Possible Grad Transfer Driskel EDIT

Submitted by jbibiza on

Florida QB Jeff Driskel has been granted a release to transfer. He has graduated this year so can play right away. He was a five star recruit who played a lot but never panned out, and was replaced half way through this season. Not exactly Hogan but maybe worth a shot. Possible that Durkin has some inside knowledge about his potential  (even though he is a defensive coach).

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/12114777/jeff-driskel-granted-release-scholarship-florida-gators

EDIT: He came in today and did not look good. Threw a pick in the second half that led to a TD.

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Jaxpo

January 3rd, 2015 at 2:53 PM ^

Ya, lets keep all the young guys on the bench. That way they can start with no experience their Junior and Senior years. That will be a lot of fun. Better yet, lets just go the mercenary route every year. Just get the best grad transfer each year and forget about developing QBs. After all, Russel Wilson is coming in every year right?

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bronxblue

January 3rd, 2015 at 1:11 PM ^

I don't see the upside with Driskel.  I mean, competition is good for anyone, but at some you might as well get started working with the guys you have and riding out those growing pains than slogging through with an older guy and then having to do the same thing the following year.

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MFanWM

January 3rd, 2015 at 10:06 PM ^

I think I would rank them somewhere around Hogan, Golson, Driskel, Miller.

An extra option is well worth a one year scholarship to try to find the right guy for the first year, even if it is the best back-up available should one of the Michigan recruits step up.

One of the biggest issues with a QB is developing and maintaining confidence which is why I think Speight might be the most unblemished option at the moment, but Hogan, Golson or Driskel may all just benefit from a change of scenery and a change of coaching and team input.

For example, I think you would have seen a much much more successful Devin Gardner had he played in Urban's system this year, but it also always depends on the interactions with the coach and system.

I can only imagine that Driskel and Golson may need a change of scenery and coaching to ever find any confidence again, and a place like Michigan with the ability Harbaugh has shown for coaching up QBs might just be the right place for either.

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Auerbach

January 3rd, 2015 at 1:18 PM ^

Alex smith was another high-potential player (NFL first overall) who never panned out until Harbaugh was in his ear. Personally I'm fine with any QB who Harbaugh thinks is coachable. 

 

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aiglick

January 3rd, 2015 at 1:25 PM ^

Sometimes all you need is a change of scenery. Maybe one of these grad transfers does his best Alex Smith impression. It would be a win-win as worst case the competition increases and somebody serviceable will emerge. Probably doesn't threaten Malzone since this is a one year plan. At least we're looking into it which increases options which in this case is necessary.

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alum96

January 3rd, 2015 at 2:40 PM ^

As we discussed in the Hogan thread you guys really need to change your mindset about "threatened".  Malzone Shane Wilton are promised nothing but a free education and coaching.  No one is destined or entitled to QB the University of Michigan. 

Harbaugh took SEVEN QBs in FOUR years at Stanford.  SEVEN.  Almost 2 every year.  Every QB in his system was "threatened".  Competition breeds results.  The ones who don't cut it will transfer. 

Stop worrying about feelings.  And I say this as someone who hopes Malzone beats out everyone and is a 2-3 year starter down the road due to his loyalty.  But if a 2016 kid comes in and beats him out, that's how it works. 

 

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Padog

January 3rd, 2015 at 1:27 PM ^

I say if we have two open scholarships after signing day, we take hogan and driskel. Redshirt Morris.
Then your depth chart is:
Kevin Hogan
Jeff Driskel
Wilton Speight
Russell Bellomy
Shane Morris Redshirt
Alex Malzone Redshirt.



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Qmatic

January 3rd, 2015 at 1:30 PM ^

I'm all for Hogan, Golson, or Driskel coming here (preferably Hogan). They will bring experience, competition, and they give the other 3 a year under Harbaugh's system. We will be better set for the future if we get a 5th year.

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UMaD

January 3rd, 2015 at 1:34 PM ^

Our group of QBs has been either awful or will be freshman.

We need a quality QB to emerge.

