Jeff Driskel left Florida in search of a better opportunity to start. At least to start the 2015 season, he’ll get that opportunity.
Ahead of the start of Conference USA’s Media Days Wednesday, Louisiana Tech head coach Skip Holtz confirmed to the Monroe News-Star that Driskel will be his starting quarterback heading into the 2015 opener against FCS Southern. Driskel had been in a battle with Ryan Higgins throughout the spring and on into summer workouts for the opportunity to replace Cody Sokol under center for the Bulldogs.
“After spring practice we went through all the numbers and we met with all the players and all the quarterbacks on where they ranked and where they were,” Holtz said Monday. “Just looking at the numbers from the whole body of work through spring practice, I felt Jeff Driskel gave us the best opportunity as a quarterback. That’s when we looked at him and said he’ll be the starter.”
The fact that Holtz has named him as the starter was news to Driskel, with the graduate transfer claiming "[w]e’ve never had that discussion.”
In January of this year, new Gators head coach Jim McElwain confirmed that had been granted a release from his UF scholarship. Shortly thereafter, the reports began to surface that Driskel was bound for Tech. Because he is a grad transfer, he is eligible for the 2015 season.
Driskel was the Gators’ starter in 2012 as the team went 11-2. His 2013 season ended after three games because of injury, however, and he lost his starting job last season after the Week 8 loss to Missouri.