Published: Monday, April 2, 2012 at 2:05 p.m.
Envelope, please.
Florida's starting quarterback for the 2012 season is. …
TBD.
To be determined at a later date. Much later. As in August.
The competition between Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel continues to be so close that Florida coach Will Muschamp said Monday the Gators will not be ready to name a starting quarterback at the conclusion of spring practice.
“Right now, honestly, looking at going through the spring, I don't know that we will name a starter after spring,” Muschamp said. “We're going to go into the fall camp. That, to me, is becoming more and more evident every day. They're both guys we can win with. Bottom line.
“That's good for us. Both guys are competing at a high level. Both have done outstanding things throughout spring. I'm very pleased with their progress. As much as anything, just managing our football team and getting in and out of the huddle and taking command of the offense.”
Muschamp said the performance of the quarterbacks in Saturday's Orange and Blue Game will could play some role in who eventually wins the job.
“Sure (it will matter),” he said. “As far as in the long run of winning the job, it certainly does. But it's not going to be D-Day, either, to say this guy had one good day compared to 14 days of competing.
“Right now, it's too close to call as far as the competition is concerned to take one day over others.”
Muschamp said both quarterbacks are much more comfortable and much more in control of the offense now than they were as true freshmen last season.
“I think the game has slowed down for them, that's the No. 1 thing,” he said. “I stand behind the offense and you see the progression from reading front side to back side or reading middle field to safety. All those things.
“Getting to the line of scrimmage and knowing that this is a bad front to run this play into, so let's run the other way. They understand that more. It makes more sense for them.
“The game slows down for older players because they're able to see and anticipate. The game is slowing down for them.”
Muschamp said he's not surprised there has been virtually no separation between the two this spring.
“Just because of the skill set of both players,” Muschamp said. “I think both guys are competitors and both guys are good players. We can win with both of them, I know that.
“So, I don't get into predicting who is going to win a job. We're going to take it through spring. We've still got another week and another four opportunities to improve ourselves as individuals.”
Muschamp said before the start of spring drills that he would not rule out the possibility of playing both quarterbacks if they are still basically even the week before the Sept. 1 opener against Bowling Green.
Muschamp was asked Monday that if tomorrow was game day, would he play both quarterbacks?
“Tomorrow's not game day,” Muschamp said.
Despite the close and intense competition between the quarterbacks, Muschamp said Driskel and Brissett continue to have a strong relationship.
“Outstanding,” Muschamp said. “Both of them are great guys. Both guys are competitive guys and both guys want to be the starting quarterback at the University of Florida. But both guys understand the team is bigger than the situation.”
Right now, the team doesn't know who is its starting quarterback.
The situation is: the Gators will find out in August.
