JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Matthew Driscoll never had a low gear. The University of North Florida only got Driscoll at one speed.
The outgoing Ospreys men’s basketball coach was always on the go, doing his best to push the UNF brand forward. Whether it was drumming up support for Ospreys license plates or speaking at local events or cranking out his viral “let’s gooo” call on demand, Driscoll never lacked passion and service.
“My daddy raised me right and he said, ‘remember, your last name is on everything, so whatever you do, don’t screw it up.’ And so, I take that very seriously and I know exactly what I am. I know what I’m here to do,” Driscoll said.
“Obviously, at the end of the day, it resonates because we put this place on a national map from a lot of different ways. And because of that, I think we’ll be remembered for a lot of that as well.”
Friday was a bittersweet day at UNF as the program turned the page from Driscoll to his longtime assistant Bobby Kennen to lead the men’s basketball program. Driscoll resigned on Thursday afternoon to take the associate head coaching role at Kansas State. His exit ends one of the most lasting coaching tenures in local college sports history. He also leaves a void that goes beyond just wins in a coaching career that began here in 2009.
Driscoll’s contract extension expired this month, but UNF athletic director Nick Morrow had offered a two-year extension, which Driscoll agreed to last week. Then, the Kansas State offer came in and the opportunity just felt right.
“His legacy is people and I look at that as my responsibility, like I’m his legacy now, moving forward,” Kennen said. “He’s touched so many lives and impacted so many people. As a coach, you want to impact and influence, and I think we’re both fortunate in the fact that we live our lives at the intersection of purpose and passion. And we’ve been able to carry that on together and that’s my responsibility to, you know, create a future that’s worthy of the past.”
Driscoll’s tenure was significant, both in duration and success.
He outlasted six Jacksonville Jaguars head coaches (Jack Del Rio, Mike Mularkey, Gus Bradley, Doug Marrone, Urban Meyer and Doug Pederson), won 248 games and led the Ospreys to their only NCAA tournament berth. It’s not hyperbolic to say that Driscoll was one of the most recognizable faces in town for the past 16 years. He said that the decision to leave was tough because of what he and his family have invested in the school, but he’s a strong believer that God delivered the right opportunity for he and his wife Carrie to take at Kansas State.
“I would say if you would say to people sum up Coach in one word, I think the majority of the people would say servant,” Driscoll said.
“… You know, we came here to serve. That was our mission from the beginning. I think we have a servant’s mentality. I think it really, really resonates with a lot of different people. And I think that’s what my legacy will be at the end of the day; it will be the fact that we came to serve, not be served.”
Driscoll’s always-on personality made him a visible and engaging figure, with his viral yell of “let’s goo!” still a viral social media meme.
Driscoll arrived at UNF in 2009 as his first major college coaching job, arriving in town after helping head coach Scott Drew clean up the program at Baylor. Driscoll’s work at Baylor remains one of the biggest successes of his career.
The Bears were clawing out of a tragic situation where player Carlton Dotson was convicted of killing teammate Patrick Dennehy. Then-Baylor coach Dave Bliss attempted to cover up turbulence related to the murder in the program and left a lasting stain on the university. Driscoll was credited in not only helping players and the team recover internally, but also on the court. After wading through crippling sanctions related to the murder and Bliss’ actions, Baylor made the NCAA tournament in 2008.
Driscoll was 13-18 in his first season before lifting the Ospreys to their only NCAA tournament berth in 2015. UNF went 12-2 in the ASUN en route to a program-record 23 wins. The Ospreys reached the First Four, losing to Robert Morris 81-77. UNF went to the NIT the following year.
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