Gator Fans' All-Century Football Team Announced
Monday, November 13, 2006 | Football
In conjunction with the celebration of 100 Years of Florida Football, Gator fans' voting results are complete for the Gator Fans' All-Century Team Presented by Gatorade and were announced on Monday. Following a process that began in early August and lasted until late October, fans voted with mail-in ballots found at Gatorade displays in participating Publix stores as well as at www.GatorZone.com.
A total of 26 players (12 on offense, 12 on defense and two specialists) earned the nod from the fans. Fans selected one player each for those positions traditionally played only one at a time (i.e. quarterback, punter and place-kicker) during normal game situations. Members of the Gator Fans' All-Century Team have been invited to the Florida-Western Carolina football game this Sat., Nov. 18, to be recognized in a special halftime ceremony.
Danny Wuerffel, Quarterback (1993-96)
Perhaps the most decorated player in Florida's football history, Wuerffel won the 1996 Heisman Trophy while quarterbacking the Gators to the consensus national championship… Led the Orange and Blue to four SEC titles and a pair of national championship games… Only Heisman Trophy recipient to receive the Draddy Scholarship Trophy, which is presented by the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame to the nation's top football scholar-athlete… First-team All-America selection in 1995 and 1996 and two-time recipient of the O'Brien National Quarterback of the Year Award in those same campaigns… Completed his Gator career completing 708 of 1,170 passes for 10,875 yards with 114 TD passes, best in SEC history and second-most in major college history… Career pass efficiency rating of 163.56 was the best in major college history and his percentage of passes which went for a TD (9.74) ranked first in collegiate history...In 1995, his efficiency rating of 178.4 set a single-season collegiate record… During his Heisman-winning season of 1996, he completed 207 of 360 passes for 3,625 yards (an SEC record at the time) for 39 TDs (leading the nation and tops in SEC history) and his efficiency rating of 170.6 made him the first QB to ever post a rating of 170 or better in back-to-back years… Named to the Gainesville Sun's UF Team of the Century in 1999 and was chosen the century's top Gator offensive player by that publication.
Errict Rhett, Running Back (1990-93)
Completed his career in 1993 with 4,163 rushing yards, the top total in school history and fourth-best all-time in SEC history...Also caught 153 career passes, the top total in school history for a RB and third-best all-time in UF history… Rhett became the first player in NCAA Division I-A history to rush for over 4,100 yards and catch 140 or more passes… Football News first-team All-America selection in 1993 and a first-team All-SEC choice in both 1991 and 1993… Led the SEC in rushing yards in 1991 (1,109) and 1993 (1,289)… He joined Emmitt Smith as the only Gator players to gain 1,000 rushing yards in a season twice… A second-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1994, Rhett was the NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Emmitt Smith, Running Back (1987-89)
A unanimous first-team All-America selection, Smith finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1989 and ninth in 1987… Three-time first-team All-SEC pick who was the SEC Player of the Year in 1989… SEC Freshman of the Year in 1987...Will officially be enshrined at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., during ceremonies next summer… Broke 58 school records en route to rushing for 3,928 yards and 36 touchdowns in only three seasons as a Gator… Rushed for 1,599 yards and 16 scores as a junior… First-round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 1990… Enjoyed 15 seasons in the NFL with the Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals...The NFL's all-time leading rusher with 18,355 career yards, 164 touchdowns and three Super Bowl rings… Led the NFL in rushing four times (1991-93, 1995) and rushing touchdowns three times (1992, 1994, 1995)… NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1993, the MVP of Super Bowl XXVIII and made eight Pro Bowls throughout his career… Rushed 71 times for 289 yards, caught 11 passes for 56 yards and scored five touchdowns in three Super Bowls...His five rushing touchdowns are a career Super Bowl record, and his 175 total touchdowns rank him second to only Jerry Rice's 207 scores… Sum of his rushing yards, receiving yards (3,224) and fumble return yards (-15), gave him a total of 21,564 yards from the line of scrimmage, making him one of only four players in NFL history to eclipse the 21,000-combined yards mark.
