Transfer Is the Best Move for Jeff Driskel and Florida

Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel's legacy wasn't what he expected, but he did go out with a bang.

Playing in place of injured starting quarterback Treon Harris, who left the contest after hurting his leg, Driskel entered the Birmingham Bowl Jan. 3 and polished off a 28-20 win over East Carolina with a nine-yard run on 3rd-and-4 with one minute and 11 seconds to play.

It was the final meaningful play of Driskel's Gator career.

New head coach Jim McElwain announced before the game that Florida granted Driskel permission to transfer if he wants to.

"We all have choices, and I'm not going to hold him hostage," McElwain told ESPN.com's Greg Ostendorf prior to the Birmingham Bowl.

According to ESPN.com's Brett McMurphy and Joe Schad, Driskel—who as a graduate is eligible immediately—will head to Louisiana Tech.

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It's the right move for Driskel and Florida.

For Driskel, it's a chance for a fresh start. The former top-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the country in the class of 2011 never lived up to the hype, as he threw 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions over the last two seasons and became the poster child of offensive ineptitude in Gainesville.

Could Driskel have stuck around, played his last year for McElwain and possibly earned his starting job back?

He could have tried, but that wasn't going to happen. He also could have joined MLB's Boston Red Sox, who drafted him in the 29th round of the 2013 MLB draft, according to ESPN.com. He hasn't played baseball since high school, and if he's good enough to get drafted, that is a fallback regardless of when his football career ends.

He absolutely should give football another shot, just not at Florida.

Driskel had become branded as one of the major problems in Gainesville, and there's no reason for him to stick around for one more year to try to change his legacy. It's already etched in stone, and the nine-yard scramble to seal the Birmingham Bowl is a nice way to close it out.

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Plus, Louisiana Tech is a fantastic place for Driskel to revitalize his career.

Head coach Skip Holtz and offensive coordinator Tony Petersen produced a potent passing offense in 2014 that finished the season averaging 252.2 yards per game through the air. Quarterback Cody Sokol threw for 3,436 yards, 30 touchdowns and 13 picks for the Bulldogs and helped Holtz's crew to a 35-18 win over Illinois in the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl.

A move to Ruston will give Driskel a fresh start in a potent offense against lesser competition. Is that going to set him up for football at the next level? It's safe to say he's not an NFL draft prospect, but at least he can finish off his career on a high note for a program that is hoping to take the next step.

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For Florida, it's the right move as well. 

McElwain has already proven that he's looking for a fresh start in many aspects of the program, as former defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin was replaced by Geoff Collins, and defensive backs coach and star recruiter Travaris Robinson moved on to join Will Muschamp's defensive staff at Auburn.

If McElwain had given Driskel one more chance and the Oviedo, Florida, native took advantage, it'd be a sign that the McElwain regime is more of the same. Harris had already taken over the job during the season and will have a full offseason to progress after hitting the ground running during his true freshman campaign.

Will Grier, a 4-star quarterback in last season's recruiting class who redshirted this season, will also get a look from McElwain and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier. Grier threw for 14,565 yards, 195 touchdowns and 27 interceptions in three years as a starter at Davidson Day (North Carolina) High School, according to MaxPreps.com.

The two quarterbacks have different styles, but youth is the common factor. McElwain is wise to build with youth rather than delaying the development of his younger quarterbacks by giving Driskel another chance.

Florida doesn't have a quarterback committed in the class of 2015 but could hit the free-agent transfer market if options become available. Whether it's a newcomer, Grier or Harris, there's reason for hope in Gainesville due to change. 

That's a step in the right direction.

Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and video analyst for Bleacher Report, as well as a co-host of the CFB Hangover on Bleacher Report Radio (Sundays, 9-11 a.m. ET) on Sirius 93, XM 208.

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats are courtesy of cfbstats.com, and all recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.