Mullen Provides Injury Update on Gators QB Anthony Richardson
Photo Credit: Alex Shepherd
The Florida Gators missed one of its X-factors on offense on Saturday in quarterback Anthony Richardson who was dealing with a hamstring injury. This week, the redshirt freshman QB might be closer to a return than last, potentially able to play against the Tennessee Volunteers, giving the team's offense a bit of a boost.
For now, Gators head coach Dan Mullen says the team will test out everything with Richardson this week again. While the QB was technically cleared to play in the team's contest against Alabama, he was limited to an emergency backup role in case anything happened to starting QB Emory Jones.
Richardson wasn't needed on the day, and if he would have entered the game, his role would be relegated to a game manager. The plan was for Richardson to not use his legs, rather become more of a drop-back pocket passer, essentially the role former Gators QB Kyle Trask played last year.
Today, Mullen provided an update on Richardson, including the plan for him at practice this week.
"You know, through the week, [it will] be a very similar approach, you know, he'll probably do a little bit more at practice," Mullen said.
"He practiced all week and that's what gets into it ... And so, you know, for us, we'll see how he responds this week and hopefully, with the type of, you know, when you're looking at a hamstring issue, we did an MRI on Friday, it came back much better than we thought it would be."
Mullen mentioned later that the QB might be ahead of where they expected following an MRI conducted on Friday. The plan is, for now, to test the young signal-caller and perhaps have him available to play this weekend against Tennessee.
The original injury that Richardson suffered during the team's victory over USF in Week 2 was slated to last one to two weeks, and without any play against Alabama, the injury hasn't been exacerbated.
"There was a pretty solid feeling [that] if he didn't play in the game, we continue, we're ahead of where we were that he would be 100% by this Saturday."
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