One of the favorite phrases of football people everywhere is “Next man up”. A player gets hurt? Next man up. A player leaves in free agency/the transfer portal? Next man up. A player barks at a police dog and gets suspended for a game? Next man up.
You hear it all the time. It’s a cultural thing, along the lines of Bill Belichick’s “Do your job”. You always want the next guy preparing himself to play and all your players understanding that no one player is above the team.
A couple of seasons ago, Kyle Trask was the next man up. He stayed prepared to play and was ready to go when his number was called. He will now live on until the end of time in the post-practice speeches of coaches everywhere.
If you’re reading this, you already know Trask’s story. He came on for an injured Feleipe Franks and never looked back. This past season, he led the country in passing touchdowns and was second in yards. He took full advantage of his opportunity and is now leaving some big shoes to fill at the quarterback position. The big question for the Gators is who is the next man up?
All signs seem to point to Emory Jones. Jones is a plus athlete and a 64% passer on 86 career passing attempts with a 7/1 touchdown to interception ratio. Jones has also added six touchdowns on the ground, averaging 5.6 yards per carry in his collegiate career. He has a lot of talent and will present defenses a different challenge than Trask.
So what does Jones do well and what can Florida fans expect to see from him next year? Watch below as I answer both those questions with an in-depth look at Emory Jones.