Florida Football: Gators' QB Battle Rages On, but Doubts Were Erased This Spring

Florida's spring battle between quarterbacks Jeff Driskel and Jacoby Brissett for the top spot on the depth chart was one of the fiercest positions battles anywhere in the country—and that battle will continue into the summer. In the process though, the two sophomores erased a lot of doubts that were cast across Gator Nation.

Driskel isn't Tim Tebow, and neither is Brissett. But Driskel and Brissett both played well in Florida's Orange and Blue debut on Saturday, which gives Florida fans hope that things will be better than they were last season, no matter who ultimately wins the starting quarterback job.

Driskel was nearly flawless, completing 12-of-14 passes for 147 yards; while Brissett was 9-of-16 for 233 yards and two touchdowns. The two quarterbacks combined for six pass plays that went for more than 20 yards, which is a big departure from last season when the Gators had just 35 pass plays of more than 20 yards all season, according to ESPN's Michael DiRocco. 

Nobody expected the job to be set in stone following spring practice, but confidence in the position has improved immensely since the end of 2011. 

The flow of information out of Gainesville under head coach Will Muschamp trickles like a dripping faucet, so Saturday's spring game was important from a perception standpoint. I'd say that new offensive coordinator Brent Pease answered those doubts with flying colors.

Does Saturday's performance from the quarterbacks mean that all is well in Gainesville? No, but it's certainly a step in the right direction.

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