Jacoby Brissett named starter vs Auburn

[travisduncan]

True freshman QB Jacoby Brissett will start Saturday against Auburn, according to multiple media reports.

The Gators have declined to make public the decision for Brissett to start over fellow freshman Jeff Driskel.

Last week Brissett became the first true freshman in Gator history to take his first snap as a starter.

There is also some indication that Mike Gillislee will "start" in some fashion at running back, which could mean he lines up in the I-Formation with Chris Rainey-either way Gillislee is expcted to get more touches against Auburn. Jeff Demps appears to be still bothered by a sprained ankle he suffered against Kentucky.

 

[CaliZona_Gator]

From what I have seen, Brissett is the right call at starter. And nice to see Gillislee getting some recognition! Now hopefully these reports are true and he gets more playing time!

Gator fans have been calling for the coaches to use our pro style backs for the past few years! Too bad Moody never really saw legit playing time.

 

[Escambia94]

I think we cannot go wrong with Brissett or Driskel, considering our options. Both will get better, but Brissett is 100% healthy, and Driskel is 95%.

Gillislee is the right call in the I formation. I think with Gillislee in the I, Rainey gets more holes to run through later on as Gillislee pounds some holes through and hopefully wears down the defensive line. I hate to be an armchair quarterback, but I never saw the logic in having Demps and Rainey in the same backfield. I think Demps would not be banged up as much if he had Gillislee, Joyer, or Burton with him, and then had Rainey alternate series as the smaller tailback.

Mooooody just did not fit the spread option offense. He would have been fine if Meyer and he-who-shall-not-be-named had stuck with their plans for a pro stylish offense last year.

 

[DRU2012]

I don't want to get caught up "looking back in anger", but more and more I think we all notice a growing number of questionable choices and decisions in the Meyer-led regime of the last 2 years. Still in the throes of those magical few years comprising Leak-to-Tebow, it is like we were in a dream from which we only recently awakened. It's a good thing the "right guys" were already in place and working to fix the many things that were ignored, broken or wearing out...otherwise, we'd be REALLY screwed.
First, I agree that Driskel or Brisset are about even now, and equally promising in the long run--and how great a luxury is THAT? For now, we start the healthiest one, and eventually they each get a shot at stepping forward: you have to hope one of them clearly seizes the job, and meanwhile they both get the benefit of the most valuable kind of coaching AND in-game experience.
Our running game was always precarious with the "two little fast guys" in the same backfield. Demps is downright fragile now, not "football-tough", and probably a bit too concerned with his track-ready health to run with the kind of abandon that tends to break his biggest runs with any consistency.
I too have been wondering "Where's Gillislee?"--since LAST year, actually. Put him back there, use Rainey more in the slot receiver/"playmaker" role, but WHICHEVER one lines up at tailback, let's see more of that tough young freshman fullback we've got now.
I understand both TEs are healthy now, so a 2-tight end set ought to be a part of the offense's game plan as well. Add Burton in the Wildcat and elsewhere, and we become a tougher, wear-you-down, long-drives-'til-we-pop-a-playmaker-for-a-long-one type of offense.

 

[Escambia94]

It's an I formation. There should be a speed back and a power back. I would not move Rainey to the slot--that is an Urban Meyer offense, not a Charlie Weis. Jumbo packages with Burton and Reed at tight end is a good idea, but we need the standard I to work.

 

[DRU2012]

Putting a lot on Gillislee alone if you go to a straight "I" formation most of the time--he's the best "power back" we've got, but I don't know that he can handle that run-between-the-tackles-and-wear-'em-down offense for the better part of a whole game (NO one knows that, not yet anyway)...and wasn't the Rainey-as-slot-receiver the very role he was supposed to be touted and practicing for all summer/fall? We kept hearing how great Rainey looked in that scheme, and got some breakout plays out of it early on, as I recall. Getting him into open space "any way we can" seems like a pretty good idea for a team whose offense has pretty well dried up the last couple of weeks (except for 2 TDs with the same play, one in each game)--I know, I know, we just played the two most solid and powerful college teams in America, but until we show we can do other things, teams will try to do what THEY did to us. Starting with this one, but I don't believe they can do it, and it's up to US to disabuse them of the notion.

 

[DRU2012]

Follow-up to above post: Against Auburn we DID let them do it, basically. We didn't follow through on the changes we supposedly worked on all week, not after the first series or two, and we let them push US around. Along with the same old bad habits (and they ARE "habits" by now, it seems) like poor tackling and lots and lots of stupid penalties, we keep adding new ones: this week it was "punt-muffitus". I've never seen a team drop all 5 punts to them, even when they change to the back-up they previously practiced and prepared for the task, on the 5th one. One more sign, not of coaching breakdowns as some have said--though they'll HAVE to shake things up, insist on returning to fundamentals, and make EVERYONE (coaches included) accountable, to themselves and each other--but of something very wrong at the heart of this TEAM. No: WITH "the Heart" of this team.