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SEC Football: Spring 2019 storylines for every SEC team

By John Mitchell

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 01: Confetti falls after the Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 35-28 in the 2018 SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 01: Confetti falls after the Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 35-28 in the 2018 SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Florida: Is Feleipe Franks the guy to take Florida to the next level?

Dan Mullen is a seasoned quarterback-whisperer, and his work with Feleipe Franks in Gainesville last season is among the finest work of his career. Franks made major strides as a passer during his sophomore campaign, and his improvement helped the Gators go from four wins in 2017 to a 10 win campaign in 2018 that culminated with a win over Michigan in the Peach Bowl.

Franks was particularly impressive down the stretch as Florida won its last four games. He threw eight touchdowns with no interceptions, really picking up the pace after lackluster performances throughout October and the first half of November.

Has Franks turned the corner, or was his play down the stretch of the season a mere aberration? That’s the question that will be burning through the offseason for the Gators, and some Florida fans will be clamoring to see more of redshirt freshman Emory Jones, who flashed his potential in small doses last season while maintaining his redshirt season.

While Franks showed plenty of improvement, he’ll need to take another step for the Gators to seriously challenge for the SEC Championship next season and beyond. He was still a middling passer as a sophomore, ranking 7th in the conference in QB rating and 10th in completion percentage.

He struggled mightily in Florida’s three defeats, with passer ratings of 110 and below in each game. In back-to-back defeats to Georgia and Missouri, Franks passed for 189 yards combined across the two games.

The Gators have a lot of talent surrounding Franks at the skill positions, with a pair of talented running backs and some playmaking receivers. Is he the best guy to distribute the ball to those talented players, though, or will Jones or someone else jump up and take the job away?

Mullen has already stated that Franks’ place as the starting quarterback is no sure thing, with Jones and redshirt junior Kyle Trask looking to push for the job throughout spring practice.

Florida won’t be sneaking up on anybody in 2019. Mullen has proved he can win as the underdog, but can he handle the pressure of being a favorite?

Look for Franks to be the starting quarterback coming out of spring and entering the season, but early struggles could lead to Mullen having him on a short leash.

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