Jeff Driskel: Thoughts after Week 1

[maheo30]

This mantra was repeated during the offseason and I'll say it again: Jeff doesn't need to be great; just average. He was above average on Saturday and I'll take it. Yes, there are still a lot of issues with his game, but where he's at right now is good enough for us to win.

The best play of the game for me by Driskel is when the pocket collapsed on him and he had the presence of mind to find his tackle, get outside the tackle box, and then throw the ball out of bounds to avoid a sack and an interception by not trying to force something. That is what we need out of a 4th year QB. I think Driskel is going to come out in the Kentucky game with a lot of confidence and play even better than he did against EMU.

Exactly!!! It is clear the guy has grown as a QB. Will he ever be all-SEC? I don't know. But he is getting better and that is what counts.

 

[ATXGator]

Ropers offense put up 58 points. Driskel did in fact move past his first read several times. Nobody mentions that Jeff made a wonderful read on a handoff with a quick option to Burton that he opted out of the run based on coverage. It's their first game in a new offense. Yes, emu is bad, but so were ULL, Toledo, GSU, and all the other ****ty teams we play. Difference is we handled them how we were supposed to. Driskel probably also wanted to run several times but I assure you the coaches did not want that to happen yet. The kid did great for his first start in a long long time. Also keep in mind that he had several deep balls dropped or his receiver was interfered with. Those passes were on the money and would have had him at almost a 400 yard day.

What are you looking for here? He made some good throws under pressure... he was under pressure way too much. He did make a couple bad decisions, but what field awareness are you looking for against EMU?

 

[WobbleGator]

I am right there with you Wobble, but I gave a solid B+. I would've given him an A if the comp was better.

I almost gave a B+ but ticked it up a bit because it might be the only game where he gets a grade in the A's.

 

[NCOGator]

I almost gave a B+ but ticked it up a bit because it might be the only game where he gets a grade in the A's.

Good point!........ I wish I was part of the cool guy crowd and found this site sooner bc I missed Wobble's logic/smartassery

 

[TN G8tr]

not panicking at all folks!
just saying Jeff didn't look around for options; he always had his eyes locked on his first option and always threw in that direction.
we saw many times where he quickly went to a covered receiver w in 5 yards of the line of scrimmage while there where open receivers down field.
he seems to force the throw into coverage vs looking around the field for second and third options,,,

I noticed a couple of times watching it a second time that he did in fact look and then check to another reciver. But remember Roper's offense is a bang-bang ball out in less than 3 sec's.

 

[WobbleGator]

I almost gave a B+ but ticked it up a bit because it might be the only game where he gets a grade in the A's.

Good point!........ I wish I was part of the cool guy crowd and found this site sooner bc I missed Wobble's logic/smartassery

:happy:

 

[8802Gator]

Driskel looked plenty comfortable out there. I think he is just the kind of athlete that always looks a little awkward. He is all limbs and not the most fluid guy around which makes him look weird out there at times. I would lett his numbers speak for themselves for this game. My only complaint is he throws the ball a tenth too late on some throws still. Hopefully he will quicken up with a few more game reps.

 

[Gator87]

He never seems to hit his receivers in stride. The passes are either short where the receiver has to slow down to catch it or he throws it behind them or over their wrong shoulder so they lose all their momentum. Also on some of those quick throws to the receiver on the line of scrimmage he didn't seem to look before throwing the ball where the defenders were, he was lucky to be playing Eastern Michigan and not somebody like Alabama or LSU or a few of those throws would have gone for 6 points the other way.

 

[williston_gator]

Edgar Thompson ‏@osgators
"His first two passes were touchdowns. My first one was an interception. Thanks for showing me up." Driskel deadpanned about Treon Harris.

 

[Gator Fever]

Ropers offense put up 58 points. Driskel did in fact move past his first read several times. Nobody mentions that Jeff made a wonderful read on a handoff with a quick option to Burton that he opted out of the run based on coverage. It's their first game in a new offense. Yes, emu is bad, but so were ULL, Toledo, GSU, and all the other ****ty teams we play. Difference is we handled them how we were supposed to. Driskel probably also wanted to run several times but I assure you the coaches did not want that to happen yet. The kid did great for his first start in a long long time. Also keep in mind that he had several deep balls dropped or his receiver was interfered with. Those passes were on the money and would have had him at almost a 400 yard day.

That pressure he got is less than you will see in an average SEC game.

 

[Homer J]

Good post and I agree about Driskel being solid and the O-line being my concern. Specifically, Moore had two plays where he just looked totally clueless and wasn't sure which guy to block and just appeared confused. They result was two guys getting free shots on Driskel. Garcia also allowed a guy to have an unabated shot on Driskel, but his looked more like he lost his footing and the guy got by him. I thought Chaz Green was outstanding and I thought everyone else on the oLine was solid. The coaches MUST get Moore straightened out, he did that too much last year and we all blamed it on him playing out of position.

