UF head coach Billy Napier talks with quarterback Anthony Richardson during Saturday's win over USF at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. (Photo: Courtney Culbreath/UAA Communications)
Gators QB Richardson Ready to Return to Being Anthony Instead of Tony on Saturdays
Monday, September 19, 2022 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Anthony Richardson is three games into his first season as Florida's starting quarterback. He has led the Gators to a pair of wins, including an upset of then-No. 7 Utah in his first home start.
Still, Richardson and the Gators are not where they want to be.
That is why Richardson and head coach Billy Napier, speaking to reporters during Monday's media availability, faced as many questions about Florida's struggles in the passing game as they did about Saturday's Southeastern Conference showdown between the No. 20 Gators (2-1, 0-1) and No. 11 Tennessee (3-0, 0-0) at Neyland Stadium.
"It's an area of our team where we need to improve. There's no question about that,'' Napier said. "You can tell that. The average fan can tell that. My wife can. She's informed me of that. So we need to get better."
The stats state the obvious: Richardson is last among the 14 SEC starting quarterbacks in passing yards (423), completion percentage (53.3), yards per attempt (5.5), touchdown passes (0) and second in interceptions (4), trailing only South Carolina's Spencer Rattler (5).
Richardson's standout game against the Utes (career-high 168 yards passing, 106 yards rushing, 3 TD) has given way to spotty performances in a loss to Kentucky and last week's 31-28 victory over USF. In the previous two games, Richardson has completed 24 of 53 for 255 yards and four interceptions. Meanwhile, he has managed only 28 yards on 13 rushes.
Inquiring minds are asking what's happening with one of the most dynamic athletes in college football.
Based on the answers Monday, the lack of production is multi-faceted. Richardson is experiencing the growing pains of being a young quarterback, protecting himself from injury in the run game, adjusting to defenses determined to take away his ability to run, relying on a talented backfield to get the job done, and poor execution at times in the passing game.
Richardson's production in the passing game has fans more concerned than Napier, who has been down this road before.
"I think the key is that you have the right perspective. I think you've got to see things from the big picture here,'' Napier said. "We use the word journey to describe that like you've got to play the long game here. Then you've got to have a standard and kind of an expectation for yourself and our process that, who cares what anybody else thinks. There's a lot of plays that maybe we had success on that we can do better. And I would tell you the guy played a really good first half of football [against USF]. We ran 25 offensive plays, and he was spot on in the first half. The second half obviously is an area where we need to clean some things up.
"We ask our quarterback to do a lot, and he's managing it well, and he's going to continue to get better."
While Richardson navigates the ups and downs and the expectations that come with playing quarterback at Florida — as he spoke to the media Monday, Gators Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel listened in the back of the room — he is confident in his ability.
Richardson said no one is tougher on him than he is. He was reminded of that fact Sunday when his mother, LaShawnda Lane, told him to quit beating himself up over the interceptions.
"She started bringing up all these great quarterbacks and how many interceptions they've thrown and stuff,'' Richardson said. "So, she kind of got on me about that."
Richardson has been careful not to subject himself to injury with backup Jack Miller III still sidelined from a broken thumb suffered in preseason camp. Miller continues to rehab but has been unavailable and is expected out of Saturday's game in Knoxville.
"I can't be Superman out there,'' he said.
Perhaps the biggest hurdle he must overcome is finding a way to impact games when the defense is built around stopping his dual-threat ability.
"Especially on our play-action fakes, they're not even going for the run anymore,'' Richardson said. "They're just waiting for me to roll out and use my legs. So that's opened up other things for our running backs, and they can hit different holes and zones. The team is definitely playing like that, but we've just got to play football and find a way to get around that."
Richardson is trying to do the same — mentally and physically. His body language noticeably changed in the loss to Kentucky when he threw a pair of costly interceptions that led to Kentucky scores. To help clear his head away from the team, Richardson has been talking to his mom, his coach at Eastside High, Cedderick Daniels, and mentor Vernell Brown, the program's senior director of student-athlete development and like Richardson, a Gainesville kid who grew up to play for the hometown Gators.
His mom describes Richardson as two personas: the fun-loving Anthony and the serious-minded Tony.
Richardson seeks to get back to being Anthony more once he straps on his helmet.
"That's how I was playing football in Miami, that's how I was playing Little League here in Gainesville, high school, middle school, it's always been football,'' Richardson said. "It's always been about football. I didn't worry about any other stuff growing up, so why do it now and make things go downhill? Just get back to myself and play ball. I can't try to force it. I just have to let the game come to me."
Napier is intent on doing his part to help Richardson continue to develop and showcase the talent everyone has seen from No. 15.
The work takes place at practice and in the film room. That is where Tony shows up. The Gators need Anthony on the field at Tennessee.
"We need to improve in the throw game, and that's one of the points of emphasis with the offensive players [Sunday], is precision in the throw game," Napier said. "I think settling into some lineups, obviously figuring out what we do well, what can we do well, what's the quarterback comfortable with, all those things that go into that. I think we do our best to use his skill set, and I think we'll continue to grow in that area."
Still, Richardson and the Gators are not where they want to be.
That is why Richardson and head coach Billy Napier, speaking to reporters during Monday's media availability, faced as many questions about Florida's struggles in the passing game as they did about Saturday's Southeastern Conference showdown between the No. 20 Gators (2-1, 0-1) and No. 11 Tennessee (3-0, 0-0) at Neyland Stadium.
"It's an area of our team where we need to improve. There's no question about that,'' Napier said. "You can tell that. The average fan can tell that. My wife can. She's informed me of that. So we need to get better."
The stats state the obvious: Richardson is last among the 14 SEC starting quarterbacks in passing yards (423), completion percentage (53.3), yards per attempt (5.5), touchdown passes (0) and second in interceptions (4), trailing only South Carolina's Spencer Rattler (5).
Richardson's standout game against the Utes (career-high 168 yards passing, 106 yards rushing, 3 TD) has given way to spotty performances in a loss to Kentucky and last week's 31-28 victory over USF. In the previous two games, Richardson has completed 24 of 53 for 255 yards and four interceptions. Meanwhile, he has managed only 28 yards on 13 rushes.
Inquiring minds are asking what's happening with one of the most dynamic athletes in college football.
Based on the answers Monday, the lack of production is multi-faceted. Richardson is experiencing the growing pains of being a young quarterback, protecting himself from injury in the run game, adjusting to defenses determined to take away his ability to run, relying on a talented backfield to get the job done, and poor execution at times in the passing game.
Richardson's production in the passing game has fans more concerned than Napier, who has been down this road before.
"I think the key is that you have the right perspective. I think you've got to see things from the big picture here,'' Napier said. "We use the word journey to describe that like you've got to play the long game here. Then you've got to have a standard and kind of an expectation for yourself and our process that, who cares what anybody else thinks. There's a lot of plays that maybe we had success on that we can do better. And I would tell you the guy played a really good first half of football [against USF]. We ran 25 offensive plays, and he was spot on in the first half. The second half obviously is an area where we need to clean some things up.
"We ask our quarterback to do a lot, and he's managing it well, and he's going to continue to get better."
While Richardson navigates the ups and downs and the expectations that come with playing quarterback at Florida — as he spoke to the media Monday, Gators Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel listened in the back of the room — he is confident in his ability.
Richardson said no one is tougher on him than he is. He was reminded of that fact Sunday when his mother, LaShawnda Lane, told him to quit beating himself up over the interceptions.
"She started bringing up all these great quarterbacks and how many interceptions they've thrown and stuff,'' Richardson said. "So, she kind of got on me about that."
Richardson has been careful not to subject himself to injury with backup Jack Miller III still sidelined from a broken thumb suffered in preseason camp. Miller continues to rehab but has been unavailable and is expected out of Saturday's game in Knoxville.
"I can't be Superman out there,'' he said.
Perhaps the biggest hurdle he must overcome is finding a way to impact games when the defense is built around stopping his dual-threat ability.
"Especially on our play-action fakes, they're not even going for the run anymore,'' Richardson said. "They're just waiting for me to roll out and use my legs. So that's opened up other things for our running backs, and they can hit different holes and zones. The team is definitely playing like that, but we've just got to play football and find a way to get around that."
Richardson is trying to do the same — mentally and physically. His body language noticeably changed in the loss to Kentucky when he threw a pair of costly interceptions that led to Kentucky scores. To help clear his head away from the team, Richardson has been talking to his mom, his coach at Eastside High, Cedderick Daniels, and mentor Vernell Brown, the program's senior director of student-athlete development and like Richardson, a Gainesville kid who grew up to play for the hometown Gators.
His mom describes Richardson as two personas: the fun-loving Anthony and the serious-minded Tony.
Richardson seeks to get back to being Anthony more once he straps on his helmet.
"That's how I was playing football in Miami, that's how I was playing Little League here in Gainesville, high school, middle school, it's always been football,'' Richardson said. "It's always been about football. I didn't worry about any other stuff growing up, so why do it now and make things go downhill? Just get back to myself and play ball. I can't try to force it. I just have to let the game come to me."
Napier is intent on doing his part to help Richardson continue to develop and showcase the talent everyone has seen from No. 15.
The work takes place at practice and in the film room. That is where Tony shows up. The Gators need Anthony on the field at Tennessee.
"We need to improve in the throw game, and that's one of the points of emphasis with the offensive players [Sunday], is precision in the throw game," Napier said. "I think settling into some lineups, obviously figuring out what we do well, what can we do well, what's the quarterback comfortable with, all those things that go into that. I think we do our best to use his skill set, and I think we'll continue to grow in that area."
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
QB
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Wednesday, October 15
Damieon George Jr. Media Availability 10-15-25
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Billy Napier Media Availability 10-15-25
Wednesday, October 15
Gator Insider presented by Talon Wealth 10-15-25
Wednesday, October 15
