Gary Danielson shares how Florida can pull off upset win against Alabama
By Jake Rill
Published:
It’s not a secret: Florida will face a great challenge on Saturday trying to upset Alabama. But it’s not an impossible task, especially with the Gators hosting the game in The Swamp.
However, what exactly will it take for No. 11 Florida to beat No. 1 Alabama? Gary Danielson, who will be on the CBS broadcast team for the matchup, broke down the key to the Gators’ potential success during an appearance on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP 105.5 this week.
“Florida has to run their quarterback,” Danielson told Mark Heim of AL.com. “It has to be part of their offense. If they can’t run their quarterback, their offense is going to break down. …
“I’ve witnessed maybe 8 or 10 [Alabama] losses we’ve done. In all those losses, quarterback play was exceptional. That’s the key to the game.”
The Gators won’t have only 1 player taking snaps at QB, though. They’re continuing to split time between redshirt junior Emory Jones and redshirt freshman Anthony Richardson early in the season. While Jones has started, Richardson brings another dynamic to the offense with his impressive speed.
Considering Danielson said Florida needs its quarterback to run against Alabama, that would seem to indicate Richardson would play an important role. But Danielson has also been impressed with Jones.
“Emory’s a very talented football player,” Danielson told Heim. “He more fits the experienced play calling that [Florida coach] Dan [Mullen] has used in the past. …
“I, frankly, was surprised when I turned on the tape expecting to see a train wreck. He made some mistakes, but he’s a very talented player at quarterback. If he’s on his game, he’ll give any defense problems.”
If Jones and Richardson play well, perhaps Florida will end its 7-game losing streak against Alabama, a skid that began in 2009.
Florida and Alabama are set to kick off on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.
Jake Rill contributes to news coverage for Saturday Down South. He has covered the SEC since 2016.
