Justin Shorter discusses connection with Anthony Richardson

Florida bounced back last weekend with a 52-17 win over Eastern Washington, recovering from a road defeat at Tennessee in a hard-fought contest. Receiver Justin Shorter had a light day, though he continues to improve in the UF passing attack.

Following a seven-catch, 155-yard performance in the loss to Tennessee, Shorter took his lone catch against the Eagles on Sunday to the house, outracing the defense on a 75-yard touchdown reception.

That’s all a product of his improved connection with quarterback Anthony Richardson.

“All the work that you do in the dark is going to come to the light eventually,” Shorter said Wednesday night.

And Shorter is beginning to show the work he’s put in.

His production the last two weeks alone — eight catches for 230 yards and a touchdown — very nearly tops any other receiver on the roster for the entire season. Only wideout Ricky Pearsall has eclipsed Shorter’s yardage total from the last two weeks, at 245 yards receiving through five games.

Shorter credits his connection with Richardson in non-organized training sessions.

“Just all the work that we’ve put in really since last year,” Shorter said. “Since I’ve got here we’ve been throwing multiple times, the same stuff over and over and over and over again. Now it’s just starting to show on the field. That’s the work just starting to pay off.”

Anthony Richardson, Justin Shorter connection blossoming

Shorter, who famously noted he has spent countless hours catching passes from his mom to improve his game, has seemingly transitioned to working more with his redshirt sophomore quarterback to get that extra work in.

“I’d say definitely after practice we’ve definitely taken more time and really just tried to focus on details and really doing all the small things after practice so that way it can show up on the field, because that’s the after-hour work,” he said.

The work sure seems to be paying off of late.

It also probably helps that Richardson seems to have shaken an early season funk that arrested the offense in Weeks 2 and 3 following an outstanding performance in a season-opening win over Utah.

Richardson, after going just 24-of-53 passing for 255 yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions in the second and third game of the season, has been much better since.

He and Shorter will try to keep the connection clicking this weekend when Florida hosts Missouri for homecoming at noon ET in the Swamp, with a broadcast set for ESPNU.