Mullen will stick with his QB pick
Gators coach wants opener to serve as a coronation
GAINESVILLE — UF’s Sept. 1 season opener against Charleston Southern will not be an audition for coach Dan Mullen’s quarterbacks.
Mullen said Monday he instead hopes it is a coronation for the player who will be under center for the Gators the rest of the season.
Mullen has not named a starting quarterback even though the season is fewer than two weeks away and preseason camp wraps up Thursday. But once Mullen does choose between Feleipe Franks or Kyle Trask, UF’s coach plans to stick with him, barring an unexpected to turn of events.
“Unless all of a sudden, they perform differently on game day than we’d expect someone to perform or something falls off the cliff that way,” Mullen said. “I’d like to have it that this is the starter and we’re going to go and it’s their job from that point forward.”
Mullen said he does not plan to play Franks, Trask and first-
year freshman Emory Jones against Charleston Southern to determine who should start the SEC opener a week later against Kentucky in the Swamp.
Mullen hoped to have a starting quarterback in place by now but wanted one of them to exhibit more consistency and a superior understanding of the offense.
Mullen noted progress there from all three of his quarterbacks during Sunday night’s scrimmage. Each graded as a “champion” after none did six days earlier during the team’s first scrimmage.
Asked what was different, Mullen said, “I just think managing the game, a little better decisionmaking.”
Mullen and his staff also adjusted their approach to put the quarterbacks in a better position to succeed.
“I think the first scrimmage we were trying to get to show and get a look at a lot of different things. I think we simplified it for them and tried to treat it a little more like a game,” Mullen said. “That helped them. Whether they realized it as much as we did, I don’t know. Instead of just trying to get things called and taught, to get them more into a game flow.
“I thought that helped them a little bit.”
Franks, who started eight games as a redshirt freshman, has the edge in experience over Trask, who has never taken a college snap. Trask, though, is the more accurate passer and seemingly a more sound decision-maker. Each has had to prove he can handle the running responsibilities in Mullen’s spread offense.
Mullen, unlike a restless fan base eager for an answer, said he has not focused on who is gaining distance in the muchwatched quarterback race.
“I think we’re getting guys ready to go play right now,” Mullen said. “And then, over the next couple of days, [quarterbacks coach] Brian [Johnson] and I will really sit down and evaluate who is going to give us the best opportunity to win games.”
Mullen does not want his quarterback left to look over his shoulder. If UF’s first-year head coach can establish stability at the position, it would be a change from recent seasons.
UF had three different starting quarterbacks in 2017, and three times Franks was benched. In 2015, Jim McElwain did not decide between Will Grier and Treon Harris until Week 3. A year earlier, Will Muschamp benched Jeff Driskel twice in favor of Harris.
Whoever wins the starting job should benefit from a strong running game.
Mullen singled out tailbacks Jordan Scarlett and Lamical Perine as standouts during Sunday’s scrimmage.
“Both ran the ball really well. I liked that,” Mullen said. “I think getting into a little bit more game ready form.”
Sophomore Malik Davis sat out with a sore ankle, but was expected to practice Monday.