Where does Jeff Driskel rank among SEC QBs?

[travisduncan]

By Travis Duncan
Gator Envy Writer

Gators sophomore quarterback Jeff Driskel was named the SEC offensive player of the week for his performance Saturday against Tennessee.

Driskel completed 14-of-20 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 81 yards and accounted for 300 of Florida’s 555 total offensive yards, the most for the Gators in an SEC game since 2001.

Driskel's season stats are skewed because he split time in the season opener against Bowling Green with Jacoby Brissett, but he still ranks high among SEC quarterbacks in passing efficiency. And you know we love efficient quarterbacks.

He ranks No. 2 in the SEC in passing completion percentage at 71.2% behind Zach Mettenberger of LSU who has completed 72.7% of his passes.


Passing Efficiency

PASS EFFICIENCY ClGComp-Att-IntPct.YardsTDLongEffic.
1. AJ McCarron-UA JR 3 36 - 56 - 0 64.3 607 7 51 196.6
2. Aaron Murray-UG JR 3 51 - 80 - 2 63.8 842 8 67 180.2
3. Dylan Thompson-SC SO 3 26 - 50 - 0 52.0 507 5 94 170.2
4. Jeff Driskel-UF SO 3 37 - 52 - 0 71.2 495 3 75 170.2
5. Z. Mettenberger-LS JR 3 48 - 66 - 2 72.7 609 4 46 164.2
6. Tyler Russell-MS JR 3 46 - 79 - 0 58.2 651 8 72 160.9
7. Bo Wallace-UM SO 3 48 - 70 - 4 68.6 616 6 75 159.3
8. Tyler Bray-UT JR 3 67 - 105 - 2 63.8 900 8 72 157.1
9. Johnny Manziel-AM FR 2 43 - 66 - 0 65.2 467 4 42 144.6
10. Maxwell Smith-UK SO 3 102 - 149 - 4 68.5 966 8 56 135.3
11. C Berkstresser-MO FR 3 26 - 46 - 1 56.5 258 1 33 106.5
12. Kiehl Frazier-AU SO 3 34 - 67 - 5 50.7 449 2 54 102.0
13. Brandon Allen-AR FR 3 20 - 45 - 3 44.4 178 1 30 71.7


Passing Yards Per Game

PASSING AVG/GAMEClGComp-Att-IntPct.YardsTDLongAvg/G
1. Maxwell Smith-UK SO 3 102 - 149 - 4 68.5 966 8 56 322.0
2. Tyler Bray-UT JR 3 67 - 105 - 2 63.8 900 8 72 300.0
3. Aaron Murray-UG JR 3 51 - 80 - 2 63.8 842 8 67 280.7
4. Johnny Manziel-AM FR 2 43 - 66 - 0 65.2 467 4 42 233.5
5. Tyler Russell-MS JR 3 46 - 79 - 0 58.2 651 8 72 217.0
6. Bo Wallace-UM SO 3 48 - 70 - 4 68.6 616 6 75 205.3
7. Z. Mettenberger-LS JR 3 48 - 66 - 2 72.7 609 4 46 203.0
8. AJ McCarron-UA JR 3 36 - 56 - 0 64.3 607 7 51 202.3
9. Dylan Thompson-SC SO 3 26 - 50 - 0 52.0 507 5 94 169.0
10. Jeff Driskel-UF SO 3 37 - 52 - 0 71.2 495 3 75 165.0
11. Kiehl Frazier-AU SO 3 34 - 67 - 5 50.7 449 2 54 149.7
12. C Berkstresser-MO FR 3 26 - 46 - 1 56.5 258 1 33 86.0
13. Brandon Allen-AR FR 3 20 - 45 - 3 44.4 178 1 30 59.3
14. Barry Brunetti-UM JR 3 10 - 14 - 0 71.4 117 1 36 39.0
15. Seth Strickland-SC SR 3 3 - 5 - 0 60.0 89 1 51 29.7

