2012 Orange & Blue Debut

GatorCountry.com will keep this page updated throughout the 2012 Orange & Blue debut. We will have live coverage of the Florida spring game throughout the day, with almost our entire staff on hand at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Stay tuned for more coverage!

Quick Facts

Quarter-by-Quarter Summary

Scoring Summary

Quick Notes

Comprehensive Coverage

Quick Facts

Kickoff Time: 1:00 p.m. ET

Radio: XM 91 / Sirius 91

Television: Sun Sports / Watch Online

Format: Four 12-minute quarters with running clock. Clock will stop during two-minute drill at end of each half.

Teams: Offense: Blue / Defense: Orange

Live Coverage: OFFICIAL: Orange & Blue Debut

Quarter-by-Quarter Summary

1st Quarter: Jacoby Brissett started the action on offense for the Gators, taking the first reps at quarterback of the spring game. He led a short six-play drive that ended on downs.

Running back Mike Gillislee looked comfortable running the ball on the first series, breaking off one 20-yard run down the right sideline with an excellent block on a pull by right guard Jon Halapio. Brissett threw three passes, but was unable to complete any of them. Florida ran three times and passed three times on the first drive.

Third-string quarterback Tyler Murphy took the second series for Florida and led the Gators on a 10-play drive down the field. The drive came up empty when senior kicker Caleb Sturgis shanked a 34-yard field goal. Florida ran the ball seven times on the drive, with running back Chris Johnson showing some nice running, including a 15-yard carry off the right side when he found a nice hole.

Murphy threw three passes on the drive, but missed on two of the three. His one completion came on a short 6-yard drag route to Solomon Patton, who made the catch in tight coverage. The quarter ended on the missed field goal.


2nd Quarter: Jeff Driskel took the first series of the second quarter and drove the offense right down the field on an 11-play drive. He ran two read plays for nice gains, and he also showed good movement in the pocket to complete a few passes. On one, he scrambled to his right and threw a 15-yard pass to Jordan Reed on a rope.

Driskel looked very comfortable throwing short to the outsides when protection broke down. He threw five passes on the drive, most of the very short. The drive ended on a 4th and 2 run play that was stuffed at the line.

Brissett took the second drive of the quarter. He looked much more comfortable running the offense, getting the defense going the wrong way a couple times. He made the best throw of the first half when he hit freshman WR Latroy Pittman down the left sideline for a 43-yard gain on a perfectly thrown fly route.

Brissett put the first points of the drive on the board on the eighth play of the drive when he found Quinton Dunbar in the back of the end zone. The throw was right over the linebackers and in front of the coverage for a 4-yard touchdown reception.

Driskel ran three plays before the half ended. He nearly connected with Reed on a deep pass down the field on the final play of the half, but slightly overthrew him.


3rd Quarter: Brissett took the first series of the second half, driving the offense all the way down the field on a 14-play drive. However, the drive came up empty when Brissett threw high over Quinton Dunbar’s head on a 4th down.

Chris Johnson showed some excellent vision at running back on a couple carries to help the offense march down the field. Nine of the plays on the drive were runs, but one was a costly end-around to Dunbar. Dunbar fumbled it on third down, making it 4th and goal from a good distance out.

Driskel took the next series and marched the offense right down the field. He had a 44-yard completion to Andre Debose with great pass protection. He scanned through his reads and found Debose deep down the right side for a nice catch-and-run. The drive continued into the 4th quarter.


4th Quarter: The fourth quarter began with a scoring drive completed by Hunter Joyer. The fullback plunged into the end zone from 3 yards out for a touchdown on 4th down, capping an eight-play drive led by Jeff Driskel. The key play was a 30-yard end around on the left side by wide receiver Solomon Patton down close to the 10-yard line.

Driskel stayed in and led the team down the field for a quick touchdown drive. Johnson scored the touchdown on a 4-yard run around the right side.

Brissett then led a quick drive down the field. It ended on a 4-yard run around the right side by Mack Brown for a touchdown. Tyler Murphy entered the game and quickly threw an interception to walk-on David Campbell.

