UF backup QB is freshman

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

GAINESVILLE — With a little over two weeks remaining before the season begins, freshman QB Jeff Driskel has taken over the role as Florida's backup quarterback.

Driskel was impressive in Monday's scrimmage, coach Will Muschamp said.

"He … has good command of the offense," Muschamp said Tuesday. "(Offensive coordinator) Charlie (Weis) and I sat Jeff down and said, 'At this point you've earned this opportunity. But you're a day or two away from those other guys gaining on you because Tyler (Murphy) and Jacoby (Brissett) have done nothing to disappoint us. ''

Driskel, who enrolled at UF in January, threw for 4,844 yards at Hagerty High in Oviedo and was rated the No. 1 quarterback in the nation by rivals.com and Scout.com.

Muschamp said senior John Brantley remains the clear starter.

punter has Crohn's disease: David Lerner, a redshirt junior punter from Gainesville, is competing for a starting job while dealing with Crohn's disease.

Lerner was diagnosed last month. WebMD.com says Crohn's disease is a lifelong inflammatory bowel disease that can develop anywhere in the digestive tract. The cause hasn't been pinpointed but can be an abnormal response to bacteria in the intestine.

"There's been a couple of days where (Lerner) hasn't felt well and I've just told him to … go and get some rest," Muschamp said. "But he really has punted well. He's in high competition right now to be our starting punter, he and Kyle (Christy) both. And David has had a great camp. But this is something that he will battle and be fine."

scrimmage: At Monday's scrimmage, the team's first, the Gators spent a good deal of time focusing on late-game situational drills. "We will have four or five games this year that will come down to the last drive of the game,'' Muschamp said. "And we've got to execute in those situations.''

USF: Assistant raises

Defensive coordinator Mark Snyder, whose defense led USF to an 8-5 record last year in head coach Skip Holtz's first season, was rewarded with a $50,000 raise for 2011-12, the highest among Holtz's nine assistant coaches, according to figures released by USF.

Snyder, who had been head coach at Marshall before coming to USF, now earns $260,000, the most ever for a Bulls assistant. He surpasses the salary of former defensive coordinator Wally Burnham, who made $220,000 under former coach Jim Leavitt in 2008.

Snyder kept USF's defense ranked among the nation's best, ranking 17th in the country in total defense and 22nd in scoring defense.

All nine assistant coaches returned for Holtz's second season, and all received raises from their 2010-11 salaries. The other eight earned raises from $5,000 to $15,000.

The salary figures were released in response to a public records request filed by the St. Petersburg Times last month.

Greg Auman, Times staff writer

FSU: Versatile freshman

TALLAHASSEE — Several FSU true freshmen have turned heads this preseason, but Rashad Greene may have the best chance to get on the field.

Greene, who is fast and athletic, could see time as a receiver, kick returner, or blocker in special kick coverage packages.

"I have very high hopes for him," coach Jimbo Fisher said. "He's got great ball judgment. I think he's got a great future as a wideout.

Notable: Injuries have ransacked the offensive line, but players shouldn't be out too long, Fisher said. T Garrett Faircloth (knee) and G Tre' Jackson (knee) have missed the past two practices. T Zebrie Sanders (groin) was hurt in Sunday's open practice. Due to the injuries, the Seminoles pushed their first scrimmage back to today.

Orlando Sentinel

UCF: O-line committed

ORLANDO — UCF junior right guard Theo Goins said the offensive line is committed to protecting sophomore QB Jeff Godfrey.

Following QB Rob Calabrese's season-ending knee injury and QB DaMarcus Smith's failure to qualify academically, the pressure is on the offensive line to protect Godfrey and backup Blake Bortles.

"Nobody wants to see their quarterback get hurt," Goins said. "Especially with a guy like Jeff who makes plays, you don't want to see him go down. It kind of punches you in your gut when your quarterback gets hurt."

The Knights have great chemistry, Goins said.

"We want to be a dominant line, just like we wanted to be last year," he said. "We wanted to be physical. We wanted to be known as a good offensive line to get our backs into the line of scrimmage untouched. That's kind of the same goal this year."

Coach George O'Leary said the coaches are still settling on an offensive line rotation. The Knights have their best depth during his tenure, he said.

Orlando Sentinel

Source: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/uf-backup-qb-is-freshman/1186389

US politics Dolomites London Folk music Russia Climate change