UF QB Emory Jones ‘excited’ to have Gators backup Anthony Richardson back for Kentucky game

Few are as eager as Florida starting quarterback Emory Jones for backup Anthony Richardson’s return.

Jones has established a nice rhythm with Richardson sidelined the past two games with a hamstring injury but knows the Gators are better with him pitching in.

“He’ll come in and help our offense,” Jones said Monday. “He’ll switch things up for the defenses and make them have to defend us in a lot of different ways. I’m all for it. I’m here for it.

“I’m excited to have that guy back.”

Doctors cleared Richardson to play prior to Saturday’s 38-14 win against Tennessee, but coach Dan Mullen did not want to risk exacerbating the injury.

“When you’re dealing with a hamstring issue … when you think you’re 100% wait one more week and then you are good,” Mullen said.

The explosive redshirt freshman is expected to be full speed as the No. 10 Gators (3-1, 1-1 SEC) prepare for Saturday’s visit to unbeaten Kentucky (4-0, 2-0).

Richardson aims to knock off the rust and give the Gators a big-play threat off the bench as a passer and runner. The 6-foot-4, 236-pound Gainesville product produced touchdown runs of 80 and 73 yards and scoring throws of 75 and 41 yards during limited action against FAU and USF before re-aggravating a right hamstring strain sustained during spring practices.

With Richardson watching from the sideline, Jones rallied the Gators from an 18-point deficit during a 31-29 loss Sept. 18 to Alabama. Jones then rushed for a career-high 144 yards and threw for two touchdowns against Tennessee, earning co-SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

“The first thing that honestly I thought of is my guys up front, the offensive line, because they really made everything happen,” Jones said.

Behind a much-improved O-line, Jones and Richardson’s dual-threat abilities and a talented stable of tailbacks, the Gators lead the nation with an average of 7.46 yards per carry and rank third with an average of 322.5 yards.

Jones, a redshirt junior, has proven to be the consummate teammate. He spent the past two seasons as Kyle Trask’s backup and now serves as a mentor to Richardson, who eventually might push Jones for the starting job.

“Just being a teammate to the whole team that’s just something about being a quarterback,” Jones said. “That’s just my personality, that’s the type of guy I am — and everybody on the team knows that. I always want to praise the guy that does a lot of work but it doesn’t always show up on the stat sheet.”

Elam, et al back

Mullen said All-SEC cornerback Kaiir Elam is probable for the Kentucky game. With Elam sitting out with a knee injury against Tennessee, UF started redshirt freshman Avery Helm and first-year freshman Jason Marshall Jr.

Starting guard Stewart Reese is expected to return after also missing the Tennessee game while fellow sixth-year player and right tackle Jean Delance should play at Kentucky after he left the game last week.

Sophomore Josh Braun replaced Reese while redshirt sophomore Michael Tarquin stepped in for Delance. Both reserves earned high marks with coaches and have add to the Gators’ rotation up front.

“Hopefully not only has it created some depth but it’s allowed those, the two older guys, to get healthy getting ready for a tough road battle,” Mullen said.

Center Kingsley Eguakun also left Tennessee game after a Vols’ lineman rolled into Eguakun’s legs, but he returned. Mullen said the redshirt sophomore is “doing fine.”

This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Edgar Thompson at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osgators.