Three Questions About the Florida Gators Quarterbacks in 2022
Photo: Jack Miller III; Credit: Alex Shepherd
For the Florida Gators, having a stabilized quarterback room will become a priority quickly for head coach Billy Napier and his staff.
Being an offensive-minded head coach, along with a former quarterbacks coach, Napier will almost certainly focus on that position moving forward. He's already explained in the past how detailed he will be in instructing the position and there's no reason to think that the expectations will be short for his first season in Gainesville.
For more context on Napier's extensive history in coaching the position, he was a standout quarterback in high school before becoming a QB at Furman from 1999-02. He would then coach the position in 2005 (South Carolina State), 2009-10 (Clemson), 20122 (Colorado State) and 2017 (Arizona State).
With that being said, there are a few key questions to ask about the position group as a whole prior to fall camp and into the first year under Napier and his new staff. Especially with redshirt sophomore QB Anthony Richardson ready to take the helm as the team's starting QB this year.
Here are three questions about the Gators QBs in 2022:
How big of a leap will Antony Richardson take this year?
This is the question of the year, really. How much Richardson improves from his spot-duty showcase in 2021 and into a fully expanded role this year will be what likely makes or breaks the season on the offensive side of the football.
Though Napier enjoys the ability to run the ball - likely to run more often than throw this year -, it's undoubtedly a QB-ran conference within the Southeastern Conference and has been over the past several years.
Richardson, 6-foot-4, 237 is one of the most physically-imposing players on the roster, at any position, but particularly on offense. With his size, speed and strength ability on the ground, along with his strong arm through the air, he is the definition of a dual-threat player.
Last season, Richardson showed both areas off, but excelled primarily on the ground, running for 401 yards and three touchdowns, while throwing for 529 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions in just seven games of action.
Though his positional as a passer isn't quite as known, he did have a strong showing during the team's close loss against LSU last season, which saw Richardson lead the Gators back within a touchdown, throwing three touchdowns and rushing for another.
His dynamic ability will likely set him apart this year, and with his sky-rocketed potential, the leap he might take could be astronomical. Following the team's spring game in April, Napier made mention of Richardson's progress, noting that it wasn't too big for him.
"He’s learning a new system. Standing behind him back there, it wasn’t too big for him. He communicated well and the ball went where it was supposed to go," said Napier. "The players around him played well. The pocket was clean. Guys [caught] the ball. It was a good day. To win, you need good quarterback play."
Richardson's progress during the spring has been well-documented. He's played healthy after undergoing offseason knee surgery and really didn't look like a first-year starter during the team's spring game, either. He completed 18 out of 24 of his passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns.
Moving into this year, it wouldn't come as a surprise to see Richardson dominate the SEC East, looking like one of the primary quarterbacks at least within the division, but perhaps the conference given his athleticism, football IQ and backed by a coach that truly understands the position inside and out.
Would backup QB Jack Miller be ready to step in if needed?
Perhaps the second-biggest elephant in the room this spring was the program's change at the backup QB position. On the first day of spring practices, it appeared as though QB Emory Jones would remain with the program, likely battling for either time on the field with Richardson or as the team's primary backup.
The program had already sought out and brought in former Ohio State QB Jack Miller III as a transfer into the program, likely to compete for a backup job when the time came.
Jones would quickly change his mind about staying with the program, ultimately opting to transfer to Arizona State, making Miller the team's most experienced QB on the depth chart, tied with Richardson as a redshirt sophomore.
Still, Miller isn't proven. In fact, the QB has completed fewer passes than Richardson in two years at OSU, appearing in just six games, and completing just seven passes for 101 yards in his career.
Simply put, Miller is just as unknown, if not more so than Richardson is at this point in their careers and it's tough to tell whether or not he would be ready if called up.
Still, Napier has long been impressed with the transfer QB, having recruited Miller during Napier's time with Arizona State. Early on during spring camp, Napier gave a vote of confidence for Miller reminding everyone that there's a reason he's here in the first place - experience.
"I think Jack comes across as a guy who has been in competition before. He’s played in games before. I think he does come across like it’s not too big for him," he said in March.
"He’s comfortable. He’s able to handle the good and the bad. I think he can make a play, and then be the same guy the next play. He can make a mistake, and then be the same guy the next play. So there’s some steadiness there that I appreciate."
But, whether or not the team's head coach believes in the QB, and whether or not the QB will be able to succeed when called upon are two separate ideas. Time will tell, but for now, it remains questionable what kind of hands the Gators are in if Miller is ultimately the QB, stepping in for Richardson.
Is the current depth at QB a legitimate concern?
As previously stated, Florida is entering fall camp without Jones in the QB room. The team will move forward with Richardson and Miller as its top-two quarterback, and behind them leaves plenty to be desired.
The program saw redshirt freshman Carlos Del Rio-Wilson enter the transfer portal, leaving redshirt freshman QB Jalen Kitna and incoming freshman Max Brown as the team's primary third and fourth-string QBs. That's it.
Neither Kitna nor Brown has played a single snap of football in college aside from practices for Kitna. The team cannot rely on an incoming freshman, either, so there shouldn't be any question about whether or not the team can utilize Brown much as time moves on.
The team does have a couple of older walk-on QBs in Kyle Engel and Jack Anders, but it's safe to say neither player should be expected to see the field, especially given that the incoming coaching staff is teaching an entirely new system. Their experience within the offense doesn't come into play.
The depth at the position is quite a concern. There aren't many saving graces for the future, nor expected players to take over if Richardson is to declare early following this season. With those questions left unanswered, it will be intriguing to see the program's plan if Miller is forced into action and the other QBs are legitimately left on stand-by.
It's very likely that is not a scenario that Napier nor his staff want to see themselves in, in 2022.
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