Everybody else on our offense returns save a WR, including the entire OL.

There are a bunch of grad transfer candidates floating around.

Harbaugh is a noted developer of QB talent with NFL experience.

....

Michigan is an attractive situation for someone like Hogan or Driskel to consider and Michigan could use more options/competition at the position.

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goblue16

January 3rd, 2015 at 1:36 PM ^

Better off developing the talent we have its not worth having an average at best qb lead the team for 1 season then start all over again in 2016. Unless the qb transfer was solid like Barrett or miller or hogan I wouldn't do it

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Silly Goose

January 3rd, 2015 at 1:42 PM ^

Driskel is a train wreck. Would rather have Morris start and learn on the job than someone who has been Muschamped. Hogan is another story, but you should only bring in a transfer if they are better than your current options.

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cbuswolverine

January 3rd, 2015 at 1:50 PM ^

There seems to be a lack of common sense in this thread.  If he's on the field next year, it's because he's better than what we currently have.  If he's not, it hurts nothing.  Why are so many of you saying no, exactly?  You don't like having options?

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blueball97

January 3rd, 2015 at 2:01 PM ^

I guess I would counter that by asking how you know he is better than what we have got? Driskell's body of work is average at best. Morris' body of work is awful. Speight and Malzone are unknowns so you don't know what you have. Hogan makes way more sense than Driskell, and if Driskell turns out to be our best option we are probably 2-3 yrs away then, in which case you play a freshman and take your lumps.



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WolvinLA2

January 3rd, 2015 at 2:06 PM ^

I just don't see why "taking your lumps" is a preferred option.  I would rather take as few lumps as possible, right?  

This will not impede our progress moving forward at all.  But it might make 2015 more fun.  Or he'll sit the bench, in which case no harm, no foul.  I see literally no down side to taking Driskel, yet everyone is against it.

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ca_prophet

January 3rd, 2015 at 5:37 PM ^

Morris loses another year, which he badly needs at this point after starting 1.5 games in three years. Or Spreight loses that learning in the job year. That's the downside - that our 2016+ QB loses a year of development running the team in real games. Now if the upside is a 50% higher chance at a B1G title, with the favorable home schedule weighting the odds, maybe that's worth it. It's just not all upside. (Personally, I think our best chance at that title is to poach Miller or Barrett from OSU when it becomes clear that OSU has three QBs who all want playing time - preferably Barrett, then Jones transfers, then Miller declares for the draft ... Because I don't see any other way we're going to get better QB play than OSU next year even with Harbaugh coaching our guys up.)

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WolvinLA2

January 3rd, 2015 at 6:05 PM ^

I mean there's no downside for 2015.  Might there be downside for 2016?  I suppose, but QBs still develop and advance without starting football games.  I know people are sick of using OSU QBs as examples, but Cardale Jones was quite prepared for the Big Ten championship game despite having never started a game before.  Look at the last few MSU QBs (minus Maxwell who just wasn't good) - Cousins picked right up where Hoyer left off and Connor Cook did the same.  And if that's the position that Shane, Speight or Malzone are in come 2016, they'll still have the entire offseason and spring to prepare.  If that's not enough, then that guy isn't ready.  

Harbaugh is not just going to coach whoever is the starter.  He's going to coach and develop all of them, and they'll be ready.  You want the best possible player out there playing QB for you, and you worry about next year, next year.

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MFanWM

January 3rd, 2015 at 10:20 PM ^

How about we get anyone who gives the team a chance to win as much as possible in 2015 and play them as much as possible.  QBs will develop as you noted in or out of the game with good coaching and competition.  

I truly hope we get Hogan and that Speight, Morris or Malzone are just simply so good he is not needed, or that getting back with Harbaugh gets him to win the Big10, playoff and every other game.

Fairly certain that they noted that OSU will have 6 QBs on scholarship going into next year with no transfers with the incoming players, an intense focus on getting good QB play should be unbelievably apparent at this point....not a focus on playing just the guys on the roster that were recruited if a better option becomes available.

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