Gators QB Coach Johnson Likes Jones' Intangibles; Harris Exits

Gators quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson. (Photo: Kelly Streeter/UAA Communications)

Gators QB Coach Johnson Likes Jones' Intangibles; Harris Exits

Friday, January 12, 2018 | Football, Scott Carter

Brian Johnson sees a promising prospect in freshman quarterback Emory Jones, who enrolled in school this week.

By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Former Utah quarterback Brian Johnson knows what it's like to be recruited by Dan Mullen. He also knows what it's like to recruit for Dan Mullen.

The Johnson-Mullen relationship goes back 15 years -- or half of the 30-year-old Johnson's life -- to when Mullen was Utah's offensive coordinator under Urban Meyer and recruited Johnson out of Robert E. Lee High in Baytown, Texas, to come play for the Utes.

Johnson and Mullen are together again, Mullen as UF's head coach and Johnson as the quarterbacks coach. In their short time together at Florida, Mullen and Johnson have already made an impact by flipping quarterback Emory Jones from Ohio State.

Jones arrived on campus this week as one of nine mid-year enrollees.

A prep standout from Heard County (Ga.) High, the 6-foot-3, 195-pound Jones is expected to compete for Florida's starting quarterback position as a true freshman.

Johnson didn't start his first year at Utah, but he played in 10 games behind starter Alex Smith, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, and helped Utah become the first non-BCS conference school to play in a BCS bowl.

All moved in, it's official ?????
— Emory Jones (@eXjones6) January 7, 2018

The addition of Jones adds another young talent at a position that already includes 2017 starter Feleipe Franks, redshirt sophomore Kyle Trask and redshirt freshman Jake Allen. Sophomore receiver Kadarius Toney, a former prep quarterback, also took snaps at the position in his first season with the Gators.

Jones is a dual-threat option who passed for nearly 1,200 yards and rushed for almost 500 yards as a high school senior.

"He's got some great intangible qualities in terms of his leadership and his work ethic, his demeanor in how he carries himself,' Johnson said. "I'm excited to get him in the fold. He's an exceptional athlete and exceptional quarterback that had a tremendous high school career. He's got a chance to be special."

Johnson started his coaching career a year removed from leading Utah to a victory over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl to cap a 13-0 season and No. 2 finish in the national polls in 2008.

"I took it and never looked back,'' said Johnson, only 22 when he joined Utah's coaching staff.

He became the youngest offensive coordinator in the country (24 at the time) when Utes coach Kyle Whittingham promoted him in 2012 after two seasons as Utah's quarterbacks coach.

Johnson eventually joined Mullen's staff at Mississippi State, where he helped mentor Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, and spent last season as offensive coordinator at Houston.

Johnson was already familiar with Jones prior to coming to Florida. The two had formed a relationship during Johnson's time at Houston, which didn't hurt in the Gators' bid to land Jones over the Buckeyes and Florida State.

"I think it's huge, because it is," Mullen said. "I think his comfort with us and our comfort with him, knowing that he is somebody that can handle that, that can handle that scrutiny, handle that pressure, handle those expectations and really not handle it, but thrive on it, and that's what he was looking for is to be the quarterback at really the premier quarterback school in America."

The next step for Jones is to get acclimated to the college environment and the nuances of playing quarterback at Florida, one of only four schools (Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Florida State are the others) to produce three or more Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks.

Johnson is ready to help.

He never won a Heisman, but like Gators great Steve Spurrier, Johnson won a Sugar Bowl MVP award in that memorable victory over Alabama nine years ago.

"The tradition of playing quarterback at the University of Florida … it takes a special person,'' Johnson said. "It's a big-time opportunity and one that our room is ready to embrace that challenge and take on that role. We're excited to get to work."

*****

HARRIS SAYS GOODBYE

The final season of Gators safety Marcell Harris' career will go down as one of the most intriguing what-could-have-beens in school history.

Harris was primed for a breakout season and was arguably Florida's most promising NFL prospect when he suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in late July during offseason workouts.

Six months later, Harris announced via Instagram on Thursday that he plans to enter the draft and opt not to petition the NCAA for a sixty year of eligibility.

GatorNation, Love You????? #GatorGang

A post shared by Marcell Harris (@impactxxvi) on Jan 11, 2018 at 3:09pm PST

Harris played in 37 games for the Gators, including 13 in 2016, leading the team with 73 tackles. Harris made the biggest play of the season when he teamed with Jordan Sherit and a pile of Gators to latch onto LSU running back Derrius Guice's leg on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Florida stopped Guice on the game's final play to clinch the SEC East title and earn a second consecutive berth in the SEC Championship Game.

Harris is the fourth Florida player to declare for the draft, joining defensive tackle Taven Bryan, receiver Antonio Callaway and kicker Eddy Pineiro.