Sharpe and Johnson played well enough yesterday that one of them needs to be inserted into the guard position and move Moore
to his more natural position - left out

 

[GMDGator]

Had Driskel ran the Hurry up at a fast pace UF would have beaten them 100-0

 

[Slevin]

We wanted improvement and we got it. Idk what else to ask for from a guy that sat on a bench with a broken leg for the last year. He could have made some better decisions with throwing it directly into triple coverage and the wr being slammed immediately. That would have been a pick 6 against bama. But he also would have gone for well over 300 if Andre didn't drop a few. He's definitely much improved. I like Jeff but damn i can't wait for Harris

 

[Alagator]

Ropers offense put up 58 points. Driskel did in fact move past his first read several times. Nobody mentions that Jeff made a wonderful read on a handoff with a quick option to Burton that he opted out of the run based on coverage. It's their first game in a new offense. Yes, emu is bad, but so were ULL, Toledo, GSU, and all the other ****ty teams we play. Difference is we handled them how we were supposed to. Driskel probably also wanted to run several times but I assure you the coaches did not want that to happen yet. The kid did great for his first start in a long long time. Also keep in mind that he had several deep balls dropped or his receiver was interfered with. Those passes were on the money and would have had him at almost a 400 yard day.

The one's who want to see the good stride's JD made are gonna see them. They were obvious. The ones who already predetermined that JD sucked and will never improve will only see the negative. It is what it is. We see what we wanna see. I for one, am optimistic. Don't get me wrong, I'm not on the Jeff for Heisman campaign or anything, but what I saw was an improved QB. That's what I was hoping to see and fortunately I saw it. Again, the haters are gonna keep on hating. Just the way it is.

 

[divits]

Ropers offense put up 58 points. Driskel did in fact move past his first read several times. Nobody mentions that Jeff made a wonderful read on a handoff with a quick option to Burton that he opted out of the run based on coverage. It's their first game in a new offense. Yes, emu is bad, but so were ULL, Toledo, GSU, and all the other ****ty teams we play. Difference is we handled them how we were supposed to. Driskel probably also wanted to run several times but I assure you the coaches did not want that to happen yet. The kid did great for his first start in a long long time. Also keep in mind that he had several deep balls dropped or his receiver was interfered with. Those passes were on the money and would have had him at almost a 400 yard day.

The one's who want to see the good stride's JD made are gonna see them. They were obvious. The ones who already predetermined that JD sucked and will never improve will only see the negative. It is what it is. We see what we wanna see. I for one, am optimistic. Don't get me wrong, I'm not on the Jeff for Heisman campaign or anything, but what I saw was an improved QB. That's what I was hoping to see and fortunately I saw it. Again, the haters are gonna keep on hating. Just the way it is.

Yup.

 

[aka]

This mantra was repeated during the offseason and I'll say it again: Jeff doesn't need to be great; just average. He was above average on Saturday and I'll take it. Yes, there are still a lot of issues with his game, but where he's at right now is good enough for us to win.

The best play of the game for me by Driskel is when the pocket collapsed on him and he had the presence of mind to find his tackle, get outside the tackle box, and then throw the ball out of bounds to avoid a sack and an interception by not trying to force something. That is what we need out of a 4th year QB. I think Driskel is going to come out in the Kentucky game with a lot of confidence and play even better than he did against EMU.

He even joked about it in the post presser. Told the other QB's about how long it had been since he'd been in a game. Proof's in the pudding but I'm hopeful. For anyone to perform that well after an awful injury, rehab, and layoff is a plus. Helped his confidence, I'm sure.

 

[t-gator]

Driskel looked really good. He hasn't played played in a year and he throws the ball 45 times without a turnover in his first live game in this system. If you look at Dunbar when he dropped that deep ball ,it was right on the money he shouldn't have dove . He should have ran through the ball. And it seems like there was more dropped deep balls. As the season goes on and he picks this system up and he's asked to do more I think he's going to have a great year. I was very impressed with him.

 

[TallyGator]

No turnovers was his best stat of the day. It is standard operating procedure for a QB to know where #1, #2, and # 3 are. In quick hitting offense, if #1 is covered you very quickly locate #2 or #3...or get rid of it. Still needs work in this area. Better pass blocking will help him...

 

[Coach9]

Taking care of the football is so underrated. Ball security is paramount.

 

[601Gator]

One of the things that I haven't seen mentioned that I thought was HUGE.... Was for the very first time... I actually, legitimately get the sense that this is HIS team. He has become a leader. They showed him on the sidelines one time, and he went over to every offensive lineman and was talking and pepping them up. That's something I have NEVER seen out of Jeff. Ever. Every time I've seen him on the sidelines he's always by himself drinking a cup of water, looking somewhat confused.

I really get the sense that he is comfortable and confident. Its just one game. But from what I saw, for the first time, I actually believe that when the chips are down, and we need a drive in Tuscaloosa, the guys can look in his eyes and find a leader that will get them where they need to go. Time will tell. But I am optimistic.