Joe Burrow might not be the answer for Dan Mullen. Jalen Hurts would be
Florida fans have never been known for their patience.
Maybe it’s the decades the program spent on the outside looking in, the “last and most scary southern sleeping giant,” as Bear Bryant once said.
Maybe it hasn’t always been that way.
Maybe Florida is the nouveau riche, a fan base that became both wealthy and spoiled during the high-flying Spurrier era of the 1990s and early 2000s, when the Gators didn’t just win, they won big, revolutionizing the SEC along the way.
Maybe the halcyon days under Urban Meyer, which saw Florida win two national championships in four seasons and contend for a third, further entrenched the sense of entitlement in Gainesville.
Whatever the reason, Florida’s fans have little patience, even by college football’s lean standards. They expect not only to win, but to win with style and swagger.
Instead of resetting and lowering expectations, a decade mired in mediocrity under Will Muschamp and Jim McElwain’s failed stewardship has only created an even more insatiable desire to win, and do so quickly.
In Dan Mullen, Florida fans — and most writers — think the Gators have finally found the coach and leader to pull the program out of the muck and start the long march back up the mountain.
Gators fans are trying, fighting against their own instincts, to be patient and give Mullen time to rebuild a program that by the end of the McElwain era saw its culture broken and its roster too thin on elite talent.
But this is still Florida, and Gators fans aren’t going to change. They want wins and points and the chance to play for championships fast, and they won’t (and shouldn’t) apologize for that.
Florida fans are smart fans too. They understand football. They know how good Georgia is under Kirby Smart and know that the rebuild will be hard, but they also see a stacked group of skill position playmakers on Dan Mullen’s roster and believe they’re just a quarterback away from turning things around.
It’s no secret. At Florida, quarterback is the missing link, and save 5 PED boosted games from Will Grier, it’s been that way since No. 15’s eligibility ran out nine seasons ago.
That’s what made the news this week that highly-regarded Ohio State quarterback Joe Burrow was graduating and set to transfer so interesting to Gators fans. The news last month that Jalen Hurts might leave Alabama if he loses the starting job to Tua Tagovailoa was a force multiplier. Florida fans want to win, and they think either guy could help Mullen do that sooner than later.
Burrow would be eligible to play for Florida immediately, and there are smart football folks who think it’s a no-brainer that Florida should pursue the former Buckeye, who would have two years of eligibility remaining.
Burrow, a 4-star recruit who was one of the ESPN top 300 out of high school, is unquestionably a good, though probably not great, fit for Mullen’s run-dominant spread.
While a backup, Burrow ran a very similar offense at Ohio State for Urban Meyer. More important, he’s certainly a better fit for Mullen’s offense than Feleipe Franks, who isn’t a natural runner and whose inaccuracy as a thrower (54.6 percent completion percentage) is even more problematic.
He might be a better fit than Kyle Trask, who had the best spring of the quarterbacks on Florida’s roster and ran a similar spread in high school in Manvel, Texas, but is a limited runner and has been a career backup. Only true freshman Emory Jones is a more natural fit for Mullen’s offense, and Mullen has reiterated all spring and into the talking season that philosophically, he likes to bring quarterbacks along slowly and would like to follow that template with the talented Jones.
Were Florida to land Burrow’s services, it isn’t out of the question that he would start from Day 1 next autumn. For Florida fans, the thought of a talented junior quarterback swooping in and saving the day is almost too tempting to refuse.
Color me cynical, or at least allow me to tap the brakes.
Why Burrow isn’t the guy

Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
The reality is Burrow is less battle tested, and no more proven, than Franks. Burrow has thrown 39 career passes, all in mop-up duty, and before you tell me that the 74.4 percent completion percentage is 20 points higher than Franks and bodes well for the young man’s capabilities, let me remind Gators fans of how capable John Brantley looked in mop-up roles behind Tim Tebow. In two years behind Tebow and at times, Cam Newton, Brantley connected on 72 percent of his passes for 10 touchdowns. Spoiler alert: The movie didn’t end well.