Fred Taylor, Running Back (1994-97)
A first-team All-American selection in 1997 by the Walter Camp Foundation… In 1997, he was UF's leading rusher with 1,292 yards on 214 carries (6.0 avg.) and a team-leading 13 touchdowns… Taylor had eight 100-yard rushing performances during the season… Was a third-team All- America recipient by the Associated Press and was a first-team All-SEC selection… Was a first-round selection in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Carlos Alvarez, Wide Receiver (1969-71)
A consensus All-America in 1969 following a record-breaking season in which he caught 88 passes for 1,329 yards and 12 TDs, figures that remain Gator records… .Alvarez also holds Gator career marks for receptions (172), yards (2,563)
and single-game records for reception yards (238 vs. Miami (Fla.), receptions (15 vs. Miami (Fla.)… He was the recipient of an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship and was named to the GTE Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 1989.
Cris Collinsworth, Wide Receiver (1977-80)
A brilliant all-around player, Collinsworth ranked fourth on the school's pass receiving charts and is tied for the NCAA record for longest touchdown pass, 99 yards against Rice as a freshman QB in 1977… During his Gator career, he caught 120 passes for 1,937 yards and 14 TDs… He ran for two other touchdowns and returned a kickoff for another… During his first three seasons in this NFL, he was an All-Pro wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals… In 2001, he was inducted into the Verizon Academic All-America Hall of Fame.
Chris Doering, Wide Receiver (1992-95)
A former walk-on who went on to post one of the finest careers for a wide receiver in SEC and school history… Played in 43 games, with 25 starts… Doering's 31 career touchdown catches ranked as the top total on both the SEC and Florida career lists… One in every 4.81 of his career catches went for a touchdown, the fourth-best ratio in school history… His 149 career catches still rank fourth on UF's all-time list, while his 2,107 receiving yards rated fourth when he finished and are now the eighth… Doering was named first-team All-SEC in 1995 and was a second-team All-American… He became just the 13th player in Division I-A history to catch 30 or more career TD passes… In his final season, Doering set an NCAA record for most games catching at least one TD pass with 11 (all but LSU)… Totaled 70 receptions that season for 1,045 yards (14.9 avg.) and a school-record 17 scores.
Ike Hilliard, Wide Receiver (1994-96)
Was a semifinalist for the 1996 Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top wide receiver… Member of the 1996 Walter Camp Football Foundation All-America team… Named a 1996 first-team All-American and first-team All-SEC by The Football News… Chosen to the Coaches' second-team All-SEC team in 1995… His 126 catches were the seventh-best in school history when he finished, while his 29 touchdowns were tied for the second-highest total in the SEC record books… Registered 2,214 yards receiving, good for a 17.6-yard average… Caught at least one pass in every game played in his Gator career, 32 regular-season and three bowl games… Set a Sugar Bowl record with an 82-yard TD reception in 1995… Taken in the first round of the 1997 draft by the New York Giants.
Lomas Brown, Offensive Line (1981-84)
A consensus All-America and SEC choice his senior season in 1984… Brown received the Jacobs Blocking Trophy
(SEC's top blocker) in 1984; a first for Florida… He was a starter throughout most of his four years at UF, starting 31 of his last 33 games and had 34 career starts, all at tackle...Participated in both the Hula Bowl and the Senior Bowl… Drafted in first round of the NFL Draft by Detroit Lions in 1985 and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1995.
