DANNY WUERFFEL On All Access Football Radio

Danny Wuerffel talks with College Football Insiders Founder and NFL Draft Bible President Daniel Mogollon about his playing days in Gainesville as a Florida Gator, Steve Spurrier, Tim Tebow, the adjustments a quarterback has to make from college to the pros and life after football. Wuerffel won the Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Award, Draddy Trophy and the Davey O’Brien Award (among other awards) on his way to a National Championship in 1996. He won four SEC titles and set 17 school records during his college career. Currently the former signal caller—who spent time with the New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins of the NFL—gives out his own award, the Danny Wuerffel Trophy. More importantly, Wuerffel works with Desire Street Ministries to help the impoverished.

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Photo Credit: College Press Box (Davey O'Brien Award)

Sputtering in South Carolina

By ARTHUR DICESARE - SEC INSIDER

Maybe it’s me but I recall a time when Steve Spurrier’s teams put the fear of god into opposing defensive coordinators. These days, Spurrier’s teams are reduced to embarrassing loses like the one they had to Vanderbilt last Thursday, 24-17. The Spurrier South Carolina experience has been a disappointment to say the least. Now in his fourth year with the Gamecocks, Spurrier has finished 2nd once in the SEC East and his teams have not had that offensive swagger we were used to seeing from a team coached by the “Old ball coach”. While at Florida, Spurrier’s teams would come out throwing from the shotgun right off the bus. They were always loaded with talented wideouts and quarterbacks that fit the Spurrier pass-heavy mold. This system yielded three quarterbacks finishing in the top five of the Heisman voting, with Danny Wuerffel winning it all in 1996. Not to mention the fact that his teams were always in the national championship picture, taking home the prize in 1996. I find it hard to believe that a top high school quarterback would not want to play for Spurrier and his pass-heavy system. Maybe Spurrier has lost his touch in the recruiting game. Maybe his offense is behind the times, with everyone moving towards the spread. Maybe the SEC is just better than it was when he ruled it in the mid-90s. One thing is for sure: Spurrier and his teams were good for college football, they brought big plays and huge scoring to the SEC. I hope that he can recapture what he once had with the Gators. If not, we might see a great coach—one who once dominated the SEC with a .818 winning percentage and six SEC titles—fade quietly into obscurity.

Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media

University of Florida Reaches Agreement with AAFL

The University of Florida and the All-American Football League have finalized an agreement by which the University will host three of the League's Florida team's five home games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

The League's Board is chaired by Dr. Cedric Dempsey, formerly President of the NCAA, and includes many other distinguished persons including Dr. Charles Young, formerly President of the University of Florida, and Gene Corrigan, formerly Commissioner of the ACC. Former Gator Lee McGriff has been named Board Chairman of the AAFL's Florida team.

The AAFL's Florida team will feature former players of the University of Florida who have at least earned their bachelor's degree.

A press conference coordinated by the AAFL has been scheduled for 3 p.m., Sept. 5, at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center in Gainesville, at which time the head coach and president of the AAFL Florida team will be introduced along with former UF players. Home dates and opponents of the AAFL's Florida team will be also be announced.

Chairman of the AAFL Florida Team Board Lee McGriff, former Gator All-American and Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel and AAFL CEO and VP of Football Operations M. Katz and Keenan Davis will be there. Other former Florida Gators who will be present include Shane Matthews, Travis McGriff, Willie Jackson, Chris Doering, Judd Davis, Fred Weary, Eli Williams and Vernell Brown.