Brantley’s coach initially?
Dan Mullen, which is useful only to suggest that Florida’s head coach has a bit of unique insight on how mop-up stats are deceptive and how quarterbacks who can’t win the job at Ohio State might not be the answer at Florida.
After all, Ohio State is a program Meyer and Mullen beat by four touchdowns for a national championship. Is Florida really convinced the answer to what ails them a decade later is a third-string Buckeyes quarterback? My how the mighty have fallen.
I’m sympathetic to the idea that Burrow shouldn’t be faulted too much for losing out to uber-talents Dwayne Haskins and Tate Martell. It happens. The priority in Gainesville, however, seems to be developing a quarterback on the roster, and a Florida assistant told me this week with no hesitation that Florida’s coaches were thrilled with the talent, attitude and progress made by Jones in the spring. If bringing in Burrow can help develop Jones, or if the two can play together, a la Leak and Tebow, next autumn, maybe he’s worth a look.
But perhaps the Gators can do better than an Urban Meyer castaway, and the early reports regarding Mullen’s lack of initial interest seem to suggest the coaching staff is taking the long view too.
Which leads me to Hurts.
If Hurts transfers, Hurts is the answer
First things first. Unlike Burrow, Hurts isn’t available immediately. But it’s likely he will be available eventually.
Why?
Hurts isn’t winning the starting job at Alabama.
Nick Saban can say whatever he wants and we’ll all listen and take notes, but we all saw the second half of the National Championship Game and we all saw and read about spring football on the Capstone. It’s Tua’s gig, and the only question there is how many championships will Tua win.
But if the NCAA, as expected, approves a new “academic transfer” rule that allows student-athletes with a GPA of 3.0 or higher to transfer without restriction beginning in 2019, Hurts, scheduled to graduate in December, would be free to go anywhere, including within the SEC, and play immediately.

Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
The 2016 SEC Offensive Player of the Year, it became fashionable to criticize Hurts and diminish his ability as a collegiate quarterback late last year, despite advanced metrics suggesting he was even better as a sophomore than a freshmen. Hurts is 26-2 as a starting quarterback (Burrow is 0-0), was on average 2 yards better on attempts of 10 yards or more as a sophomore than a freshman (9.3-7.4), threw 8 fewer interceptions as a sophomore (1!) than a freshman (9) and was a more effective runner, averaging .6 yards more a carry (5.6 to 5).
Hurts is 2-0 in NCAA Playoff semifinal games (Florida has never appeared in one) and his lone college losses are the epic loss to Clemson in the National Championship Game and an Iron Bowl where his offensive line was whipped all night. Did I mention he was also a perfect fit for Mullen’s offense?
Mullen had a front row seat to Hurts at his best, when the sophomore led the Tide to a comeback win over Mississippi State last season, easily the Tide’s best win of the regular season and a huge reason Alabama was able to win Nick Saban a sixth national championship.
If Florida again goes the transfer route — despite being burned by Malik Zaire last year and only somewhat less redeemed by Austin Appleby and the competent, but injury prone Luke Del Rio before that — Hurts is the guy who becomes the most important recruit.
Burrow is just another guy to compete.
Hurts is a program changer.
The good news for Gators fans is Florida finally has the coach in place whose record says he can evaluate quarterback talent, develop it, and understand when to go after the big-name and when to pass. If Mullen thinks Burrow will make Florida better, expect him to make a play for Burrow. If he doesn’t, Gators fans should respect it and remember that in 2010, while John Brantley and the Florida program were crumbling, Dan Mullen was winning 9 games at Miss State with lightly-regarded Chris Relf.
