Anthony Richardson on message from Billy Napier: 'My heart kinda froze'

Anthony Richardson‘s heroic performance against Utah is what willed Florida past the nation’s No. 7 team. The Gators’ victory was sealed when Richardson called his own number on fourth & two, breaking the plain for the go-ahead score with under two minutes remaining.

Following the victory, the Gators’ star quarterback revealed what head coach Billy Napier said to him in the huddle before going out and scoring the game-winning touchdown.

“It was different,” Richardson said. “Coach [Napier] told me we’re going to try and score right here for a game-winner. My heart kind of froze, because I hadn’t really heard those words before, especially in a situation like that, with a crowd as big as that, so I was thinking a lot. But having the ball in my hand, I feel like the team trusts me, coaches trust me to make a play, to make something happen … glad they trust me for that.”

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The Gators’ quarterback completed 17 of his 24 passing attempts for 168 yards through the air, while tormenting the Utah defense on the ground with his ability to improvise with his legs. He rushed for 104 yards and three touchdowns on just 11 carries, including a 45-yard touchdown run that came late in the second quarter.

While his rushing numbers were impressive, it only took two yards to find the end zone on the game-winning score – a play that Richardson was still trying to process after the game.

“When [Napier] told me, I was like, ‘woah, game-winner, fourth & two,’ then they told me just play it, regular play, one play at a time,” Richardson said. “Nothing was there, I used my legs and we got a [touchdown] and kept the game going.”

Now, Richardson and the Gators will host the No. 20 Kentucky Wildcats in the Swamp in the hopes to improve to 2-0 on the season and against ranked opponents. The UK defense will have its hands full with Richardson’s versatility, but Kentucky boasts a star QB of its own in Will Levis – both of which are expected to be two of the most highly sought after quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft.