Driskel, Parr still competing to start

BOCA RATON — With FAU once again entering Conference USA play with a quarterback competition, first-year coach Lane Kiffin is awaiting better results from Jason Driskel and Daniel Parr.

Tuesday’s practice — described by the coach as “sloppy” — is one Kiffin hopes won’t be a sign of things to come when the Owls (1-3) host Middle Tennessee (2-2) Saturday night.

“Pretty sloppy day — we had some snap issues with the backup centers that were an issue in timing and such,” Kiffin said. “But, you know, they’re neck and neck so it’s a tough call.”

After starting the season’s first three games, Parr — the Dwyer graduate who skyrocketed up the depth chart following a missed spring camp — was benched last week for Driskel, last year’s starting quarterback. With the loss, Driskel fell to 2-10 as a starter since the beginning of last season.

Redshirt sophomore De’Andre Johnson, who competed with Parr and Driskel for the starting job through camp and served as the backup to start the season, is out indefinitely following surgery this month for blood clots in his arm.

When making the evaluation, Kiffin said he tends to focus more on how the quarterbacks fare in practice rather than their skills — Parr’s deep ball strength — against the opposing defense.

“It’s not like having De’Andre Johnson in there or something; it’s not like one of them is an elite athlete, runner-type guy,” Kiffin said. “There’s not a whole lot of difference that way, so I don’t think you would play games that one guy would be a better fit against the defense and you have guys who are more runners.”

Kiffin acknowledged Driskel’s game-management skills were part of what led him to start the redshirt junior against Buffalo. In last year’s season finale against MTSU — the last game Driskel had started prior to Saturday — the then-sophomore completed 25 of 33 passes for 291 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in a 77-56 loss.

Wide receiver DeAndre McNeal, second in C-USA with 298 receiving yards through four games, took reporters through what he believes are the differences between Parr and Driskel.

“Driskel definitely will throw the ball more out to the right,” McNeal explained. “He likes to throw it to your outside shoulder and Parr, he likes to kind of lead you away from the defense . ... Driskel throws it away from the defender and (Parr) tries to throw it where only you can catch it.”