It will be interesting to see what happens next.
im sick of this talk about Hurts. anyone who knows football knows Kirby was ready for hurts. Kirby is a great Defensive mind and was ready for that offense what he wasnt ready for was for Saban to throw back Tua out tgere which completely changed the dynamic of that offense and thus the game if it came down to it and Tua had been the starter all season and going into that game UGA would have won and thats a fact
What a moron. If Tua had been the starter all season, Georgia wouldn’t have been in the playoffs, because Alabama would have beaten both Auburn and Georgia (in Atlanta, for the SECCG). Kirby is a “great defensive mind”? Oh, gee, I wish we had one of those in Tuscaloosa. Oh, wait. We always have the very best one. Alabama was a better team than Georgia in 2017 by any measure. Adding a better quarterback to Alabama’s mix all season would have only strengthen the Tide.
Typical Alabama delusions. The best ever in everything, never going to change, everyone else should just roll over and play dead with Bama around.
It isn’t delusional when it is FACT. No other team on this planet comes close to accomplishing what Alabama has in the last 10 seasons. Tua and Alabama flat out dominated the second half of the National championship game. Alabama was basically playing with one hand tied behind its back with Hurts in games against elite defenses, and anyone that watched the games knows that. Delusional would be a big-mouth fan of a team that hasn’t won jack since Jimmy Carter was in office.
I’m no Alabama apologist, especially being a Tennessee fan. That being said, Georgia fans have no right to call any fanbase delusional considering they flaunt around like they are on top of the world and talk about Hershel Walker like he played a couple of seasons ago. Fact of the matter, Georgia hasn’t won a championship in my lifetime and I’m halfway through my 30’s.
And before this turns into a punch-for-punch exchange because Tennessee has obviously been struggling recently, Tennessee still holds more wins overall, head-to-head, more national titles (1998 being the most recent), more all-americans, more conference titles, more draft picks, and have won two of the last three against Georgia.
Andy, remember last year at your house? It will be worse this year in our house. Nothing delusional about that.
Was 1998 more than a few seasons ago Andy?
Not more conference titles. UGA and UT are tied for no. 2 behind Bama with 13.
Seems everyone forgets Bama losing at HOME to UL-Monroe in 2007. Sabans 1st year. UGA played Arky in the 2002 SECCG because Bama was on probation. Any Bama fans remember the Mike Shula years? How about Mike “Lap dance” Price? Sure Bama is on an impressive run…but they haven’t ALWAYS been invincible.
No way bama was winning the Iron bowl last year, I don’t care if Tom Brady was quarterbacking.
Typical Barner mentality. They lost by only 12 with a guy who had about 50 yards passing total, until his final desperation heave. They ran for 5.6 ypc to Barn’s 3.4 In short, they lost because of Hurt’s inability to make throws and Brian Daboll’s shocking refusal to simply lean hard on a running game that was working. It was 14-10 Alabama in the third quarter. Tua wins that game with no problem.
Bro they ran Cover 2 with 30 yards between the football and the endzone. It was horrible play call and of course there will be a wide open receiver running up the sideline. It had nothing to do with the QB. Try that against any QB in the country and he’ll see the wide open man.
It was more than a single play….
It absolutely was. UGA didn’t do enough to keep Bama down and they lost it. But it you wanna talk about that one play, it wasn’t a bad call for the play it just wasn’t executed properly. Even further than that, if you listen to the postgame comments form Sanders, he was looked off by Tua. It was a perfect throw that got there quick enough that Sanders couldn’t get there and with just enough air that Smith (fast as hell) could run under it. UGA shou8ld have never let it get to the point where that could win the game but Tua being a great QB (and being left handed) had everything to do with that play.
Good to see that Gator Neil isn’t allowing good judgment to cloud his emotions.
I’m sick of grad transfers I want Trask to start with Emory jones wildcat packages
Why do people think Saban would release Hurts to another SEC school? Not going to happen, Saban is way too smart for that. In fact, even the worst SEC coach would not do that.
This is at least the third time you have made a similar comment. Have you read none of the articles? Saban will have no choice if the new rules pass.
