This Florida scholarship QB to wear No. 15 for first time since Tim Tebow

With receiver Jacob Copeland moving to No. 1, the door was opened for the quarterback to take over the number worn by Tim Tebow.

For the first time since Tim Tebow roamed about the Florida locker room, a scholarship quarterback will be wearing his hallowed No. 15 jersey. Redshirt freshman quarterback Anthony Richardson, a Gainesville native and graduate of Eastside High School, will switch to Tebow’s former number in 2021 after wearing No. 2, the jersey he’s worn throughout his entire career, in 2020.

A number of defensive and skill-position players, as well as non-scholarship quarterbacks, have worn No. 15 since Tebow’s departure following the 2009 season, but no scholarship passer has chosen to invite the comparison — that is, until now.

[exco_embed id=”e5869bc6-faf6-4b7a-8c06-b5610c96a8fe”]

“I’ve worn No. 2 since little league, through middle school, high school, 2 has always been my number,” Richardson told AllGators on Wednesday. “But the fans encouraged it and I was thinking, ‘why not do it?’ It’s great for marketing and getting the fans involved.

“It’s an honor to even be able to wear this number at the position since Tebow had it. I know, with this number comes great responsibilities and I have to live up to that standard, so why not try to achieve that?”

The number was previously occupied by receiver Jacob Copeland, but on Wednesday it was also announced that Copeland would be taking over the No. 1 jersey that Kadarius Toney wore in 2020.

Since coach Dan Mullen was hired in 2018, the No. 1 jersey has been awarded to one of the top players on offense and defense. With Copeland receiving the offensive honor for the 2021 season, it opened the door for Richardson to make a change as well.

Richardson saw action in four games as a true freshman, going 1 for 2 through the air for 27 yards and a touchdown to go with 61 yards on seven carries on the ground. He enters 2021 as the likely backup to fourth-year quarterback Emory Jones, but with four remaining years of eligibility, he should be a major part of UF’s plans for the future.

[lawrence-related id=46983,46942,46908,46820,46772]