Emory Jones has completed 64 percent of his passes and is fourth on the team in rushing heading into Saturday's game against LSU. (Photo: Kelly Chase/UAA Communications)
Ready If Needed: Emory Jones Passed Big Test in Auburn Win
Tuesday, October 8, 2019 | Football, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – As a ninth grader, Emory Jones was assigned a locker at Heard County (Ga.) High and promptly beat out three other players vying for the starting quarterback position. He started for the Braves the next four seasons.
In his two seasons at Florida, Jones has played sparingly and never as the starter. However, he added a new experience to his résumé during Saturday's 24-13 win over Auburn.
"Nah, that never really happened,'' Jones said.
In his decorated prep career, Jones was never called into emergency action such as against the Tigers. Not that anyone could tell.
With the Gators nursing a 14-13 lead and a little more than 10 minutes left in the second quarter, starting quarterback Kyle Trask's left knee buckled from hit by Auburn's 278-pound defensive end, Marlon Davidson. As Trask dropped to the turf and winced in pain, Jones prepared to take over.
At the time, no one knew when – or if – Trask would return or play again. He departed the field and went directly to the locker room. The rabid crowd of more than 90,000 turned quiet.
"When I saw it, I was shocked at first because he's a guy on this team that's a brother, that's family,'' Jones said. "I just felt bad for him. But the next thing I thought, 'Alright, I've got to go perform. I've got to manage the game and win it for us.' When that happened, I just had to go out there and keep the game going and put up points."
The plan Jones had in his head came to fruition.
Taking over on second-and-10 from Florida's 25, Jones directed the Gators on a 10-play, 51-yard drive that culminated with a 41-yard field goal by Evan McPherson to stretch UF's lead to 17-13 after Auburn had regained the momentum. Jones completed 3 of 4 passes for 32 yards and ran once for six yards. Lamical Perine accounted for the remaining 13 yards on the drive with three carries.
Rather than a pair of crossing passes to Freddie Swain – one for 14 yards and the other for 20 – Jones pointed to his decisions to hand the ball off to Perine as probably his top plays on the drive.
"It probably went unnoticed,'' he said. "They were RPOs [run-pass options]. I just managed the game. I just handed the ball off and let my running back run the ball and try not to do too much and throw the ball. I thought that was the biggest thing."
Prior to Trask's departure, Jones had already played in the game when he entered for two plays on Florida's final drive of the first quarter. Since Jones arrived at UF, Gators head coach Dan Mullen has primarily used him in a specialized role in limited packages. He played in four games as a true freshman, the maximum number to remain eligible for a redshirt, that included appearances against Georgia and Michigan.
Jones has played in four of Florida's six games this season, but the most meaningful reps of his college career came at a time when the Gators needed something good to happen against Auburn.
"Emory came in and played fine,'' senior receiver Josh Hammond said. "I don't think it was much of a drop-off between the two. Coach Mullen does a good job, an amazing job, making sure those guys are ready to play."
Redshirt freshman Emory Jones took over in relief of Kyle Trask in the second quarter in Saturday's win over Auburn and led the Gators on a 10-play scoring drive. (Photo: Anissa Dimilta/UAA Communications)
Jones played another series later in the quarter as Trask, making only his third career start, underwent tests in the locker room. Trask's mood brightened when he heard the Gators extended their lead.
"I wasn't watching, but as I was in the training room, I kept asking, 'what are they doing, how is Emory doing?' And someone radioed over that we got a field goal and I was so happy,'' Trask said afterward. "[Coach Mullen] is not lying when he says he has multiple starters in the QB room ready to go for every game. Emory stepped up big time for our team when we needed him most."
Jones finished 5 of 7 for 28 yards and added three carries for 13 yards. His stat line is not going to gain him any Heisman votes, but those three points proved the only score for either team until Perine's game-clinching 88-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Following starter Feleipe Franks' season-ending ankle injury at Kentucky, Trask took over as the starter and Jones became the backup. He said his approach has been very similar to last season after Trask suffered a season-ending broken foot.
"I had to step up and prepare even more as the starter in practice,'' Jones said. "My all-around game is more comfortable. I'm seeing everything clear. It's just smooth for me now. I do it every day. I've been doing it a year and a half now. It's kind of just natural to me now. I just step in there and do what I do at practice."
In four appearances heading into Saturday's showdown at fifth-ranked LSU, Jones has completed 64 percent of his passes (16 of 25) for 124 yards and a touchdown. He has added 78 yards rushing (fourth on the team) and a touchdown.
Most importantly, Jones has proven he can deliver when needed.
"I think [what] it just shows to the team and everybody is, 'Hey, everybody worry about being the best you can be. Worry about being prepared when you're called on to go perform,' " Mullen said. "Nobody's shocked by that."
Least of all, No. 5.
He shows up prepared to play. He proved it Saturday.
"The exact phrase of when they say, 'when your name is called, be ready.' It wasn't that nerve-wracking," Jones said. "Coach Mullen, he threw me in the Georgia game last year and the Michigan game last year for these times, so when I get thrown into big games where I have to go perform, it's not like anything new to me. I felt I came into the game and actually kept it moving. We got some points on the board."
