ goes through a season without getting hurt. I don't wish it on him, but he's a running QB. Maybe this shakes out maybe it doesn't.

 

[revgator]

From before the very first game Tebow was watching practices and said AR is going to be a beast. Then during two games we saw AR with better vision, better running, and much better passing. What does that say to a team or recruits if you cant earn a starting role by being the best?

 

[Joegator96]

So many of you are jumping to conclusions about AR hitting the portal. Did you forget where he went to high school or that it’s only the fourth game of the season or that, maybe just maybe, he really does have a nagging hammy and that Mullen didn’t want to risk having it be turned into a larger injury?

That being said, I think we have to reconsider the importance of now. That’s really what the quarterback controversy is about. Now versus later, AR’s youth and inexperience versus EJ’s loyalty and patience. How urgent is the idea of big change?

We want a rematch with Bama. Is it plausible to platoon our way to Atlanta? Do we gradually up the snaps for AR and see what happens? Did EJ’s improvement in the second half yesterday earn him more time as the starter, never mind the frequent bad decisions or poor ability to read the field or the kid on the bench with the startling athletic abilities?

As bad as Franks was, Mullen was never going to bench him as long as he had legs, a big arm and an equally big mouth.

It's hard to predict. AR15 has shown a level of brilliance we have not seen maybe ever. Maybe he needs to stop with the game changing 75 yard runs and settle for 4 or 5 first downs before scoring so he can get his snap count up.(Hehehe) Yesterday when he did not appear in the third series I said "**** Mullen is gonna sit him just to prove himself right about Jones" who knows if correct but the thought went through the head. Maybe next week we get to see him perform against UT and see if the results are as good as against the two preliminary opponents. I with the group, albeit small in size, that says chill out let the coaches coach and the players play and it will work itself out just like Franks/ Trask, Leak/ Tebow, Wuerffel/Dean before. The team record is pretty freaking good during those QB controversy's.

 

[NVAGATOR86]

Richardson originally committed to UF as a Sophomore before hardly anyone knew who he was. Even when the big boys like Penn State offered he re committed to UF . He said that Mullen was always honest with him about his role with the team. It sounds like he sees Tebow as a role model and it makes sense that Mullen will use him as Gator 1946 said in situational roles a la TT. Plus AR 15 enjoys being the BMOC in his hometown and he seems like a very grounded young man. Highly unlikely that he transfers.
The real challenge will be getting him enough plays to make an impact while not over shadowing EJ. It worked with Leak and Tebow and can it work again?