I believe in QB Jeff Driskel.

[Swampmaster]

Originally Posted by NoahBeanBizzel

I just think Driskel needs to see the field better, make quicker decisions, not lock on to receivers, and throw the ball away when he needs to. If nothing is open, get rid of it. Don't try to do too much. Those are all things he can control, whether the talent is around him or not. .

that's the issue---can he do those things?

[sleeze]

Originally Posted by NoahBeanBizzel

I just think Driskel needs to see the field better, make quicker decisions, not lock on to receivers, and throw the ball away when he needs to. If nothing is open, get rid of it. Don't try to do too much. Those are all things he can control, whether the talent is around him or not.

But he gets another year. A young player, with little talent at receiver and suspect pass blocking should at least be given one more season before anybody says he can't get it done.

But this "11-2 with Jeff as a starter" has to stop. A brilliant, playmaking defense, combined with a smashing running game and sound special teams were what got the Gators eleven wins. Driskel made some plays, and at times he was effective, but he was mostly along for the ride.

If not for Jeffs wheels we lose 1 or 2 more games this past year.

[NoahBeanBizzel]

Originally Posted by Swampmaster

that's the issue---can he do those things?

I mean, I don't really know the guy. I'm just a nameless, faceless fan. Another bozo on the bus.

My vote doesn't really count.

[GatorAvatar]

Originally Posted by NoahBeanBizzel

I just think Driskel needs to see the field better, make quicker decisions, not lock on to receivers, and throw the ball away when he needs to. If nothing is open, get rid of it. Don't try to do too much. Those are all things he can control, whether the talent is around him or not.

But he gets another year. A young player, with little talent at receiver and suspect pass blocking should at least be given one more season before anybody says he can't get it done.

But this "11-2 with Jeff as a starter" has to stop. A brilliant, playmaking defense, combined with a smashing running game and sound special teams were what got the Gators eleven wins. Driskel made some plays, and at times he was effective, but he was mostly along for the ride.

Can't argue with that. I'm sure Jeff will be better this coming fall. If the coaches do their homework, they will have Jeff ready to play come September.

[theologator]

Originally Posted by gator1986

I've said this all along. The whole offense will drastically improve with being under Pease for a whole off season and learning his system more.

I think the OL will be much better, the running backs more deep and PLEASE someone has to step up at WR.

And I agree Driskell will improve a lot. He studies film and is committed to it. He's learning all the time. It will show.

[theologator]

Originally Posted by Jonas

I love the enthusiasm but FSU fans believed in EJ Manuel too. Just saying.

LOL. They also believe gold lamee pants are cool. And that their stadium is better. And that they are somewhere up there with Bama and USC tradition-wise. And that they add something academically to the ACC. And that being in the ACC looks good for academics. And that Burt Reynolds is the greatest actor of the present age. And that Deion graduated. And that they have talent on the OL. And that Trickett is an OL guru. And that the younger Trickett belongs on the field instead of in a 1982 Camaro. And that a tie is a memorable win. And that Burt Reynolds graduated. And that a statue and stained glass window of the coach they very awkwardly forced to retire was a good idea BEFORE he retired. And that the ACC is a major conference.

[klgator]

Originally Posted by mfpardnor2

I think that Jeff will have a Wayne Peace type of year

Hopefully not the years we lost to Georgia.

[UGator]

Seems like Jeff Driskel has all the physical qualities you could ever want in a QB: Size, strength, foot speed, great arm and willingness to improve and be coachable.

Another aspect of being a good QB is the intangible of being a winner: Football IQ, field vision, making good decisions, not consistenly taking unnecessary sacks or throwing interceptions, and motivating players in the huddle (a Tebow specialty).

His freshman year was a washout (deer in the headlights) with Weiss as a non factor and washout as well. His second year under Pease should or better show substantial improvement if we are to challenge in the SEC and NC venues. He will have more experience, better WR's and hopefully a much improved OL.

If we could put a blend of the Spurrier, Wuerffel and Tebow mentality into all of the physical qualities he possesses, he could be the best of them all. Aside from that, he just needs to take command of the team and lead them, lead them, lead them. This is what all the great ones seem to do best.

[SkyChimp]

Originally Posted by NoahBeanBizzel

I just think Driskel needs to see the field better, make quicker decisions, not lock on to receivers, and throw the ball away when he needs to. If nothing is open, get rid of it. Don't try to do too much.

You have a point. However one of the elements that Jeff possesses would be if nothing is open, he can run out of the pocket and become that rusher if he needs to. I would hate to see that we spend so much time on passing to the point where he just throws it out of bounds when he could have ran for 10 yards. He's built like Tebow. Hell, to be a selfish fan I say that someone should teach him to drop that shoulder and plow over people just for audiance entertainment.

[theologator]

[quote="SkyChimp"]

You have a point. However one of the elements that Jeff possesses would be if nothing is open, he can run out of the pocket and become that rusher if he needs to. I would hate to see that we spend so much time on passing to the point where he just throws it out of bounds when he could have ran for 10 yards. He's built like Tebow. Hell, to be a selfish fan I say that someone should teach him to drop that shoulder and plow over people just for audiance entertainment. [/

I think I'd rather he stay healthy. Tebow was seriously hurt and limited in 2007 for a couple of games after lowering that shoulder and getting sandwiched. Ironic that his worst injury (concussion) occurred in the pass pocket.

