‘It’s about winning games’
Driskel’s positivity helped him regain starting QB spot
BOCA RATON — Florida Atlantic quarterback Jason Driskel refused to get discouraged.
He was obviously disappointed when he didn’t win the starting job during the preseason. He was the team’s most experienced at the position, but landed at No. 3 on the depth chart.
Despite a lesser role, Driskel kept positive by never allowing frustration to set in and it has played a role in helping him regain starter status and lead the Owls to the best season in school history.
“I’m happy that I can contribute for my team but I feel like I was contributing before [becoming the starter],” Driskel said. “It’s just a different role. I was proud of myself. I was happy for myself. It’s about winning games.”
A junior, Driskel was destined to being a backup his final two seasons once Daniel Parr was named the starter for the opener against Navy. Transfer De’Andre Johnson was the No. 2 until blood clots dis- covered in his leg ended his season.
An opportunity opened for Driskel when coach Lane Kiffin opted for a switch after the third game. Driskel has been in control
ever since, helping the Owls (10-3) win the first Conference USA championship in school history. They will play Akron on Tuesday in the Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl at FAU Stadium. It is their first bowl game since 2008.
Driskel has completed 166 of 253 passes for 1,977 yards with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions.
“I can only do what I can control,” Driskel said. “I’m going to try to put my best foot forward. Coaches make decisions that they feel are best for our team. You’ve got to roll with that and just do the best you can in whatever role you’re in.”
Kiffin initially said the quarterback competition would remain open until a clear No. 1 emerged. He never got the chance to make another change because Driskel played well enough to lead the Owls to nine consecutive wins to end the season.
“It’s a good moment, personally,” Driskel said. “You just can’t get caught up in all that.”
The experience was new for Driskel because he spent the last two seasons having to constantly watch over his shoulder. He played mostly in a two-quarterback system, which meant the smallest of mistakes could land him on the bench.
For the first time, Driskel was the guy. He just treated it the same as the previous situations, approaching every week as if he were still competing for the job.
“He’s always competing,” center Antonyo Woods said. “I haven’t seen any changes whether he’s the starter or not. That’s good to see. He’s the same guy.”
Added running back Devin “Motor” Singletary, “He never got satisfied. He just kept working, trying to find ways to get better.”
Driskel has done it while handling perhaps the team’s most strenuous classroom workload. He posted a 3.36 grade point average in civil engineering and was voted to the league’s AllAcademic roster. Because of his challenging
“I can only do what I can control. You’ve got to roll with that.” Quarterback Jason Driskel
major and football committments, his days often begin at 6 a.m. and end at 9 p.m.
He does it on a daily basis despite playing the game’s most scrutinized position. Even when the Owls were rolling, he still took the brunt of the criticism when the passing game struggled. Still, Driskel dealt with it with ease. “You can’t let one play or one week determine your season,” Driskel said. “When you play quarterback, you’ve got a big impact on your team and you can’t let a bad play affect the rest of the team.”