Three October losses and two more in November of 2010 befuddled Florida Gators fans that had just reaped the benefits of Chris Leak, Tim Tebow and two National Championships. Tebow had taken his last snap in the 2010 Sugar Bowl and Florida wasn’t ready for this kind of rebuild. Urban Meyer’s abrupt resignation, comeback and resignation shook the foundation of Gator Nation but hope was left in the 2011 class in the form of two quarterbacks.
Jeff Driskel was the No. 1 rated pro-style quarterback in the country according to Rivals.com and Jacoby Brissett was the No. 3 rated dual-threat quarterback. Other than the site incorrectly identifying the skill sets of each recruit, their ranking alone gave hope to Florida.
Driskel enrolled early in the spring and got a leg up on Brissett. He won the backup job behind John Brantley, who fans had already turned on after his performance the previous season. Driskel played in four of the Gators’ first five games as a freshman before fans really got a glimpse of the freshman against Alabama. Driskel was shaky, as should be expected against that Alabama team, completing just 2-of-6 passes for 14 yards but a 31-yard gain on third-and-14 in the third quarter gave a glimpse of what his future could be. Unfortunately, Driskel suffered an injury against Alabama and that set the stage for Jacoby Brissett to become the fifth true freshman quarterback to start for the University of Florida.
Brissett struggled; completing 8-of-14 passes for 94 yards, one touchdown and two picks. Brissett split time the rest of the season with Brantley, who basically played the season on one leg, and Florida struggled to a 7-6 season.
Brissett played in just six games in 2012 and when Will Muschamp said Driskel would be the starter in 2013 the quarterback knew it was time to move on. The decision to transfer paid dividends for Brissett, who flourished at North Carolina State. He completed 59% (458-765) of his pass attempts, with 43 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions. He added 263 rushing attempts for 899 yards and nine more touchdowns on the ground. As he prepares for the NFL Draft, his decision to transfer is again being called into question.
“It’s a period of adversity for people and teams want to see how you did with it and see how you come to where you’re at today and what helps them,” Brissett said. “If they pick you up how they can help you if you come into those adverse situations.”
Brissett got out of Gainesville before the mob turned on him. For most of his time at Florida he was the backup quarterback and the backup quarterback is the most popular player on the team, especially when the starter struggles. That brings us back to Driskel.
Driskel quarterbacked the 2012 team that won 11 games before suffering an embarrassing loss to Louisville in the Sugar Bowl. Usually quarterbacks receive more blame than they are deserve and more praise than they are due but Driskel was only afforded the former. Even though he quarterbacked an 11-win team most of the praise was heaped on a stout defense and the 1,000-yard season Mike Gillislee put together.
“I think he got blamed for a lot of stuff that was really out of his control but that’s how the quarterback position goes and you know that signing up, especially at a school like Florida,” Jake McGee said of Driskel. “I think he handled it with a pretty high level of class.”
Driskel’s 2013 season ended prematurely with a broken leg. Florida went on to one of the worst seasons in school history with a mix of Tyler Murphy and Skyler Mornhinweg playing in Driskel’s absence. The quarterback play was so bad that Gator fans, who had turned their back on Driskel, yearned for him to return in 2014.
Driskel lit up Eastern Michigan and torched Kentucky for 543 yards on 63% (56-88) passing with four touchdowns and one interception. Then came a woeful performance at Alabama, that not only was Driskel’s worst of the season, but also served to show just how far Florida was from being able to run with the top dogs in the SEC. Driskel was just 9-28 and threw two interceptions against the Tide. The following week he threw three interceptions against Tennessee and was pulled for freshman Treon Harris in the fourth quarter.
Harris led two scoring drives, thanks in large part to some inspired running from Matt Jones, and Florida won 10-9.
After the game the media wanted to talk to an offensive player. As quarterback, Driskel was the go-to guy that would speak to the team, but he didn’t finish the game, so after his shower he proceeded to the bus. Florida doesn’t make freshman available, so Harris wouldn’t be able to speak that night. A spokesperson sent Driskel a text message asking if he would speak to the media. Driskel is a smart kid, he knew the questions wouldn’t be easy but he got off of the bus and faced the music. He heaped praise on Harris, answered for his poor play against Tennessee and Alabama and handled it all with class. After the last question was asked he walked away from the podium the same way he always would, win or lose, good game or bad game; he thanked the media.
Driskel started the game against LSU the following week and, without a Tevin Westbrook drop in the end zone, probably would have led an upset victory over the Tigers. His 7-of-19, 50 yards and two interceptions stat line didn’t help his case with the fans and Treon Harris moved into the starting role the rest of the way. Throughout the season Driskel was made the scapegoat. He continued to work and play for his teammates, but his mind was made up.
“During the season, I was still committed to my team and stayed through the bowl game. You see a bunch of guys that transfer after the end of the season, before the bowl game,” he said. “I was never going to do that because I was committed to my team and loved my guys. I was just being a pro about it and that’s what the game is all about putting the team first.”
Driskel transferred to Louisiana Tech and had a career year. He completed 281-of-450 (62.4%) passes for a career-high 4,033 yards, a career-high 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He added more than 300 rushing yards and five scores on the ground. It was a smaller stage but the season served to prove to Driskel that he could still play the game he loved and his teammates were watching.
“Seeing the year he had really made me proud. He’s a great dude; things didn’t work out at Florida,” said Antonio Morrison. “I knew the things he could do being in practice with him every day. The guy’s a great player. This year he really got to show that.”
Both Driskel and Brissett came to Florida with great expectations. Neither realized those dreams or aspirations in Orange and Blue but both did find success, enough so that they’re both in Mobile for the Senior Bowl, working on impressing at least one NFL team enough to garner a draft pick.
“Obliviously it didn’t work out the way I wanted it too but I wouldn’t change my decision to go to there,” Driskel said. “Everything that happened along the way made me who I am so I wouldn’t change anything. We all have different routes.”
Driskel and Brissett didn’t get the storybook ending in Gainesville that they imagined on National Signing Day in 2011, but they’re getting a chance to write their story on their own terms now, something they both deserve.
Driskel really is a class act. He handled his criticizers with dignity and respect.. It was great watching him ball out for La Tech last season.
I know , I always liked him. I wish things had worked out better for him in Florida.