Tight end Moral Stephens on his way to the end zone on Saturday. (Photo: Jay Metz/UAA Communications)
Five Questions With ... Gators Tight End Moral Stephens
Wednesday, September 12, 2018 | Football, Scott Carter
Following practice Tuesday evening, a sweaty Stephens was asked a simple question: When was the last time you scored a touchdown prior to Saturday?
"Shoot, it's been a minute,'' he said.
Five years is more like it. If the SEC Network cameras had zoomed in on Stephens' face in the second quarter prior to Florida's snap on second-and-2 from Kentucky's 18-yard line, Stephens has an idea what those cameras would have captured.
"Soon as I seen the safety come down, I know people saw a smirk on my face,'' he said.
Trailing 7-3 at the time, the Gators marched down the field and took the lead when quarterback Feleipe Franks hit a wide-open Stephens with an 18-yard scoring pass. Franks was so excited after the play that he received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for excessive celebration.
Meanwhile, Stephens' eyes lit up when he noticed Kentucky safety Darius West had moved up to the line of scrimmage, leaving him one-on-one with linebacker Jordan Jones. As soon as the ball was snapped, Stephens raced past Jones and Franks hit him in stride for his first score since he was as senior at Taylor County High in Perry, Fla., in 2013.
The catch was just the eighth for Stephens in his college career, and trend he would like to see continue in his final season.
Here is a Q&A with Stephens:
Q: What was it like finally catching your first TD pass?
A: I've been waiting on that since I've been here.
Q: Facing a Colorado State team this week that has allowed a lot of points and yards, as an offensive player, how confident are you guys that you can move the ball?
A: I mean, Colorado State's got some good players, but at the same time, I do believe in this group that we got on offense. I think we're very talented on the offensive side of the ball. And I do think that a lot of people believe in what Coach Mullen has got going on. So I think that could help us out, let us have a good game that we are supposed to have.
Q: In Mullen's offense, how has it changed anything you are doing?
A: I just feel like now, since Coach Mullen has come in, I feel like the tight ends are more involved in the offense. Even in the run game – I'm not sure how to explain it – I'm pretty sure you all can tell the tight ends are more split out. Last year we were more like in-line. Now we like split out. We might come down. We're doing a lot of stuff. I feel like that is bringing versatility to our offense.
Q: You had one game last year where you kind of showed up on stat sheet, then it was in and out. Is it just a matter of getting those opportunities?
A: Last year, I kind of feel like they was trying to rotate us a lot and stuff. And I was just trying to capitalize on every opportunity I got. I think this year, really man, I just want to make plays for my team and basically just prove to everybody that I can play. A lot of people will go look at it, 'oh, he ain't this.' You know what I'm saying? But I can still play. You feel me. It's just getting opportunities man.
Q: When you lined up on that play you scored the other night, did you know you were No. 1 option at the snap?
A: Yeah, because that play that we called, I am No. 1. On his progression, I'm supposed to be the first read. And like I said, as soon as I seen the guy that was guarding me come step in the box, I knew. It was like, 'yeah, come on.' And Feleipe knew. You see how fast he passed. It was just pitch and catch.
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