Mike Degory, Offensive Line (2002-05)
A four-year starter at center who started all 50 games of his college career, which is tied for the most in Florida football history and third-highest in the history of the SEC… Served multiple years as team captain… Degory was a three-time selection to Rimington Trophy Watch List (2003, 2004, 2005) and was one of six finalists for the Rimington Trophy in 2005… Selected to participate in the 2006 East-West Shrine All-Star Game… Was a 2005 first-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press and Coaches… Honored as a 2005 first-team All-American by CBS Sportsline… Achieved second-team All-SEC from the AP and Coaches in both 2003 and 2004… Named UF's "Outstanding Offensive Lineman" in both 2003 and 2004… Earned a spot on The Sporting News Freshman All-America team in 2002… Named to the Scripps/Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America team that season… Two-time member of SEC Good Works Team for his involvement in the community… Named first-team Academic All-District III by ESPN The Magazine and was on the ballot for Academic All-America… Was a semifinalist for the 2005 Draddy Trophy presented by The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame (NFF).
Jeff Mitchell, Offensive Line (1993-96)
Achieved third-team All-America status from Associated Press in 1996… First-team All-SEC pick in 1995 and 1996… Was a four-time selection to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996… Was one of 13 semifinalists for the Outland Trophy as the nation's top interior lineman in 1996… Made 33 career starts (12 at offensive guard in 1994 and 21 at center in 1995 and 1996)… Part of a Gator offense that set 10 SEC records and averaged 534.4 yards in total offense, as well as 360.8 yards passing per game in '95.
Jason Odom, Offensive Line (1992-95)
Named to virtually every first-team All-America team, including Associated Press, the Football Writers Association of America, the American Football Coaches Association and the Walter Camp Football Foundation in 1995… Named the recipient of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the SEC's premier blocker for second-straight year in 1995, the first player since 1982 to capture the award in back-to-back years… One of three finalists for the Outland Trophy, as well as one of 12 semifinalists for the Lombardi Award… .A four-year starter who played in 49 games with 46 starts.
Trace Armstrong, Defensive Line (1988)
Played just one year at Florida after transferring from Arizona State… Had a superb season in 1988, as he registered 19 tackles for lost yardage, the top figure for a defensive lineman in that category in school history… .Armstrong was a consensus first-team All-SEC choice and was named first-team All-America by The Sporting News… He was selected in the first round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.
Alex Brown, Defensive Line (1998-2001)
Brown was the first defensive lineman in school history to earn first-team All-America honors twice (1999, 2001)… In 1999, he set a school single-season quarterback sack record (13) and became just the third sophomore in Gator history to earn
first-team All-America honors, the first-ever on the defensive side of the ball… Brown also gained first-team All-America honors in 2001 and was a finalist for the Lombardi Award that year… He completed his career with a school-record 33 career QB sacks before being taken in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.
Kevin Carter, Defensive Line (1991-94)
Named to several 1994 first-team All-America units (Walter Camp Football Foundation, Football News, UPI)… Football News named him one of five finalists for its '94 National Defensive Player of the Year Award… Was a semifinalist for the
1994 Lombardi Award, presented to the nation's top lineman… .His 42.3 career tackles for loss and 21.8 quarterback sacks ranked seventh and fifth, respectively in UF history when he completed his career in 1994… .Carter's 11.8 sacks in '94 were then the third-best seasonal total in school history… He started 38 of his last 39 games at defensive end… A 1995 NFL first-round selection by the St. Louis Rams, Carter earned All-Pro honors in 1999 after leading the NFL and Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams in quarterback sacks.
Brad Culpepper, Defensive Line (1988-91)
Named to several first-team All-America squads in 1991 (AP, The Sporting News, Football News, Kodak)… The most honored scholar-athlete in the nation in 1991, when he was a first-team Academic All-American and a National Football
Foundation Scholar-Athlete… Received the prestigious Draddy Trophy as nation's top Scholar-Athlete and earned the Toyota's National Leadership Award… Set a school record in 1991 for most tackles for losses (21.5) by an interior defensive lineman and also collected the most tackles for loss in a career by an interior lineman with 47.5.