He just talks out his a$$. This article even referenced the rule and he still didn’t read it…
even more, if the rules don’t pass, Hurts could transfer to a fcs school for a season and then go wherever he wants. If I were Saban I’d grant the guy a full release though. It’s the least you could do after the guy has won so many games.
He’s too busy looking for a way to inject his precious Dawgs into the conversation, and bristle at the notion that they aren’t the best team ever. He doesn’t have time for reading comprehension.
He also graduates in December..
Thanks for that input Harvey. A$$ is likely something you are very familiar with, up close and personal.
Still talking out your a$$…
Marine, you make it tough sometimes to respect you even with your service.
Facts make you not like people? Tissue?
You continue to be wrong and I have continued to point it out. You are the one posting erroneous info. Not sure why you would be upset with me.
That’s why the article notes that Hurts would need the rule-change to go to Florida. But the NCAA is expected to pass the rule- and Hurts- a great student- would qualify for a transfer without restriction subject to the change.
Regardless, the point of the article was more that Florida should stop risking grad transfers who aren’t proven and let Mullen do what he does- develop a kid. You only go the transfer route for a proven dude.
Neil I just wanted to thank you for being an active participant on this site. I believe you are the only writer to do so. You are very non confrontational, which is very different than the last writer to participate in the discussions. Very good work.
Thanks. Important to have civil conversations. Thanks for the comments.
Gee, who would that be? So glad to see Crist gone. He was constantly all about John Crist. How many times did he jump into the comments to point out that he was “handsomely compensated” to know more than us?
Hurts is a really good QB. Is he the best passer? no. Is he a better passer than a lot of QBs currently starting out there? Yeah. Is he a better runner at QB than almost any QB in the FBS? Absolutely. IF he transfers, he would be an upgrade at QB to most teams.
Bingo.
I’d actually love to see him at either Florida, Texas or LSU. I truly despise the Gators but honestly it’d be nice to see the Eastern division have more heavy hitters no matter who it is. I think Texas and Florida would be the better options of the three based on coaching staff in place. Good article
Thank you. Agree. Also hope it works out wherever Jalen goes. Nice young man.
It gets me worked up when armchair QBs talk about him like he isn’t a good qb. He would start almost everywhere in America. He just happened to be unlucky in the fact that Marcus Mariota 2.0 was his back up. Not many QBs could keep their job with Tua chomping at their heels.
It would be just as well that he sit a season if Florida ends up being his destination.
Florida looks to have a bright future under Mullen, but if even half the rumors are true about the state of their S&C, they will struggle this season no matter who the QB is. You don’t fix that overnight, and it rears it’s ugly head in every aspect of the game. Especially on the lines. A great QB can give you some success under those conditions, but no contention. Not in the SEC.
But that’s just one season, and they will still be vastly improved. Mullen’s big jump should be in year two.
No trolling, or knocking, just my take. I’m a fan of a strong east.
I’m slightly confused. You said the rule, if implemented, wouldn’t kick in until 2019, which means he wouldn’t be able to play until next season. What would be different from what is currently in place, that because he isn’t graduating until December, he would have to sit this season. Not trying to be confrontational, just interested in hearing the answer to this.
So to be clear: the idea here is that if Florida takes a transfer QB, they should wait on Jalen, even though there’s no scenario where he could play for UF in 2018, of course.
What would be different under the new rule would be Saban couldn’t block the transfer. Under the current rule, in-conference grad transfers can be blocked by the coaching staff. Under the new rule, players that meet certain academic criteria (which Hurts would meet barring a year of late night, late plates and a lot of Cs) would be able to transfer wherever they want without restriction- and that means grad transfers can leave without sitting a year and play immediately.
Neil, I’m curious if you’ve read Will Miles’ Read and Reaction article about Burrow. I would tend to agree with you that Burrow’s stats coming in mop up duty worry me. Great article by the way.