Leak Honored By Touchdown Club of Columbus
Thursday, December 18, 2003 | Football
University of Florida freshman quarterback Chris Leak was named the Freshman Football Player of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Columbus on Thursday. The organization will celebrate its 48th Annual Sports Award Banquet on February 7, 2004, where Leak will be honored.
"We are pleased that Chris will be able to join us again this year after the fantastic performances he had making him a worthy recipient of this trophy," stated Banquet Director Sam Nicola Jr.
Leak is one of only three players in the history of the Touchdown Club to win its prestigious Sam B. Nicola Sr. Award as the Best High School Player in the nation and follow up the next year as a collegian award winner. Florida's Emmitt Smith and Ohio State's Maurice Clarett also won the awards in back-to-back years.
This season, Leak completed 168 or 279 passes for 2,167 yards with 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His touchdown and season passing yardage totals are the most by a true freshman in school history. He also has all of the top five single-game passing yard records by a true freshman at UF after only eight career starts. Leak stands 63 yards behind Danny Wuerffel who holds the Florida record for season passing yards by any freshman (true or redshirt) as Wuerffel had 2,230 yards passing in 1993.
