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Jittery to Jubilant: Anthony Richardson rises to the occasion

On3 imageby:Zach Abolverdi•09/04/22•

ZachAbolverdi

On3 image
Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson. (UAA Photo)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Anthony Richardson admits his emotions got the best of him Saturday. 

Fortunately for the Gators, his physical talent trumps his nervousness. He had butterflies in his stomach in his first career start in The Swamp but didn’t puke on the sidelines like Utes cornerback JaTravis Broughton.

Richardson kept his lunch down while snatching Utah’s.

“Anthony played great,” running back Montrell Johnson said. “I don’t care what he says. He probably says he messed up a lot.” 

Johnson knows his quarterback, as does Florida coach Billy Napier. And that’s what he loves about Richardson.

“The one thing I can tell you about Anthony is he’s sitting in that locker room right now and he’s thinking about the six or eight plays where he could’ve done a little bit better,” Napier said after the Gators’ 29-26 win over No. 7 Utah. “He’s very critical of himself. We all know the kid’s got physical talent. We’ve known that.

“He’s had the spotlight on him for a long time, and you worry that it would affect him. I think that has made him a better person. … Anthony’s going to stay humble. That’s his first start in The Swamp right? He’s going to continue to improve and I’m certainly glad that we’ve got him.”

Richardson started against the national champion Georgia Bulldogs last season and came off the bench against LSU and FSU, leading the Gators to a comeback win in the latter. 

Despite those experiences and the comfort of his own home Saturday, Richardson was feeling the jitters in the season opener. 

“It was nerves, for sure,” he said. “The first few drives I messed up on a couple things, forgot some motions. I was a little jittery. … The first start here in The Swamp, I was definitely in my head a little bit.

“I had a lot of mental errors today. For me, emotions. [Napier] got on me for loafing half the time. But I just tried to play through and take it one play at a time and enjoy the game.”

Richardson’s poise showed up in the fourth quarter as he orchestrated a pair of go-ahead touchdown drives, the second sealing the victory. Following Johnson’s 14-yard score, Richardson had a remarkable mid-air pump-fake and spin move on the two-point conversion to a wide open Ja’Quavion Fraziars in the corner of the end zone.

“The two-point conversion, I mean, come on,” Napier said. “He did that exact same thing in practice one day. I’m talking about the exact scenario.” 

Johnson confirmed.

“Everyone on the team was like, ‘Why did he do that? It’s not going to happen in a game.’ And it showed up.” 

After Utah regained the lead, 26-22, Richardson responded with a 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Before he took the field on that series, Napier had a word with his signal caller. 

“I just told him the play. Nothing more complicated than that,” he said. 

Richardson completed a five-yard pass to Xzavier Henderson on third-and-4, then moved the chains again with a nine-yard run on fourth-and-2 from the Utah 26. 

“They told me just play it as a regular play. One play at a time,” he said. “Nothing was there, so I used my legs and got the first down. Kept the game going.”

Then came the game-winning score, Richardson’s third touchdown run of the night. When the Utes called timeout after first-and-goal, Napier had another message for No. 15. 

This one didn’t calm his nerves. 

“Coach Nape told me, ‘I’m going to try to score right here. A game-winner.’ My heart kind of froze. I’d never really heard those words. Especially in a situation like that. With a crowd as big as that. I was thinking a lot,” Richardson recalled. “Just having the ball in my hands, I feel like the team trusts me. The coaches trust me to make a play, make something happen. I’m glad they trust me for that.

“When he told me that, I was like, ‘Whoa!’” 

So was the sellout crowd of 90,799 as Richardson rolled into the end zone to put Florida back in front. No more jitters, only jubilation. He finished with 168 yards on 17 of 24 passing and rushed for 106 yards. 

“Heck. My wife could call plays with that guy at quarterback,” Napier said. “His legs are – they’re a difference maker. You saw it tonight. The fourth-down play in the last drive. There’s multiple (plays). 

“I think we’re figuring out here that this guy’s a pretty special player.”

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