Shorter finding ways to contribute despite modest stats

If you just look at Justin Shorter’s statistics, you’d think that he’s having a very pedestrian season so far.

He’s caught nine passes for 88 yards and hasn’t scored a touchdown yet. He failed to catch a pass against Alabama and was only targeted twice. He was targeted seven times against Tennessee, but he only caught three of those passes for 54 yards.

But the stats don’t tell the full story. Shorter is making a major impact on this offense. If you go back and watch the film of the Alabama game, you’ll see him blocking his butt off down the field to spring some long runs on those option plays.

Shorter, a redshirt junior, has maintained a selfless attitude. He takes pride in doing the little things on the perimeter that help other guys make highlight reels and headlines.

“I actually love blocking because you can really show how physical you could be and how each play, if you’re hitting that DB every single play, mentally, he’s just going to look at you like you’re crazy, basically,” Shorter said. “And I always tell the [running] backs ‘If you’re ever in doubt, just find [No.] 4 and just run because I’m going to be down there blocking for you every time.’”

He believes that if he keeps the team’s best interests first, the catches and touchdowns will eventually follow.

“I would definitely say blocking is a key part in the run game because they can break it outside, and I have to make sure that I’m blocking outside the number so that he has a lane to run,” he said. “I will honestly say I get more pumped blocking because it’s fun to move a person back like five yards against their will. If I’m doing my job blocking, then my time will come when they throw me that deep ball that matters to help my team win.”

Shorter hasn’t been the only receiver who’s contributed to the running game ranking third in the nation. Trent Whittemore, Jacob Copeland and others have also made some big blocks.

Shorter said that the receiving corps’ commitment to blocking comes from position coach Billy Gonzales. Gonzales has made it abundantly clear to them that they won’t play if they can’t block.

And it’s not just about blocking on designed running plays, either. If a receiver doesn’t get thrown the ball on a passing play, he is expected to block for the receiver who does have the ball. They also have to keep their heads on a swivel and be prepared to block if quarterbacks Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson take off running.

“We always work on just basically blocking no matter what,” Shorter said. “It’s a screen ball, and I’ll run a go route, so I’ll always come back and block. [Gonzales is] a big teacher in that, so every single play, if the ball doesn’t come, every single wideout should be turning and finding someone to block.”

The receivers’ devotion to blocking is just one example of this team’s unselfishness. Another example is the way that Jones and Richardson have supported each other despite the fans and the media trying to generate a quarterbacking controversy between them.

Earlier this week, Jones said that he’s excited to have Richardson back in the fold after a hamstring injury prevented him from playing in the last two games. It doesn’t matter to Jones that Richardson’s return means fewer snaps for him. Richardson playing makes the Gators a better offense, and that’s what’s important to Jones.

Jones also mentioned his offensive line first when answering a question about being named SEC co-Offensive Player of the Week.

“Just being a teammate to the whole team, that’s just something about being a quarterback,” Jones said. “That’s just my personality. That’s the type of guy I am, and everybody on the team knows that. I always want to praise the guy that does a lot of work, but it doesn’t always show up on the stat sheet all the time. My offensive line, I tell them all the time that they’re the ones that win us the game. They know that.

“And our skill players outside, they’re the ones that are making me look good. I thank them for that all the time.”

And not just in the traditional sense of catching passes and scoring touchdowns. If there’s a big running play against Kentucky on Saturday, you’ll almost certainly find Shorter or another receiver down the field in the middle of the action.

“I feel like everyone really has that mindset where it’s team first, teammates first, family first,” Shorter said. “And I feel like Coach [Dan] Mullen does a good job of teaching us that day in and day out where all we think about is team. Nothing’s ever personal because we’re just not going to win that way.”