Jack Youngblood, Defensive Line (1968-70)
Regarded as best defensive end in Gator history...Named to All-SEC team for decade of the 1970's, he was a rugged competitor who went on to become an All-Pro star with the Los Angeles Rams after being a first-round draft selection in 1971... Participated in the 1971 Senior Bowl game and was chosen as the event's Most Outstanding Player… Was enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992 and became the first player from Florida to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2001... After leading the team in with 66 tackles in 1969, he made All-America the following season and pulled off one of the greatest plays in Florida history... With the Gators trailing Georgia, 17-10, and the Bulldogs positioned on UF's one-yard line, Youngblood stopped a UGA running back short of the goal line...Knocked the ball out of the player's grasp and recovered it as the Gators notched a come-from-behind 24-17 victory… The Rams' defensive captain, he was a three-time winner of the Dan Reeves Award given to that team's Most Valuable Player each season...Was All-Pro in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, and 1979 and All-NFC seven times...Played in seven-straight Pro Bowls following each season from 1973 to 1979… Rams played in five NFC championship games and advanced to Super Bowl XIV following the 1979 season… Suffered a fractured left fibula in a first-round playoff game that year… Was fitted with a plastic brace and he played every defensive down in both the NFC title game and Super Bowl XIV against the Pittsburgh Steelers… Played in a Rams' record 201 consecutive games and only missed one game in 14 seasons, that one miss coming in his final year in 1984.
Scot Brantley, Linebacker (1976-79)
Collected first-team All-SEC honors in 1977 and 1978… As a junior, Brantley led the Gators in interceptions (five) and tackles (193)… Had a career-high 23 tackles against LSU… Was named the league's Lineman of the Week twice in '78… Was the SEC Rookie of the Year in 1976 after leading Florida in tackles with 145 (93 primary, 52 assists)… Totaled 13 tackles in the Sun Bowl matchup versus Texas A&M… Played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Channing Crowder, Linebacker (2003-04)
Two-year standout for the Gators who was tabbed as an All-American by ESPN in 2004, when he was a member of the first-team All-SEC Defense by the coaches and second-team by the Associated Press… Named UF's Outstanding Linebacker, he was the co-recipient of the Defensive Captain Award after rating third on team with 73 tackles… Crowder notched an SEC season-high and a career-best 18 tackles and forced the second fumble of his career against Mississippi State… He was named The Sporting News' SEC Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2003 and was chosen to The Sporting News' All-Freshman, Rivals.com and Scripps/FWAA All-America teams… Crowder was selected as the Collegefootballnews.com Freshman of the Year after being voted second-team All-SEC and to the league's All-Freshman Team by the coaches… His nine starts were the most by a freshman linebacker in school history and he led the nation in tackles by a freshman.
Jevon Kearse, Linebacker (1996-98)
A first-team All-America selection in 1998 by Walter Camp Football Foundation and Football News, Kearse was a consensus first-team All-SEC choice who was chosen the AP SEC Defensive Player of the Year that season… One of three finalists that year for the Butkus Award and also one of three finalists for the Bednarik National Defensive Player of
the Year Award… Kearse was also one of 12 semifinalists for the Lombardi Award in 1998… .He entered the NFL Draft after his junior year and was a first-round selection by the Tennessee Titans… Selected as the 1999 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Wilber Marshall, Linebacker (1980-83)
Recognized as one of the finest defensive players in Gator history… Two-time consensus All-America at linebacker… Selected as ABC-TV's (Chevrolet) “Defensive Player of the Year” in 1983… A finalist for the Lombardi Award in his last two seasons at Florida… Marshall finished his outstanding collegiate career with 343 tackles (210 solo), including a then-school-record 23 quarterback sacks… .Was a first-round choice by the Chicago Bears in 1984 and achieved All-Pro status in 1986, 1987 and 1992. In 1999, he was chosen as UF's Defensive Player of the Century by The Gainesville Sun.
Louis Oliver, Defensive Back (1985-88)
Oliver originally joined the UF program as a walk-on in 1984… By the time he graduated in 1988, he had become the first
two-time first-team All-America selection as a defensive back in school history… OIiver was twice chosen first-team All-SEC… He was one of three finalists for the Thorpe Defensive Back of the Year Award in 1988 and was later selected in the first round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins.
