Gators Notebook: Harris to start at FSU, Bullard's tribute, more tidbits
Sunday, November 23, 2014 | Football, Scott Carter
Jeff Driskel came off the bench to throw three touchdown passes in Saturday's win over EKU.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The Gators used a two-quarterback system on Saturday against Eastern Kentucky that produced impressive results.
But not exactly by design.
Starter Treon Harris gave way to Jeff Driskel in the second half after Harris left the game due to a knee contusion. Harris was 4 of 12 for 162 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Driskel looked as sharp as he has all season, finishing 9 of 11 for 164 yards and three touchdowns.
Florida head coach Will Muschamp said Harris remains the starter for the Florida State game and that he was taken out for precautionary reasons.
"There's no ligament [damage], no cartilage, no issues," said Muschamp, who called Harris' injury a "deep bone bruise" on his Sunday TV show. "He just had it start to swell up a little bit on him and it started to tighten up a little bit and that's why we pulled him."
Harris has started the last four games after Driskel started the first six. Florida is 3-1 with Harris starting.
A redshirt junior, Driskel showed no signs of rust Saturday amidst speculation he might transfer or pursue options in professional baseball after the season.
"Jeff is certainly capable of playing extremely well," Muschamp said. "I have a lot of confidence in him. Unfortunately we went through a stretch there where we didn't take care of the ball at the position and we didn't move the football consistently enough and we've had some success going in another direction.
"But I've had all the confidence that Jeff, given the opportunity, would perform well.”
BOWL BOUND
The Gators celebrated a Senior Day victory and win in Muschamp's final home game on Saturday.
More importantly to the program's future is the bowl berth they clinched. The Gators will get an additional 15 practices in December in preparation for the bowl game.
Where that bowl game will be is anyone's guess.
Based on which list of bowl projections you look at, the Gators could be headed for the Music City Bowl in Nashville, the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville or the Liberty Bowl in Memphis.
The Gators missed out on a bowl trip last season during a 4-8 injury-marred campaign, which snapped the program's bowl streak at 22 consecutive seasons.
They are glad to start another streak.
"I love bowl week. The Capital One commercial jokes it's the most wonderful time of the year, but it really does feel that way,'' senior receiver Michael McNeely said. "We all have a blast at the bowl games."
BULLARD HONORS MUSCHAMP
Junior defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard offered a special tribute to Muschamp on Saturday. Bullard stenciled "Mus" and "Champ" on the eye black patches he wore during the game.
#Gators DT Jon Bullard and his eye black tribute to Muschamp via @TimCaseyPhoto... pic.twitter.com/amc15KpCSa
— Scott Carter (@GatorZoneScott) November 22, 2014
Bullard was a member of Muschamp's first full recruiting class in 2012 and said he will rely heavily on Muschamp's advice after the season in whether to stay in school or enter the draft.
When Bullard's grandmother died his freshman season, Muschamp allowed Bullard to return home to North Carolina and stay as long as he needed to mourn
"I've been through a lot, and he's been there for me," Bullard said. "He's just been a real good person to me. I respect him a lot, and I love him. I just wanted to show him that I appreciate him."
Bullard played well with his detailed eye black, finishing with four tackles, one pass breakup and two quarterback hurries.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"We told our guys to be ready for everything." -- Muschamp on an assortment of trick plays run by Eastern Kentucky
QUOTE OF NOTE II
"I promise you I did not cry. I had to keep Mack Brown from crying, so I did not cry.'' -- Linebacker Michael Taylor on emotions of Senior Day
QUOTE OF NOTE III
"He's beating his roommate Dante Fowler." -- Muschamp on Alex McCalister's team-high fifth sack Saturday; Fowler has 4 1/2
EXTRA POINTS
Receivers Quinton Dunbar and Demarcus Robinson each had more than 100 yards receiving, the first time two UF receivers had 100 yards in same game since 2010 Sugar Bowl (a span of 57 games) ... Muschamp finished with an 18-8 record at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium ... Running back Adam Lane had a career-high 60 yards on five carries ... Robinson's four catches for 137 yards increased his season yards total to 703, the most for a Florida receiver since Riley Cooper had 951 yards in 2009 ... Dunbar's 70-yard touchdown in the first half was his first scoring reception since Florida's win at Florida State in 2012 ... Defensive lineman Joey Ivie recorded the first sack of his career in the fourth quarter ... Former walk-on receiver McNeely caught the first two passes of his career, including a 28-yard touchdown from Driskel in the fourth quarter.
