On Monday afternoon Dan Mullen stood by his redshirt sophomore quarterback Feleipe Franks following Franks’ 13-of-21, one touchdown and one lost fumble performance in a loss to Georgia. On Saturday he benched Franks when the Gators were down 35-10.
After the game Mullen, once again, stood by Franks.
“Feleipe missed a throw or two, but he’s also getting hit. We’ve got wide guys open, and I’m looking like ‘What’s going on?’ and then all the sudden the ball sails and I’ll jump on him and there he is with three guys being pulled off the top of him,” Mullen said. “We’ll see how they perform this week. If there’s a drastic change, we’ll make a change. If not, we’ll play with who’s going to give us the best chance to win.”
It was a pretty miserable performance from the start. Franks competed just four of his first 14 pass attempts for 38 yards. Franks only completed 9-of-22 (41%) of his attempts on the day before Kyle Trask took over.
This was Franks’ 17th career start and the third time he’s been pulled in favor of a different quarterback.
Kyle Trask finished the day 10-18 for 126 yards and a touchdown. He came in and moved the ball, threw accurately and ran the offense well. To be fair, he was playing against a defense that was content on playing off while protecting a big lead but Trask looked like a much better option at quarterback than Franks has the last month of the season.
Trask came in and completed his first three passes. He looked in control of the offense and that became evident on his touchdown pass to Josh Hammond. Speaking with the media after the game Hammond said Trask checked Hammond out of his route and into a quick slant and then put the ball on the money for six.
Trask battled with Franks in 2017 but lost out on the starting quarterback job when he needed surgery on his foot prior to the season. Franks split reps with Luke Del Rio and Malik Zaire. He beat out Trask again this season but the quarterback from Texas had played in just three games this season, throwing four passes for 36 yards. Saturday was the first time Trask was able to play extended minutes and run the full offense.
“He did missed a throw or two here, but made some good throws,” Mullen said of Trask. “Got the ball around and on time and gave our guys a chance for the most part, other times we didn’t. And he gave our guys a chance and he made some plays.”
A lot of fans have called for true freshman Emory Jones to play or start. Mullen reiterated after the game that the plan is to redshirt Jones. A NCAA rule that went into effect this year allows for players to play in four games while maintaining a redshirt. Jones has played in two meaning he can play in half of the remaining games.
That leaves you with just two options to start next week against South Carolina: Kyle Trask and Feleipe Franks. Last season Franks was 10-of-25 for 174 and an interception in a loss at South Carolina.
The competition will be open this week.
“It definitely be very competitive between those two guys and I think it’ll be a good thing for us cause it’ll bring some juice back to us and that’s something we need,” Jordan Scarlett said after the game.
Mullen tried to deflect from the quarterback questions. He said questions aren’t asked when running backs are rotated, he noted that Dameon Pierce entered the game for the first time when Trask went in but no position gets the attention or means as much as quarterback does. Mullen has to know that.
“What we were doing wasn’t working and the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over and hoping it works eventually.”
Well, you’ve started Franks for nine games this season and he’s ranked 12th in the SEC with a 56% completion rate (only Joe Burrow Nick Fitzgerald are worse). You’re deadest on redshirting Emory Jones so the time has come to listen to your own advice. Playing Feleipe Franks isn’t working; it really hasn’t in any of his 17 starts.
It’s time to make a change.