Gators quarterback Feleipe Franks rushed for two touchdowns in Florida's comeback from a 17-point deficit Saturday. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
Fiery Franks Responds to Critics in Only Way That Matters
Saturday, November 10, 2018 | Football, Scott Carter
Share:
By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The fire burned inside his gut for seven days.
The boos that erupted a week ago when Gators starting quarterback Feleipe Franks was benched in a 21-point Homecoming loss to Missouri carried over to social media in the ensuing days. Nasty tweets by strangers armed with a keyboard. Critical comments by fans and media. It was all out there for everyone to see.
Franks even stoked the fire, responding to a tweet by his former teammate, ex-Gators quarterback Luke Del Rio, with a thumbs-up emoji when Del Rio suggested UF head coach Dan Mullen was in danger of losing the fan base if he started Franks on Saturday against South Carolina.
Del Rio's comments seemingly did not sit well with some of Franks' teammates, too.
"Luke Del Rio is the past,'' defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson said. "A lot of people have doubted [Feleipe] since he's been here, talking crazy about him."
Based on his demeanor Saturday, Franks stewed as his job appeared in jeopardy until Kyle Trask, who replaced him in the Missouri loss, suffered a season-ending broken foot on Wednesday. Trask's injury paved the way for Franks to keep his job and attempt to quiet the critics, an impossible task if you venture onto social media.
Quarterback Feleipe Franks was the center of attention in Saturday's win over South Carolina. (Photo: Matt Stamey/UAA Communications)
As the Gators prepared for a gut-check game against the Gamecocks with a two-game losing streak, Mullen pulled aside Franks and warned him of the coming storm.
"I told him, you're going to get booed,'' Mullen said.
Sure enough, when the Gators struggled on their opening series Saturday, already down 7-0, Franks was stuck in an echo chamber after his third-down pass to Josh Hammond sailed high and bounced off a South Carolina defensive back well beyond the target.
By the time he took another snap, South Carolina led 14-0 and you wondered how long before Mullen might have to go to true freshman Emory Jones. Mullen said after Florida's 35-31 comeback win from a 17-point second-half deficit that prior to Trask's injury, he had not made up his mind whether Franks or Trask would start.
Trask's injury settled the matter, leaving Franks with new life. The fire inside burst from his No. 13 jersey when Franks capped an eight-play, 69-yard scoring drive with a 10-yard touchdown run midway in the second quarter that tied the game 14-all.
Franks then did something that sent a different kind of buzz across social media. He balled up his right fist, unfurled his index finger and brought it up to his facemask, as if to shush the crowd.
"He's shushing the crowd, telling them we're not going anywhere and I'm going to continue to lead this team," Gardner-Johnson said. "He led us to a victory. You ain't shush them, they're going to hate you. So at the end of the day he went out and competed, he did what he's supposed to do."
Mullen wasn't thrilled by Franks' gesture aimed at his critics, even less-pleased at Franks paying attention to them anyway.
Mullen has been down this path before at UF.
He recalled Saturday at trying to teach the same lessons to Chris Leak when fans used to boo him in 2006 when Leak would give way in spurts to then-freshman sensation Tim Tebow and re-enter.
Of course, Twitter was just an infant back then.
"You know what bothers me a lot more? Stay the hell off social media if you're a starting quarterback,'' Mullen said. "Unless it's for your amusement. Don't worry about anything that is not going to help us win the football game."
Whether Franks should have done it or not – he made the gesture again after his 1-yard plunge in the fourth quarter on fourth-and-goal gave the Gators their first lead – is certain to ignite more responses from his Internet opponents.
But if you are a Gators fan, angry Feleipe might be the best Feleipe. If anyone doubts Franks ran with extra vigor Saturday, he dispelled those rumors.
"Yeah, I was," he said of being angry. "I don't think it's anger, it's just emotion. It's just being a competitor. I'm a super emotional player and that's what makes it a two-way street. A lot of people are going to like me and a lot of people are not going to like me."
Franks admitted flashing the "shush" sign toward fans was probably not his best moment and offered an apology. Still, with Franks, what you see is what you get.
Since the day Mullen took over and watched the 6-foot-6, 240-pound Franks in action, he has repeatedly talked about his arm talent and physical gifts that you can't coach. The mental conditioning is where Mullen and quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson have worked the most on Franks.
He entered Saturday's game with only 189 yards passing the past two games with a touchdown and an interception. He was more efficient against the Gamecocks, completing 15 of 21 for 161 yards. Franks added 60 yards on the ground, reduced to 36 when two sacks and a bad snap for a 10-yard loss are factored into the equation.
Running back Jordan Scarlett chipped in a career-high 159 yards as the Gators ground up Will Muschamp's defense for a season-high 367 yards. Scarlett tries to stay away from the cesspool social media can become when the team isn't winning.
If Franks takes a different approach, so be it. It seemed to work Saturday.
"I guess for him it was kind of a motivation that he had to prove himself today, and he did," Scarlett said.
On a day Franks had the final word, he left the field to cheers and high-fives. As he entered the tunnel, some of his teammates gathered round as if entertained by the scene, relishing in their quarterback's redemption.
One day a goat, the next a hero.
"It would be a good game for Feleipe to grow off of,'' Mullen said. "He's still a young guy."
To start, Franks should ignore the Twittersphere and leave it all on the field. That is where he was his best Saturday.
Florida Football | Jadan Baugh Media Availability | Ole MissFlorida Football | Jadan Baugh Media Availability | Ole Miss
Monday, November 10
Florida Football | Interim Head Coach Billy Gonzales Media Availability | Ole MissFlorida Football | Interim Head Coach Billy Gonzales Media Availability | Ole Miss
Monday, November 10
Florida Football | Devin Moore Media Availability | Ole MissFlorida Football | Devin Moore Media Availability | Ole Miss
Monday, November 10
Jadan Baugh Media Availability 11-10-25Jadan Baugh Media Availability 11-10-25