Total Offense

TOTAL OFFENSEClGRushPassPlaysTotalYds/G
1. Johnny Manziel-AM FR 2 184 467 96 651 325.5
2. Maxwell Smith-UK SO 3 -17 966 156 949 316.3
3. Tyler Bray-UT JR 3 -11 900 110 889 296.3
4. Aaron Murray-UG JR 3 -4 842 95 838 279.3
5. Bo Wallace-UM SO 3 143 616 106 759 253.0
6. Tyler Russell-MS JR 3 37 651 87 688 229.3
7. Jeff Driskel-UF SO 3 113 495 77 608 202.7
8. Z. Mettenberger-LS JR 3 -24 609 74 585 195.0
9. AJ McCarron-UA JR 3 -42 607 69 565 188.3
10. Dylan Thompson-SC SO 3 10 507 66 517 172.3
11. Kiehl Frazier-AU SO 3 21 449 92 470 156.7
12. Mike Gillislee-UF SR 3 346 0 56 346 115.3
13. L. Perkins-MS JR 3 320 0 46 320 106.7
14. C Berkstresser-MO FR 3 52 258 70 310 103.3
15. Kenny Hilliard-LS SO 3 303 0 37 303 101.0

Where Driskel ranks in ability among SEC quarterbacks is subjective. But if he continues to play well, he'll be ranked in a group which includes the injured Tyler Wilson at Arkansas, Bray at Tennessee, McCarron at Alabama, Murray at Georgia. The second tier group might include Driskel along with James Franklin at Missouri, Mettenberger at LSU, Connor Shaw at South Carolina and Tyler Russell at Mississippi State.

 

[DRU2012]

Generally like your articles immensely, Travis, and am really glad of your contributions regardless, but aside from this rather isolated "slice of life" sampling of his play thus far--I mean, 2 STARTS, man--don't you think it's a bit early to even BEGIN rating him in relation to other more well-entrenched (and CERTAINLY more experienced) SEC quarterbacks? He has started well, is clearly learning and growing in big steps over the course of this early season "trial by fire" on the road, but how 'bout we give him at LEAST half-a-season before we even try to start ranking him in relation to the others...and give him a season or so before we anoint OR dismiss his place in the Gator-hierarchy, let alone the SEC- or National-ones! I've seen what I've seen so far with my own two eyes, and believe he has it in him to be one of the really GOOD ones--but he has to stay healthy, and WE have to continue to pursue the tools to support him, give him better weapons and protection so that he CAN realize the potential I think we all see. Just my opinion, but though I'm as interested as anyone else as to where he stands statistically on a game-by-game basis--I just think it's a little unfair and WAY premature to run him up against mostly experienced upperclassmen at THIS stage.

 

[travisduncan]

don't you think it's a bit early to even BEGIN rating him in relation to other more well-entrenched (and CERTAINLY more experienced) SEC quarterbacks?

Just a thought provoking question. I think anytime is a good time to have a conversation and then at a future point we'll have a better idea of where he ranks.

 

[DRU2012]

travisduncan
OK--if it's just a matter of "stirring up opinion", you're right--never a bad time...I just know that given the "nature of The Nation", there will be (are already) ridiculous pressures brought to bare on the Gator QB in ANY event--and I'm one on the side of those who'd like to do whatever we could to defend a sophomore with 2 starts from facing the most unfair of these prematurely. We know it's coming, we'd just like to remind fans for now to keep it in perspective and GIVE HIM HIS CHANCE to learn and grow...the better he does now--and he appears to have the head, heart and skill to be really good--the higher the expectations and the quicker they mushroom: it's just the "nature of the Beast"...but he's going to make mistakes during this upward climb as he DOES "learn and grow", may even seem sometimes to "backslide". He must be allowed to "let it happen", to go for it and try for greatness.
It is likely that when promising QB-prospects fall short, whether for a play, a game, or a college career, it is because they think too much, second-guess every move and get too cautious about what they're supposed to be doing, how well they're supposed to be playing and in general running the offense. Driskel has all the signs of being a multi-skilled, breakthrough player--Let's give him the best environment to realize that potential.