Dan Mullen named Emory Jones the starter for the Florida Gators ahead of the 2021 season.

However, after Florida’s 35-14 win over FAU on Saturday night, there are some legitimate questions about who should be QB1 moving forward.

Jones finished with 113 passing yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. He added 74 yards as a rusher. Meanwhile, backup QB Anthony Richardson ran 7 times for 160 yards and a score while also throwing for 40 yards.

But, after the game, coach Dan Mullen said Jones remains the starter moving forward:

Dan Mullen: 'Obviously Emory's our starter.'

— Edgar Thompson (@osgators) September 5, 2021

Why is Jones the starter still? Mullen pointed to Jones’s ability to run the entire offense:

Dan Mullen said Emory Jones' ability to run the entire offense and make decisions is key for #Gators.

— Edgar Thompson (@osgators) September 5, 2021

But, he also had plenty of praise for Richardson, saying he’s going to be a great player for the Gators:

I think he's going to be a great player for us, Mullen says of Richardson. "He's a special guy with the ball in his hand." #Gators

— Matt Baker (@MBakerTBTimes) September 5, 2021

As far as any controversy goes, though, Mullen downplayed that, saying both players are “nice guys”:

'They're not very controversial guys. They're really nice guys,' Dan Mullen on #Gators QB controversy.

— Edgar Thompson (@osgators) September 5, 2021

Florida gets to tune up next weekend against a USF team that looked overmatched in a shutout loss to NC State in Week 1. We’ll see if the Gators can get the QB situation solidified before Alabama visits in Week 3.

Adam Spencer

Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 14 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.