Driskel=Kaepernick

[Go2gtr]

Breakaway speed, excellent arm. Don't see why not.

[UFFL]

Driskel is going to be very good this year, I believe.

[SailinGator]

Honest question - what can the coaches do to improve his pocket awareness? Because if he can't improve it, I see continued problems for our offense.

[bposs]

Originally Posted by SailinGator

Honest question - what can the coaches do to improve his pocket awareness? Because if he can't improve it, I see continued problems for our offense.

Plus 1. We all know he can run, but his presence in the pocket is really bad.

[Minister_of_Information]

Originally Posted by SailinGator

Honest question - what can the coaches do to improve his pocket awareness? Because if he can't improve it, I see continued problems for our offense.

I think we should cut him some slack until he's had another year under Pease, the WR ability level and execution is ratcheted up a notch, and our protection issues are fixed. Then there will be no more excuses.

[GatorAvatar]

Originally Posted by Minister_of_Information

I think we should cut him some slack until he's had another year under Pease, the WR ability level and execution is ratcheted up a notch, and our protection issues are fixed. Then there will be no more excuses.

So the problem is not enough time with Pease, WR corp, OL and poor special team play...etc? LOL

[orangeblueorangeblue]

Originally Posted by SailinGator

Honest question - what can the coaches do to improve his pocket awareness? Because if he can't improve it, I see continued problems for our offense.

Time and experience.

[Minister_of_Information]

Originally Posted by GatorAvatar

So the problem is not enough time with Pease, WR corp, OL and poor special team play...etc? LOL

We don't know the problem exactly, we only know some of the symptoms. We need better information before we can properly evaluate the root causes.

[gatordee]

Originally Posted by Minister_of_Information

I think we should cut him some slack until he's had another year under Pease, the WR ability level and execution is ratcheted up a notch, and our protection issues are fixed. Then there will be no more excuses.

This.

[amangator08]

Originally Posted by GatorAvatar

So the problem is not enough time with Pease, WR corp, OL and poor special team play...etc? LOL

Special teams play?

His point is valid. If a QB has limited time with his OC, terrible protection from his OL, and low quality WRs, the cards are already stacked against him being successful.

Now, that may all improve and we see that JD performs the same. But, the point is that we can't close the book on his improvement until we've seen him get help in those other areas.

[sgtfury]

Originally Posted by Minister_of_Information

I think we should cut him some slack until he's had another year under Pease, the WR ability level and execution is ratcheted up a notch, and our protection issues are fixed. Then there will be no more excuses.

You are the starting QB at UF you are cut zero slack from the get go. You were signed to lead the team and win. Pretty cut and dry no matter the circumstances or team around you.

[SwampFox]

Originally Posted by GatorAvatar

So the problem is not enough time with Pease, WR corp, OL and poor special team play...etc? LOL

It's called experience...he will get it in time or not..that is how it works...kind of like you..in time we hope your "negative nelly" attitude becomes more "positive polly"..but we can only hope, you have to do the work..

[GatorJeff]

Driskel has all the physical tools to be a superstar, but he's still raw, still green. He's 19 years old. He's the same age as Manziel, but JFF has been playing QB since he was five. Just needs further development, coaching, experience and confidence.

[UFFL]

Originally Posted by sgtfury

You are the starting QB at UF you are cut zero slack from the get go. You were signed to lead the team and win. Pretty cut and dry no matter the circumstances or team around you.

He led the team to 11 wins in 13 tries. Sounds damn good to me

[Minister_of_Information]

Originally Posted by sgtfury

You are the starting QB at UF you are cut zero slack from the get go. You were signed to lead the team and win. Pretty cut and dry no matter the circumstances or team around you.

No doubt many feel the same. Poor buggers.

[Lawdog88]

The notion that some think / imply that this kid does not have it between the ears, is laughable.

Kid is articulate, poised, and obviously intelligent.

If anything, I think he simply tried TOO hard TOO often, instead of "relaxing" in the right way. We all know he can count to two Mississippi in his head just like anybody else. He just needs to be coached up and get more experience.