Florida then went to primarily playing walk-ons on defense. and the offense quickly scored two more touchdowns. Driskel scored on a 1-yard quarterback keeper up the middle after finding Trey Burton on a deep throw down the left sideline.

Brissett helped finish off the scoring with two long pass plays to Burton. The first was a deep ball over the right middle of the field, and he found Burton one play later into the end zone on the left middle. The game ended shortly after Tyler Murphy took a few snaps.

Scoring Summary

  • The Orange team scored first late in the second quarter after an eight-play drive led by Jacoby Brissett. Brissett put the first points of the game on the board when he found Quinton Dunbar in the back of the end zone. Dunbar started from the left side and ran a 10-yard crossing route near the back of the end zone. Brissett dropped the throw right over the linebackers and in front of the coverage for a 4-yard touchdown reception.
  • Fullback Hunter Joyer capitalized on an eight-play drive led by Jeff Driskel when he plunged in from 3 yards out on a fullback draw to tie the score at 7-7 for the Blue team early in the fourth quarter. The key play in the drive was a 44-yard completion from Jeff Driskel to Andre Debose.
  • Driskel helped lead a quick scoring drive a few minutes later when running back Chris Johnson scored on a 4-yard touchdown run. Solomon Patton had a 30-yard end around on the drive. The score gave Blue a 14-7 lead.
  • Brissett then led the team down the field for a quick touchdown drive capped by a 4-yard touchdown run from Mack Brown to make it 14-14.
  • Driskel answered with a two-play drive that he scored on with a 1-yard quarterback keeper up the middle, to give Blue a 21-14 lead.
  • Brissett completed a quick two-play drive late in the fourth quarter to answer, finding Trey Burton for two big pass plays, including a 35-yard touchdown. The Orange team went for a two-point conversion for the win, but Brissett’s pass attempt sailed high out of the end zone to seal a 21-20 win for the Blue.

Quick Notes

  • Junior safety Matt Elam is not expected to play, according to Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun. Dooley reports that Elam has missed the last half of spring practice with a groin injury.
  • Senior linebacker Jon Bostic will also miss the spring game, according to Ed Aschoff of ESPN. He did not appear injured on the field dressed in civilian clothes before the game began.
  • Other players out injured include cornerback Willie Bailey (undisclosed), cornerback Jeremy Brown (knee), defensive tackle Dominique Easley (torn ACL), defensive end Kedric Johnson (undisclosed), offensive lineman Tommy Jordan (shoulder), tight end A.C. Leonard (suspension), linebacker Lerentee McCray (shoulder), defensive end Earl Okine (back), offensive lineman Ian Silberman (shoulder) and wide receiver Ja’Juan Story (ankle).
  • Cornerback Marcus Roberson, who has been listed as non-contact this spring is fully dressed out for the spring game. A UF spokesman said he will “field punts today. That’s all he’s going to do.”
  • Right tackle Matt Patchan is expected to participate, but he has his right wrist heavily taped up. Defensive tackle Nick Alajajian also has his right wrist heavily taped.
  • After stretching as a team, the team huddled up near midfield and Ronald Powell, Leon Orr and Michael Taylor got into the middle of the huddle to begin firing everyone up. The three jumped around and began pushing teammates around, whooping and hollering. After running some walk-throughs, the team huddled up again before running into the locker room. Roberson was lifted up on someone’s shoulders near the center of the group, like Chris Rainey did in 2011.
  • Florida’s use of shifts and motions was on full display in the game. At least three times in the first half, the offense got the defense moving to the wrong side of the field before pulling back and going the other way for big gains.
  • Defensive end Ronald Powell came up limping after a tackle on the sideline in the second quarter. He walked off the field on his own power and went straight to the locker room. He was not spotted on the sideline the rest of the game.
  • Left tackle Xavier Nixon left the game early in the fourth quarter, clutching the inside of his shoulder pads near his left shoulder. He did not return to the game immediately.

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