Football season is here - college football season starts on Thursday (at least the games that we care about) and the biggest storyline that we have here in the state, if you were to take into account what all schools have at their disposal…This is the Year of the Quarterback in the State of Florida.
Miami- D’Eriq King | Florida- Emory Jones | UCF- Dillon Gabriel | FSU- KZ and/or Jordan Travis
The storylines are plush, the talent is overflowing. So, it got me thinking, who are the best QB’s EVER in the State of Florida’s rich college football history.
I was going to just do a Mount Rushmore, but its nearly impossible with this State. My ranking takes into account talent, stats, and achievements. All wrapped into one pretty little bow. Here we go!
10- Jim Kelly: Anytime your list starts with Jim Kelly, you know it’s a loaded list. But Jim was the pioneer on the field of what Hurricane football would become and overall, he’s the best QB on this list, PERIOD. Kelly would finish his career at Miami completing 376 of 676 passes for 5,228 yards, 32 touchdowns and 28 interceptions.
9- Bernie Kosar: If Jim Kelly started it, Bernie Kosar kicked it into gear. Although Bernie Kosar only played two years at Miami (redshirted his freshman year), he will go down as the starting quarterback for the first of five Miami Hurricanes national championships in 1983.
8- Daunte Culpepper: Ocala’s Daunte Culpepper elevated UCF from an average I-AA program to a noteworthy division 1 FBS program on the verge of a Top 25 ranking when he left. That is influence, that is greatness. Over 9k passing yards and 72 TD’s in 3 seasons.
7- Jameis Winston: If not for the controversy he stirred up at FSU, he’d be higher on this list. Talent wise, off the charts, production, off the charts, accolades and accomplishments, off the charts. His 2013 season he threw for 40 TD’s, only 10 picks, completed 66% of his throws, won the Heisman, and a national championship.
6- Ken Dorsey: The slander on Ken has gone too far. Sure he had 1st round players all around him but we don’t hold that against Joe Burrow or anyone at Alabama. Here’s all you need to know, 38-2 as a starter. 2001 National Champion.
5- McKenzie Milton: KZ picked up where Daunte left off, UCF’s program has been like a rocket ship ever since McKenzie took controls at QB. Talent wise, he’s one of the best on this list, accurate in short area, deep balls, great leader, he checks every box. AND HE’S A NATIONAL CHAMPION. 23-0 from 2017-2018.
4- Danny Wuerffel: Heisman Trophy winner in 1996. 2x SEC Player of the Year. Wuerffel could flat out sling it, 114 TD passes during his time @ Florida. He made Spurrier go from lovable good coach, to game-changing icon.
3- Chris Weinke: National Champion in 1999, Heisman award winner in 2000, he appeared in 2 national title games. Wienke was 25 when he joined the Noles but wound up winning 32 of the 36 games he played. He still holds the Noles records for TD’s, completions, and yards by a QB.
2- Charlie Ward: The man who started it all for FSU and he did it in a way, no one was doing it at that point in time. 1993 Ward was a national champion, Heisman winner, and one of the most sensational players I’ve ever seen on a football field.
1- Tim Tebow: Not only was Tebow great for all of the obvious intangibles he brought to the table. He left college with 2,947 rushing yards and astonishing 57 touchdowns. That is 12,232 total yards and 145 total touchdowns in college. Say what you will about him as a pro, Tebow was virtually unstoppable with the ball in his hands in college. 2x BCS champ, 2007 Heisman winner, 3x All-SEC.
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