Kid is a gamer with a big heart, a team player, and plays hurt without complaining. I'm all in with Jeff.

[rserina]

Originally Posted by SailinGator

Honest question - what can the coaches do to improve his pocket awareness? Because if he can't improve it, I see continued problems for our offense.

It is a thoroughly valid question, but there is a danger in taking these things as mortal flaws as many on these boards do. There is also a danger in taking the last game of the season as more indicative of his play over the course of a season than it actually was.

Part of the problem this year was the quality of pass rush we faced. Texas A&M, LSU, South Carolina, Georgia, and FSU all had either great team rushes or great individual rushes. That not only bothers a young quarterback during the course of a game, but can carry over in terms of shaking his confidence, making him hear footsteps, etc. Our schedule this year should afford him a little less of that consistent pressure.

Another problem was the new offense. It is easy to say by the end of the year Driskel should have complete command of it, but when you are learning your second system in as many years things just aren't that simple. We were still adding to the offense heading in December. A little more absorption will help.

Yet another problem was Driskel's own fit for the system. The kid by all accounts did not receive great coaching as a signal caller at the prep level (if you recall, most of his film was running around and making plays when everything else broke down). He was recruited for a spread option system, spent his first year learning a more pro style, two tight end type of look, then went to more of a multiple heavy set/imbalanced line sort of an offense. We integrated some read option to make him comfortable and it worked well at times. But he just isn't a natural pocket passer. That's not his game, so the staff will certainly adjust the system to bring out what he does best since the offense will pretty much revolve around him next year.

One more issue was the talent around him, in particular the lack of pass protection and ability to beat man coverage at receiver. Teams weren't afraid to play bump and run us last year with a safety up in the box because our receivers weren't beating their jams. It was complicated by the fact that our line just wasn't very good in pass protection. Harrison I thought was the best on the year. Halapio is a great run blocker, but not as good in protection. Green I thought did not play as well as he is capable of. Nixon and Wilson were obviously weak links on the left side. Hopefully the influx of OL transfers and maturation of some of the younger guys, along with the arrival of some pretty nice freshman receivers and the last gasp of Debose to take bull by the horns will ameliorate this tandem problem. I am less optimistic about it happening in 2013 than I am in 2014.

Finally, some of the blame for the sacks reflects what the staff expressly dictated to Driskel: don't throw interceptions. We committed 15 turnovers on the season, nine alone in our two losses. The staff knew our best chance of success this season was to rely on a strong rushing attack and stellar defense and special teams. That also meant the worst thing Driskel could do was throw a dangerous pass. Though he may not be natural pocker passer, Driskel is very cerebral and responds very well to coaching. For instance, he nearly eliminated those scrambles into the boundary that hurt him so often early in the year. His willingness to take a sack rather than throw a contested ball directly resulted in a minimum of interceptions (5) and an efficient completion percentage (63.7%). Four of his five interceptions came in our two losses, but he only threw one pick the rest of the season. Given the sort of defenses we can expect here under Muschamp, I think this staff will make the trade of interceptions for sacks ever day of the week plus Saturdays (for obvious reasons).

So, I think it is a fair question to ask, but you also have to balance that out with what Driskel did well and what sort of obstacles he faced. Most of those obstacles will be removed or at least reduced this year. I am still skeptical that our playmaking at receiver has sufficiently improved to provide Driskel with easy throws against softer coverage or to make coordinators less likely to send pressure the way they did a year ago. That, in my opinion, will have to wait for 2014. But without question Driskel will be improved next year on the other counts.

[pcolafan]

Valid points or excuses depending on your perception. But why did our offense....including Driskel....look so aweful against the cupcakes and lesser teams we played this season. We played several games where we had the distinct mechanical advantage and completely laid an egg on offense.

[Minister_of_Information]

Originally Posted by pcolafan

Valid points or excuses depending on your perception. But why did our offense....including Driskel....look so aweful against the cupcakes and lesser teams we played this season. We played several games where we had the distinct mechanical advantage and completely laid an egg on offense.

Um. Injuries?

[theghost]

Yeah, Manziel needs more time with his new coaching staff too....