A remarkable run of health at the QB position ends for Florida

29 years. That's how long it's been since the Gators suffered a major injury at the QB position. An incredible run of good fortune that ended on Saturday with the post-game revelation that Jeff Driskel suffered a fracture of the right tibia during the first quarter of Florida's 31-17 win against Tennessee. Driskel's season comes to a close after just three games.

Not since fifth-year senior Dale Dorminey suffered a torn ACL four days before the season-opener in 1984 (when a player ran into him on the sidelines in pratice, no less), has a Florida quarterback been lost in a similar fashion. Sure, there have been injuries at the position. Kerwin Bell (who fortuitously earned the starting job as a redshirt freshman after Dorminey's injury) struggled with a balky left knee in 1986 which was injured in a loss to LSU, but only missed two games. Danny Wuerffel suffered what ultimately proved to be a season-ending knee injury in 1993, but missed only the final two games (the 1993 SEC Championship and the 1994 Sugar Bowl). John Brantley missed two games after a severe sprain of his ankle in 2011, but returned to action against Georgia (although his effectiveness was severely limited the remainder of the season as a result of that injury). Of course, we can't forget Tim Tebow's broken right hand against FSU in 2007 as well as a concussion suffered at Kentucky in 2009. But he didn't miss any time as a result of those maladies. While all of the above-mentioned quarterbacks suffered fairly significant injuries (or, at least, what was thought at the time to be serious injuries), none of them missed more than two games as a result.

The only comparable situation for Florida in fairly recent history as to the predicament they now face is 1989, when starter Kyle Morris was lost for the season after six contests. But that was due to an investigation into the gambling practices of four team members (including Morris and his eventual successor at quarterback, Shane Matthews), as opposed to injury. The Gators, who began the 1989 season 5-1, would lose four of their last six games, as the turmoil in that particular fall included the firing of head coach Galen Hall under the veil of NCAA improprieties. In all, the mess of that season would lead to the hiring of Steve Spurrier, who as we all know, got things turned around in a hurry.

So, the Gators must now navigate the final three-quarters of their season knowing their starter is gone for the season. Facebook and Twitter have ably demonstrated how many fans are happy with this development, seeing as how Driskel had struggled considerably in his first three games of the year. But, as has been pointed out many times before, the back-up quarterback can often times be the most popular man on campus. Tyler Murphy accorded himself well on Saturday against the Vols, after being thrown into a tough situation. Despite some struggles getting on the same page with his offensive line in the first half, he guided the Gators to a season-high 31 points, and showed an ability to make plays with both his feet (79 yards rushing and a TD) and his arm (8-of-14 passing, 134 yards and one score). Now the question is very simply this: can he continue to produce like he did against Tennessee for the rest of the season?

Murphy was a completely unknown quantity before Saturday. With each passing week, defenses will be able to gameplan to exploit Murphy's weaknesses – whatever those may prove to be – as more film on him becomes available. That will be his biggest test moving forward, as the element of surprise will no longer be a factor.

In any case, while injuries are a regular part of football, injuries for the Florida Gators at the quarterback position have been surprisingly few and far between for UF over the past three decades. Now Will Muschamp and Brent Pease get to learn how the other side lives as they prepare for the rest of the season with Tyler Murphy as their starting signal-caller.

JUCO WR JaMichael Willis: Stock Up

For teams needing immediate help at the wide receiver position (I'm looking at you, Brent Pease and Joker Phillips), heading to the JUCO ranks makes a lot of sense. But the player largely considered the No. 1 prospect at the position this year in the junior college ranks – D'haquille Williams of Mississippi Gulf Coast – is technically off the board already and committed to Auburn.

Well, have no fear. Another top playmaker has emerged.

JaMichael Willis of Jones County outdueled Williams in a battle of two of the top offenses in JUCO football, as the Bobcats pulled off a stunning 52-42 upset of Mississippi Gulf Coast on the road in Perkinston, Miss. on Thursday night.

Willis nabbed nine receptions for 225 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the evening. This will only extend his NJCAA-leading totals to 33 receptions for 635 yards (19.42 ypc) and six scores through four games at the conclusion of this weekend's contests. Willis' output on Thursday night nearly matched his total from last year as a freshman at Jones County, where he was credited with 235 yards receiving and a pair of touchdowns on 25 receptions.

Listed at 5-foot-11, 200 pounds on the Jones County website, Willis originally hails from Birmingham. In high school, he appeared in the Sept. 27, 2010 edition of Sports Illustrated's "Faces In the Crowd" feature after being on the receiving end of six touchdown passes in a single game. During that season, his junior campaign at Gardendale High School, Willis totaled 62 receptions for 1,109 yards and 15 touchdowns. Not too shabby.



But aside from that, there's not much out there on what Willis did during his senior year of high school. Only a couple of video clips from his time at Jones County Junior College. Perhaps there is more to this story than what meets the eye. But through four games of his sophomore season for the Bobcats, Willis appears to be a big-time FBS receiver prospect for a team that needs a shot in the arm at the position.