Sunday, January 6, 2013

Jacoby Brissett to transfer from UF

GAINESVILLE — Jacoby Brissett will take another shot at being a starting quarterback, though it will not be at Florida.

Brissett, a true sophomore from Dwyer High School, has informed the Gators that he will leave the program and is in the process of picking a new school, a source said. UF coach Will Muschamp must approve any destination on his list.

By leaving now, Brissett can go through spring practices with his new team. He must sit out the upcoming season and can return as a red-shirt junior in 2014.

A spokesperson for Florida did not return a message seeking comment.

There appeared to be no future for him in Gainesville with fellow sophomore Jeff Driskel firmly planted as the starter. Brissett played sparingly this year, only earning a true start when Driskel was sidelined by a sprained ankle. He technically started the season opener when the two were tangled in a quarterback competition, though he exited after the first snap and played less than one quarter.

In six games this season, he completed 23 of 35 passes for 249 yards with a touchdown pass. He also ran for a touchdown.

Driskel went 10-2 as the starter. He completed 63.7 percent of his attempts, averaged 137.2 passing yards per game and threw for 12 touchdowns against five interceptions. He also rushed for 683 yards, not counting sacks.

Brissett leaves the Gators with a promising résumé and no baggage. Despite getting little opportunity to play this season, his coaches and teammates praised him throughout the year for accepting his back-up role and continuing to work hard.

Jacoby has been great,” Muschamp said in November. “And Jacoby is a guy that we have a lot of confidence in.”

When the team was in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl last week, offensive coordinator Brent Pease said, “He’s prepared like he’s going to have an opportunity to play. He’s professional about it.”

After the Sugar Bowl, a 33-23 loss to Louisville, Brissett said he was undecided on his plan. His high school coach, Jack Daniels, believed he intended to stay at UF through spring.

Daniels advised him to transfer, but he struggled with the thought of leaving the Gators.

You grow relationships for two years with some of these people you’re around every day, and it’s hard to leave them,” Brissett said.

It is not immediately clear where he wants to go. When he first considered the possibility of transferring, his top choices were West Virginia, Louisville, Arkansas and North Carolina State.

West Virginia was among the finalists to sign him out of high school. So was Wisconsin, which recently lost coach Bret Bielema to Arkansas. North Carolina showed interest in him in football and basketball. If he goes to Louisville, he will reunite with former Dwyer teammates Robert Clark and Gerald Christian.

At Florida, Brissett’s greatest performance was against Louisiana-Lafayette on Nov. 10, when Driskel was hurt in the third quarter. The Gators were losing 20-13 before Brissett led them to the tying touchdown with 1:14 left. They won 27-20 on a blocked punt that Jelani Jenkins returned for a touchdown in the final seconds.

Brissett’s initial choice to sign with Florida two years ago was gutsy. The Gators already had Driskel -- the top-rated quarterback recruit in the country -- enrolled and ready for spring practice. Despite that, as well as his mother publicly disapproving, Brissett chose UF.

From that moment, it seemed inevitable that one of them would force the other out.

Driskel had a head start by arriving as an early enrollee in January 2011, but Brissett overtook him by mid-season. When starter John Brantley, a senior, went down for two games due to an ankle injury, Brissett started at LSU and Auburn. He remained the No. 2 quarterback the rest of the year with Driskel behind him.

After the season, though, Muschamp reset the race. He and Pease said they were even all the way through the first game of the season before turning to Driskel full-time in Week 2.

Brissett’s departure leaves the Gators with three scholarship quarterbacks heading into next season. Skyler Mornhinweg will be a red-shirt freshman, and Tyler Murphy will be a red-shirt junior. 

Neither of them threw a pass this year.

Florida also is in line to add Max Staver, a high school player in Brentwood, Tenn. Staver is committed to the Gators and expected to sign next month.