Lito Sheppard, Defensive Back (1999-2001)
Became just the fourth sophomore and second defender in UF history to earn first-team All-America recognition when chosen for that honor in 2000 by the Football Writers Association of America… Sheppard became just the second sophomore defensive back in school history to earn first-team All-America recognition… A consensus first-team All-SEC selection during the 2000 and 2001 seasons...Was a first-round selection in 2002 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Fred Weary, Defensive Back (1994-97)
Earned first-team All-America honors in 1997 from The Sporting News, Football News, American Football Coaches Association and the Walter Camp Foundation...One of three finalists in 1997 for the Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back… Weary completed his career with 15 interceptions, tops in school history, and his six interceptions in 1997 were the second-best seasonal total in UF history… A two-time (1996, 1997) first-team All-SEC choice.
Shayne Edge, Punter (1991-94)
Handled punting duties for all four years… His 42.5 career average (182 punts for 7,229 yards) ranked third on the all-time list upon completion of his career… Named honorable mention All-America by United Press International in 1994… Earned second-team All-America recognition from The Sporting News as a freshman in 1991, the highest All-America honor for a freshman in school history… Collected first-team All-SEC honors in 1991 and second-team accolades in 1993 and 1994… Was a member of the SEC's All-Freshman Team in '91… Had 40 career punts inside of the 20-yard line and 40 career punts over 50 yards.
Jeff Chandler, Kicker (1998-2001)
Joined the Gator program as a walk-on in 1997 and is now UF's all-time leading scorer (368 points)...School's all-time leader in field goals made (67), first in PATs made (167) and second in field goal percentage (83.8%)...Ranks second in SEC history in scoring with 368 points, fourth in league history in field goals made (65) and second in field goal percentage (83.8%)...Played in 46 regular-season games for 476 plays and saw action in the 1999 Orange Bowl, the 2000 Citrus Bowl, the 2001 Sugar Bowl and the 2002 Orange Bowl...Semifinalist for the Groza National Place-Kicker of the Year Award in both 1999 and 2000...A second-team All-America selection in 1999...First-team All-SEC selection in 1999 and 2001...Chosen UF's MVP for the 1999 season...His 51-yard field goal in the 2001 Sugar Bowl was the longest in UF Bowl History...Career-long field goal (54 yards) came against Georgia on Oct. 28, 2000.
Gator Fans' All-Century Football Team
Offense
| Pos. | Name | Years |
| QB | Danny Wuerffel | 1993-96 |
| RB | Errict Rhett | 1990-93 |
| RB | Emmitt Smith | 1987-89 |
| RB | Fred Taylor | 1994-97 |
| WR | Carlos Alvarez | 1969-71 |
| WR | Cris Collinsworth | 1977-80 |
| WR | Chris Doering | 1992-95 |
| WR | Ike Hilliard | 1994-96 |
| OL | Lomas Brown | 1981-84 |
| OL | Mike Degory | 2002-05 |
| OL | Jeff Mitchell | 1993-96 |
| OL | Jason Odom | 1992-95 |
Defense
| Pos. | Name | Years |
| DL | Trace Armstrong | 1988 |
| DL | Alex Brown | 1998-2001 |
| DL | Kevin Carter | 1991-94 |
| DL | Brad Culpepper | 1988-91 |
| DL | Jack Youngblood | 1968-70 |
| LB | Scot Brantley | 1976-79 |
| LB | Channing Crowder | 2003-04 |
| LB | Jevon Kearse | 1996-98 |
| LB | Wilber Marshall | 1980-83 |
| DB | Louis Oliver | 1985-88 |
| DB | Lito Sheppard | 1999-2001 |
| DB | Fred Weary | 1994-97 |
Specialists
| Pos. | Name | Years |
| P | Shayne Edge | 1991-94 |
| K | Jeff Chandler | 1998-2001 |
--UF--
