Will Muschamp announced on Monday that quarterback Jeff Driskel’s fractured fibula will keep the junior out of commission for 4-6 months.
For Gators fans, the next half of a year is going to be painful to watch.
Let’s get this straight: Replacement quarterback Tyler Murphy is not Florida’s savior, and you should not expect him to be.
Look for Murphy’s body of work at UF. There isn’t one.
This is a guy who was starting for the scout team this time last year and is now being thrust into the high-pressure role of Florida’s starting quarterback. He may not wilt under that pressure, but you should not be expecting him to blossom.
Until Saturday, Murphy never even garnered speculation that he might get playing time, let alone a starting gig.
Quarterbacks have come and gone without Murphy moving past third on the depth chart until this season.
Murphy’s freshman season was a prime opportunity to establish himself as at least a contender for playing time. With John Brantley proving to be unreliable at best, the Gators turned to a future tight end and a future wide receiver — Jordan Reed and Trey Burton, respectively. Meanwhile, Murphy did not get on the field. Instead, he redshirted.
In 2011, true freshmen Jacoby Brissett and Driskel both passed Murphy on the depth chart to relieve an injured Brantley.
And with an open quarterback position leading up to the 2012 season, Murphy was passed over completely.
Prior to Saturday, the highlight of Murphy’s career was: “Played an important role on scout teams.”
Yes, Murphy did perform admirably filling in for Driskel against Tennessee.
But you should not be overwhelmed by his game.
Tennessee is 82nd in the country in pass defense, behind programs such as Florida International, Kent State and Ball State. His numbers — 8-of-14 passing for 134 yards and 84 rushing yards — were solid, especially for a guy who admitted he thought he might never play. But he didn’t light up the scoreboard.
If you don’t think Driskel was on his way to a similar — if not better — performance, then you’re missing something.
Driskel threw all over Tennessee last year and had already made a pass of 21 — an explosive play for a conservative offense —yards before he suffered his injury.
The Gators were prepared to test the Volunteers deep, and Driskel would have taken advantage of this.
Murphy will likely put up decent numbers against Kentucky next week, too. Try to contain yourself when he does — the Wildcats are the perennial doormats of the Southeastern Conference.
Back in August, I watched Murphy take reps as a backup during Florida’s open practices. Watching him, redshirt freshman Skyler Mornhinweg and true freshman Max Staver, my thought was, “Florida is in trouble if Driskel gets hurt.”
A month and one mostly Driskel-less game later, I still believe that.
But, if all goes well for Florida, Murphy won’t have a monumental task in front of him.
The Gators’ defense is the focal point of the team, and the offense is built around pounding the football on the ground.
If everything goes according to Muschamp’s plan, all Murphy will need to do is occasionally challenge opposing defenses and not turn the ball over.
But nothing ever goes according to plan. If something can go wrong, it will.
That’s Murphy’s Law.
Follow Adam Lichtenstein on Twitter @ALichtenstein24.
Jeff Driskel throws a pass during warm-ups prior to Florida’s 31-17 victory against Tennessee on Saturday in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
