Florida Gators Football: It needs to be Treon time

By his own standards, Jeff Driskel had just another mediocre performance against LSU in a 30-27 loss on Saturday night.

The stat line shows two interceptions — the first an underthrown deep ball to Demarcus Robinson. That’s on Driskel. The other was an ill-timed slant pass to Latroy Pittman that ended up being tipped and intercepted, setting up LSU’s eventual game-winning field goal. The pass was solid, the decision to leave Pittman hanging out to dry on that pattern and trying to squeeze the ball into that window, risky.

Driskel was asked to do so much this week for Florida to get a win. He carried the ball 21 times for 71 yards and a score but the same inconsistency — or even worse, his consistency to be mediocre — is what plagued the Gators in the end.

“We never got anything going much other than Jeff [Driskel] with the running game,” Muschamp said after the game. “We have to continue to search for consistency when throwing and catching the football.”

With the loss to LSU, the Florida Gators are no longer driving the bus that holds their fate in the SEC. Even if the Gators win out, they would need Kentucky to lose at least one more SEC game or Kentucky, yes the basketball school from the Bluegrass State would represent the SEC East in Atlanta if both the Gators and Wildcats win out.

So here we sit. Florida is 2-2 in league play and there is no way Will Muschamp survives the season if the Gators fall out of the race in the SEC East. The Gators will host Missouri this week with a bye week and Georgia staring them down in the two weeks to come.

A loss in either week would set Florida back and all but render them spectators this season.

This is why the call needs to be made. It’s time to make the switch at quarterback.

Driskel played about as good of a game as he’s going to against LSU. His physicality was huge in the running game and about the only thing that Florida had going for them offensively.

However, Driskel’s last 11 quarters consist of six interceptions on just 27-of-66 (40.1%) passing.

Driskel can’t catch the ball for Tevin Westbrook. Had Westbrook caught a fourth quarter pass in the end zone we would be sitting here talking about how Driskel led a game-winning touchdown drive.

It’s not about one play though. It’s the summation of watching Driskel play for years. You know what you’re going to get with Driskel — it’s probably why Muschamp feels comfortable playing Driskel — he knows what to expect. At times it’s better to go with the evil that you know over the evil that you don’t.

That time is over.

Will Muschamp’s job is on the line next week and the week after. The Florida Gators still have an opportunity to bounce back this season.

With all the distractions surrounding Florida this week, the team rallied around Driskel. They played hard for him but in the end they found a way to lose.

A week earlier, Treon Harris was inserted into the game against Tennessee and although his play was not outstanding, he gave the team a boost and led two scoring drives to win the game.

Harris watched the LSU game sitting next to his offensive coordinator. High above the field, away from cameras that would have been pointed directly at him, recounting the allegations that, apparently wrongfully, smeared his name all week.

He sat there with a different perspective. He was able to watch the game from a different vantage point and listen in to his coach as he called plays and managed the offense.

Next week, he’ll be on the field and if the Gators want to turn things around, it should be Harris taking the first snap at quarterback against Missouri.

Nick de la Torre
A South Florida native, Nick developed a passion for all things sports at a very young age. His love for baseball was solidified when he saw Al Leiter’s no-hitter for the Marlins live in May of 1996. He was able to play baseball in college but quickly realized there isn’t much of a market for short, slow outfielders that hit around the Mendoza line. Wanting to continue with sports in some capacity he studied journalism at the University of Central Florida. Nick got his first start in the business as an intern for a website covering all things related to the NFL draft before spending two seasons covering the Florida football team at Bleacher Report. That job led him to GatorCountry. When he isn’t covering Gator sports, Nick enjoys hitting way too many shots on the golf course, attempting to keep up with his favorite t.v. shows and watching the Heat, Dolphins and Marlins. Follow him on twitter @NickdelatorreGC

3 COMMENTS

  1. You also forgot to mention Driskel fumble early in game. So 3 turnovers!! It’s a broken record: Muschamp playing not to lose(first and goal from the 2, and we settle for a FG- he said it himself .. You think Les Miles goes for it on 4 th down??).. And Driskel is what he is: a turnover machine. Our head coach is now 26-19 and has been given enough time. He will NEVER win big in the SEC with his conservative approach and sticking with a QB like this.

  2. When I begin to type a logjamb of emotions come to mind along with complete and total frustration. All I can say, as for the kids that are out there making a difference…good for them. There was never a defeated look in the kids faces, they faught to the end. I just hope Treon gets exonerated and reunited with the team ASAP! While Driskel did some things good, he just doesn’t have the poise, or skillset, or descision making accolaides to win the game in a heroic manner. That pass across the middle was simply ill-advised. Then the one decent pass he makes the other kid drops in the endzone. Good thing this isn’t professional soccer- he’d be living in exile somewhere on a leper island…Anyway-Go Gators-fight on.

  3. This was Driskel at his absolute best and that should speak volumes. If Muschamp wants to hitch his wagon to JD, then it’s over for him. On the other hand I think he’s smarter than that. For Driskel to be remotely competent, the coaching staff had to manage him like a true freshman, a lot of runs, a lot short passes, a lot of “Don’t screw it up!” This guy was playing for his job, and this is what we get?

    I’m confused as to why Kelvin Taylor is considered average now? We seen the same thing last year or heard the same thing. He has trouble in pass protection. Then when we decide to roll with him regardless, he rambles for about 500 yards in five or six games. Get the kid on the field.
    Mack Brown is going to end his year as a waste of a jersey and not because of his effort, but apparently it’s Matt Jones or no one.

    And what happen to Hunter Joyer in that “B” position, I’ve rarely even seen him on the field.
    Then, we have our WR’s, Dunbar who had a record for consective catches (which might I add is the most overrated record ever), considering he practically only catches one or two passes a game. When was the last time he made a play? The FSU game in 2012. DeMarcus Robinson is a bright spot, Fulwood is not used at all, C.J. Worton is used in the slot because he has TREMENDOUS hands and drops a simple pass in the flats?? Wow!!

    Quit playing these kids that fail over and over. Westbrook? Burton? Dunbar? Pittman? They all are average at best. Powell comes in the game having not played in a month, a true freshman , and was our best player on the field!

    Obviously, i have some stuff to say, but seriously. You can not keep going with these young men who continue to underachieve, no matter who sweet young men they are or how good they look in practice or what experience they have? And of course it all starts with the JD.

    The defense is tough and is talented. Did they give up a lot of yards on the ground, yes, but LSU is going to do that to you, that’s who they are. Brian Poole has got to be benched, however, he gets beat or flagged, or has a broken assignment constantly. Every team in the country is trying to match their slot receiver on Poole now and he gets beat every time. I realize VH3 was hurt and they were down a man, but Poole cannot be the answer, and Maye should only be in during obvious running situations.

    All these things seem pretty obvious obversation, considering most everyone in the country has suggested one of them at some point. My question, when does that message get through to the staff?