Buchalter: Gator QB recruit Driskel among Central Florida's best in Week 1

GATOR COMMITS SHINE

University of Florida fans were upset and concerned about the season-opening 34-12 victory over Miami (Ohio), but the same fans got plenty of consolation and smiles over the performance of two key Gator commitments during week 1 of the high school regular season..

Oviedo Hagerty QB Jeff Driskel lived up to all the hype about his enormous physical potential. Driskel rushed for a whopping 248 yards including long touchdown runs of 61 and 68 yards as Hagerty upset Lake Mary, 24-22.

DeLand’s Pop Saunders once again demonstrated why he is considered Central Florida’s best “utility” player, rushing for 84 yards, passing for 122 and catching a 35-yard touchdown pass.

MORE BIG NIGHTS UNDER THE FRIDAY LIGHTS

Lakeland RB Stew Butler, who starred for Oviedo last year as a junior, rushed for 238 yards and three touchdowns in a 27-14 victory over Venice. He also had a 75-yard touchdown run nullified by a penalty as the Dreadnaughts were penalized an uncharacteristic 162 yards.

Wake Forest assistant coach Tommy Elrod (Winter Park High alum) was at the Lake Nona-Harmony game watching Kevin Sousa, a current Michigan commit, and checking on the progress of running back Jarious Pace. But he also is taking a long look at Melbourne Palm Bay quarterback Stephen Hughes, who accounted for 201 passing yards and three touchdowns in a 41-7 dismantling of a good Titusville Astronaut team.

Two big games for familiar names on a state-wide level. Running back Mike Bellamy of Punta Gorda Charlotte Co., a Clemson commitment, added 94 rushing yards against North Port to push his career totals past the milestone 5,000-yard mark. Bellamy, Bradenton Manatee’s Michael Blakely and Tampa Plant’s James Wilder are considered Florida's finest running back prospects. And Miami Northwestern QB Teddy Bridgewater enjoyed a monster game with 23 of 28 passes for 357 yards and five touchdowns. Three receivers each caught more than 100 yards worth of passes.

LOCAL ALUMNI SHINE ON SATURDAY

Defensive lineman Ian Williams (Longwood Lyman) intercepted the deflected Purdue pass in the final minutes of the game to preserve Notre Dame’s season-opening victory.

Defensive end Kyle Wilbur (Apopka) put together a remarkable stat line in Wake Forest’s victory over 1-AA Presbyterian, where the head coach is New Smyrna beach’s Harold Nichols. Wilbur recorded eight tackles, 6 solos, five for loss, three sacks and blocked a punt.

USF true freshman linebacker Mark Joyce (DeLand) recorded a pick six in the Bulls victory over Stony Brook.

Louisville running back Bilal Powell (Lakeland Lake Gibson) rushed for 153 yards in a heartbreaking 23-16 loss to state rival Kentucky.

TIMBER CREEK STANDOUT TRYING TO STICK IN THE NFL

Remember Lemuel JeanPierre?

He was the standout Timber Creek offensive lineman who signed with South Carolina, where he wound up his career on the offensive side of the ball.

JeanPierre made it through the NFL preseason to the final cut day over the Labor Day weekend with the Kansas City Chiefs. But he’s not finished yet. After clearing waivers, he was signed by the Seattle Seahawks