QBs, Passing Game Featured in Gators' Scrimmage

Quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson talks to his position group during Thursday's scrimmage at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. (Photo: UAA Communications)

QBs, Passing Game Featured in Gators' Scrimmage

Friday, March 29, 2019 | Football

By: Ethan Hughes, FloridaGators.com Intern

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators football team held its first scrimmage of spring camp on Thursday evening inside the Swamp.

Like the first spring scrimmage last year, all eyes were on the quarterbacks. This time, for different reasons. A year ago, the competition to be the starter was a tight battle between Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask. After a strong finish to the 2018 season and what he called his best offseason, Franks entered spring with a firm grip on the starting job, even if head coach Dan Mullen won't publicly say so.

"That's one thing that's helped me, just the experience and the time," said Franks, a redshirt junior. "Just being able to be comfortable, especially just in Coach Mullen's offense now, is totally different from last spring. I feel a lot more comfortable in what I'm doing and just making reads and stuff like that."

Franks looked much more comfortable, confident and in command on Thursday than he did at the same time in 2018. He completed nine of 14 passes for 138 yards, according to statistics provided by veteran UF beat writer Robbie Andreu of The Gainesville Sun. He threw a 52-yard touchdown to receiver Josh Hammond on a go-route down the right sideline and ran for a 5-yard score.

His only real blemish was an interception he threw over the middle of the field in the red zone to safety Brad Stewart that was returned out to near midfield. His four other incompletions came on throwaways and drops.

While he wore an orange non-contact jersey, Franks ran as physical as he could and tried to make the tackle on Stewart's interception return. He kept his eyes downfield while scrambling, and, when nothing was open downfield, he dumped the ball off to his running backs rather than trying to force things.

Franks said he's primarily focused on improving his accuracy this offseason. In the past, he's had a tendency to try to be too fine and drop throws in perfectly on deep routes, which resulted in balls being overthrown or landing out of bounds. Because of the Gators' talented and experienced receiving corps, he wants to at least give them a chance on every throw and let them work their magic. Accuracy is best improved through full-speed reps with receivers outside of practice time, he said.

"You can't throw routes that our receiver's like jogging, going 80 percent and expect to get better on that rep," he said. "Maybe less amount of reps but going full speed when you're out here practicing and stuff like that."

While Franks is the unquestioned leader of the group, the competition to be his backup appears tight. Redshirt junior Trask, coming off a season-ending foot injury in 2018, and redshirt freshman Emory Jones received the most playing time at the position and bounced between the 'ones' and 'twos.' Jones was the first quarterback other than Franks to take snaps with the first unit, suggesting that he has the lead.

with QBs transferring in and out across country, Emory Jones was asked if he ever entertained the thought: "Nah, not really because (Dan) Mullen taught me it's all about development with me so I try to stay in the film room, try to get better, try to develop."
— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) March 28, 2019

Trask went 11-for-21 for 123 yards and two scores, while Jones struggled in completing just five of 16 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown. Jones added runs of 28 and 24 yards.

However, their stats aren't a completely fair assessment of their performances. They played primarily behind the second- and third-string offensive lines, which consist primarily of early-enrollees and walk-ons. They were often under pressure by the time the ball even got to them, much to the dismay of offensive line coach John Hevesy.

When they had time to operate, they each made some nice plays. Trask's first touchdown was a 3-yarder on a corner route to receiver Tyrie Cleveland. Cleveland got behind cornerback C.J. McWilliams, and Trask squeezed the ball into a tight window between McWilliams and the back of the end zone. Jones connected with Cleveland for about 40 yards on a go-route and again on a fade in the end zone for a touchdown.

"It went pretty good," Trask said. "You're always chasing perfection, and there's a couple things we can clean up. But, overall, the whole quarterback room did a good job today, I think."

Jones appears to have better physical skills than Trask, but Trask seems to be ahead at the mental component of the position. Jones didn't see a wide-open Cleveland down the sideline and instead threw into double coverage over the middle. He also hit safety Donovan Stiner in the chest with a pass, but Stiner dropped it.

"[Jones is] just learning the offense, learning how to manage a drive within the offense and stuff like that and just ultimately become a better quarterback," Franks said. "It comes with time."

Expect this battle to carry over into fall camp.

One of the Gators' biggest questions entering the spring was whether Franks could build on his strong close to 2018. It's still way too early, but so far, so good.

"I've been more comfortable in everything that I've been doing, whether it's been watching film, up there just learning from Coach Johnson and Coach Mullen or even out here on the field, being more comfortable being a leader, more comfortable making throws and just knowing the offense," he said.

EXTRA POINTS

As it's been for most of the spring, the starting offensive linemen were, from left to right: Stone Forsythe, Brett Heggie, Nick Buchanan, Chris Bleich and Jean Delance … Whether it's by design or a byproduct of Franks becoming more comfortable in the offense, running backs Lamical Perine, Malik Davis and Iverson Clement seemed to be more involved in the passing game. Clement had the only dropped pass among the trio … The biggest highlight of the day was produced by walk-on receiver Erik Askeland. Midway through the scrimmage, freshman quarterback Jalon Jones lofted a pass down the right seam for him. Askeland leaped into the air and snatched the ball with a defensive back draped all over him. The scholarship receivers went nuts on the sideline … Jeawon Taylor and Shawn Davis played the first snaps with the first-string defense. They are battling with Stewart and Stiner for playing time at the position in the fall … After breaking up a pass from Emory Jones, Stewart yelled "Quit throwing at me!" to Jones, just one example of the scrimmage's spirited nature … Cornerback Brian Edwards made the evening's biggest hit, drilling Hammond after he caught a pass down the middle. The hit would've likely drawn a flag for targeting during the regular season … Junior receiver Kadarius Toney has always been an intriguing player because of his speed and quickness, but his struggles with catching the ball and running routes relegated him primarily to direct snaps, handoffs and screens. On Thursday, he was more involved in the traditional passing game, catching a pass on a curl route about 20 yards downfield. He caught an eight-yard touchdown from Trask on a slant … While the season is still nearly five months away, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham is already in midseason form. After early-enrollee defensive back Chris Steele gave up a touchdown to Cleveland, Grantham ripped into him and the rest of the defense for several minutes in his colorful style. Grantham's mantra is "fast, physical, aggressive." Clearly, he felt his team was lacking in those areas on that play.