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Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson addressed his citation for speeding for the first time since news of the incident broke on Friday.
According to a report from the Tampa Bay Times, Richardson is facing an arraignment next month after he was clocked going 105 miles per hour at 4:11 a.m. ET on April 4. He’s now set to face a mandatory court hearing due to traveling more than 30 mph over the speed limit.
Richardson, a native of Gainesville, Fla., has never received a speeding ticket but said that this month’s incident was a lesson learned.
“I know I’m not perfect, but it was a mistake,” Richardson said, per Nick de la Torre of Gators Online. “I was speeding. My mom always tells me to drive safe because I can not only hurt myself but I can hurt other people. I shouldn’t have done it and I can definitely say I learned my lesson.”
The Florida quarterback told Gators Online that he spoke with his teammates about the incident on Friday. He vowed to “handle his business” and “do everything right from this point forward” in order to move past the citation.
News of Richardson’s speeding incident emerged after he dazzled in Florida’s spring game on Thursday night. The sophomore completed 18 of his 25 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for a score.
After the game, he earned a vote of confidence from new Gators coach Billy Napier.
“When I think about a quarterback, we think about a person who represents everything of what the organization is about,” Napier said. “Certainly at the highest level of football, the quarterback is the face of the organization. They set the greatest example with their work ethic, their attention to detail, their self-discipline and their approach.”
Just 14 hours later, the report about Richardson’s speeding citation emerged. The quarterback explained that he didn’t feel angry about the news coming out, but that he was ashamed about how his actions reflected upon those around him.
“When I saw the story I wasn’t mad because I was in the wrong. I did feel bad because that makes my name look bad. It makes my family’s name look bad,” Richardson told Gators Online. “Following what Coach Napier said [Thursday] night, about me being the face of the team and the organization, it makes it seem like he’s lying or contradicting himself. I don’t want anyone to feel like Coach is lying to the team or about myself.”
Richardson is expected to be the Gators’ first-team quarterback this fall following the potential departure of Emory Jones, who entered the transfer portal earlier this offseason. Being the top signal-caller at a program like Florida comes with increased scrutiny, but that’s something the sophomore says he wants moving forward.
“Honestly, I’m glad I’ve got people watching me. It keeps me on the right track and keeps me focused. Sometimes I can make mistakes but I’m going to try to fix that as time rolls forward,” he said. “It only helps me become a better person and a better man. A better teammate. It just helps me overall.”
Richardson is due in court for his hearing on May 25.
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For more Florida coverage, go to All Gators.
