[the_ad_group id=”632″]
BOCA RATON – For the first time in four years, FAU will head into spring football practice with a quarterback battle that won’t include Jason Driskel.
The redshirt junior announced on Thursday via Twitter his retirement from college football.
“After a lot of thinking, talking with my friends and family, I have made the decision to end my college football career,” Driskel wrote. “It has always been a dream of mine to play quarterback at the FBS level and I’m proud of accomplishing that goal.”
Driskel is going out on top. The Owls’ third string quarterback to begin the season, Driskel assumed the starting role in the Owls’ fourth game of the year at Buffalo. Though the Owls lost that contest, they didn’t lose again.
The redshirt junior piloted FAU to 10 consecutive victories, the program’s first Conference USA championship and the Boca Raton Bowl title.
Driskel’s announcement comes only days after coach Lane Kiffin hired 24-year-old Charlie Weis Jr. to be the Owls’ offensive coordinator. Weis is only two years older than Driskel, who would have been learning his fourth offensive scheme in as many years.
Mastering schemes hasn’t been a problem for Driskel, who will graduate in May with a civil engineering degree. In his announcement Driskel said it was never a goal of his to play in the NFL.
Driskel thanked his first head coach, Charlie Partridge, and all three previous offensive coordinators – Brian Wright, Travis Trickett and Kendal Briles – and current coach Lane Kiffin.
As recently as one month ago FAU appeared primed for a four-headed quarterback battle in the spring. Then Daniel Parr, the starter for FAU’s first three games in 2017, announced his intention to transfer to Duquesne.
The departure of Driskel and Parr leave FAU with only one game-experienced signal caller. And questions still surround De’Andre Johnson, who missed all but the first game this season after undergoing surgery to remove blood clots in his arm.
A dynamic dual threat during spring practices, Johnson struggled during fall, perhaps because of the affliction. He attended practices late in the season but did not participate in drills. His availability to return to the field remains unclear.
FAU also has redshirt freshman Chris Robison, who stat out last season after transferring from Oklahoma. Coaches raved about Robison’s performance on the scout team this past season. FAU opens its season at Oklahoma.
Driskel threw for 2,247 yards and 15 touchdowns against only four interceptions last season, completing 66.5 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 427 yards and eight TDs.
The FAU record book will feature Driskel’s name prominently. He leaves as the program’s fourth most prolific passes, throwing for 5,627 yards. His 27 passing TDs are fifth most in FAU history. At 61.1 percent. Driskel is the program’s leader in completion percentage.
Driskel is also the only FAU quarterback to ever rush for four touchdowns in one game.
Leave a Reply