Report: Florida Gators QB Emory Jones Entering Transfer Portal
Photo: Emory Jones; Credit: Zach Goodall
In a wild turn of events, Florida Gators redshirt senior quarterback Emory Jones will enter the transfer portal after all, Pete Thamel of ESPN reported on Friday.
Thamel originally reported in December 2021 that Jones planned to enter the portal following Florida's most recent campaign. However, that original report did not come to fruition as Jones did not enter the portal at that time and remained with the team through the first two days of spring practice.
Jones credited head coach Billy Napier and his staff with convincing the Gators' 2021 starting quarterback to stay.
"I was really close," Jones said on Tuesday about originally planning to transfer. "But I mean coach Napier and coach [Ryan] O'Hara sat me down, a lot of the offensive guys sat me down and basically said they went through my film and said they really were excited about things that I have done. They think they can make me a way better player than I have shown. Basically, I just wanted to give them a chance."
That chance was very short-lived, as Thamel's report hit social media just four days after Jones spoke with local press.
Jones finishes his just over four-year career with the Gators having appeared in 37 games, completing 64.6 percent of his passes for 3,347 yards, 26 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, adding 1,273 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.
This move will firmly plant redshirt sophomore Anthony Richardson in the driver's seat of the car that is Florida's quarterback competition this offseason. Richardson finished his 2021 season having completed 59.4 percent of his passes for 529 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions, adding 401 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Due to a knee surgery at the end of last year, Richardson was originally not expected to participate in spring camp, which likely led to the staff wanting to keep Jones around for at least the spring. However, Richardson was cleared to practice this past Monday and took the field with the team on Tuesday.
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