[madgator]

The sky is the limit for Jeff Driskel. The physical tools are all there. He just needs to sharpen up the fine (but crucial) points of playing QB.

we all need to not rush to judgement. The kid was a first year starter playing against one of the toughest schedules in the history of college football.

and while he performed poorly at times, he also performed brilliantly in some others which gives us a glimpse into what could be possible.

it's all up to him to put in the work

[SmootyGator]

Originally Posted by madgator

The sky is the limit for Jeff Driskel. The physical tools are all there. He just needs to sharpen up the fine (but crucial) points of playing QB.

we all need to not rush to judgement. The kid was a first year starter playing against one of the toughest schedules in the history of college football.

and while he performed poorly at times, he also performed brilliantly in some others which gives us a glimpse into what could be possible.

it's all up to him to put in the work

Couldn't have said it better.

[socraticsilence]

He has all the physical tools, but that doesn't mean a ton at QB- Danny had an average at best arm but anticipation and touch more than made up for it, the same was true for Leak, Tebow was the only title winning QB we had who had elite physical attributes and while he struggled a bit reading defenses he was a far more instinctive runner than Jeff is while having amazing touch on his deep ball all this in addition to his leadership attributes.

I worry that Jeff is like Mike Vick was when he was a Falcon- so physically gifted that he doesn't work on the things that would make him truly great- his problem is he looks like an athlete playing QB rather than an QB who is a great athlete- it reminds me of when we had Bo Carrol at WR- the hard things are so effortless but the basic football stuff some QBs learn in Pop Warner just aren't there.

[whitelakegator]

Didn't JD play in games his freshman year? It seems like so many excuses are being made for this young man. He's going into his THIRD year playing QB at UF. It's time to shine.

[GatorSean]

His frosh year he completed 47% of his passes, 0 TDs, 2 Ints, with a QB rating of 72.

His soph year he completed 64% of his passes, 12 TDs and 5 Ints, with a QB rating of 132.

It seems to me he improved A LOT from year to year. Not sure why we should expect the improvement to suddenly cease, especially since this will be the first time he has had consecutive years in the same offense with the same QB coach and OC.

[elrongator]

Originally Posted by whitelakegator

Didn't JD play in games his freshman year? It seems like so many excuses are being made for this young man. He's going into his THIRD year playing QB at UF. It's time to shine.

Not trying to bash you, but this statement seems absurd to me.
Jeff was thrown into a trial by fire in year one. He only played when Brantley went down, and had little to no time to practice as a starter before that.
The next year he had to try and learn an entirely new system with a new OC while getting only 50% of the starting reps as Muschamp couldn't figure out whether Driskell or Brissett should start.
This was Muschamp's key mistake in the off season if you ask me. One that won't be repeated this time around.

Ideal situation is to have an established starter to study under who is able to win games decisively enough to get the back up game reps before he's thrown to the lions.

[whitelakegator]

Originally Posted by elrongator

Not trying to bash you, but this statement seems absurd to me.
Jeff was thrown into a trial by fire in year one. He only played when Brantley went down, and had little to no time to practice as a starter before that.
The next year he had to try and learn an entirely new system with a new OC while getting only 50% of the starting reps as Muschamp couldn't figure out whether Driskell or Brissett should start.
This was Muschamp's key mistake in the off season if you ask me. One that won't be repeated this time around.

Ideal situation is to have an established starter to study under who is able to win games decisively enough to get the back up game reps before he's thrown to the lions.

My point is we have some Gators that make him sound like a freshman instead of a sophomore. Locking onto a receiver before the ball is even snapped is a major issue. The bowl game at the end of your 2nd year at a program shouldn't be such a train wreck. To say JD regressed over the course of the year would be an accurate observation. IMHO, they dumbed down a lot of the offense for him and he could still barely manage 140 yds/game. I hope I'm wrong, but JD's problems seem to be between the ears. Are there PED's for the brain?

[Tebowism0823]

Originally Posted by GatorAvatar

For four years. Lol.

You would like that comment.

[Tebowism0823]

Originally Posted by socraticsilence

This, I don't get how we're supposed to "support a gator" but the way people go about supporting one guy is by throwing a dozen or so under the bus- are the WRs and OL not Gators- or is it okay to say they're mediocre just so long as we can pretend the QBs not at fault.

It's not that you can't call Driskel out its just some armchair QB's here only like to point the finger his direction.

[rounds]

Originally Posted by whitelakegator

My point is we have some Gators that make him sound like a freshman instead of a sophomore. Locking onto a receiver before the ball is even snapped is a major issue. The bowl game at the end of your 2nd year at a program shouldn't be such a train wreck. To say JD regressed over the course of the year would be an accurate observation. IMHO, they dumbed down a lot of the offense for him and he could still barely manage 140 yds/game. I hope I'm wrong, but JD's problems seem to be between the ears. Are there PED's for the brain?

You are not wrong, unfortunately.