Gators expect QB Anthony Richardson to be ‘100% moving forward’

After Florida’s 38-14 rout of Tennessee, led by starting quarterback Emory Jones’ 144 yards rushing, 209 passing and two touchdowns, coach Dan Mullen will have his No. 2 back in uniform for Kentucky next week.

He said redshirt freshman Anthony Richardson should be “100% moving forward” starting with Monday’s practice as the Gators prepare for Kentucky.

The 6-foot-4, 236-pound Richardson’s penchant for big plays off the bench, including three touchdown plays of at least 70 yards during limited action, overshadowed Jones during the first two weeks.

Richardson sat out last week’s game vs. Alabama and the Tennessee game because of right hamstring tightness. He injured it during an 80-yard scoring run against USF in Week 2, and that forced Mullen to rein in Richardson and unleash Jones.

“If we had pressed it he could have been out for six weeks,’” Mullen said of Richardson. “We were very fortunate he didn’t have to go in the games the last two weeks. He’ll be ready to go.”

Defensive leadership: Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate has been there. Now a junior and tied for the team lead with 26 tackles, Diabate was forced into action his first two seasons because of injuries to Jeremiah Moon.

Diabate said he uses his past to guide younger players after Saturday’s win when the Gators trailed 14-10 to a 19-point underdog. Given how vulnerable the Gators’ defense can be, in part due to injuries to Ventrell Miller (biceps tear), Jaydon Hill (ACL tear) and Kaiir Elam (knee), his perspective is needed.

“Prepare like you the starter every single week,” Diabate said. “So whenever you get the opportunity you’re not shaking, you’re not nervous, you know what it’s like to be there. It’s just not like something that you come and you figure it out on Saturday.

“I learned that personally. So it’s something I always try to tell my teammates and I always remind myself, you’ll never know what’s gonna happen.”

Even though the Gators had two major breakdowns — a missed tackle that led to a 47-yard touchdown and a blown coverage that produced a 75-yard score for the Vols who amassed 423 yards — the damage was done during the first half. UF shut out the Vols henceforth.

“We stopped the big plays,” Diabate said. “We felt that they didn’t have the ability to drive the ball on us you know play for play for play. The message I told everybody on the sideline was, ‘Hey, everybody do their job.’ In the second half we understood that, we came out and did that.”

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