On this date in Gators history: Aug. 28, 1990
Tuesday, August 28, 2012 | Football, Chris Harry
Coach Steve Spurrier announced sophomore Shane Matthews would be his first starting quarterback when the Gators open the season against Oklahoma State on Sept. 8.
Matthews, a sophomore from Pascagoula, Miss., won the job over the more experienced Kyle Morris and Purdue transfer Brian Fox, with a terrific Orange & Blue Game performance -- after starting the spring listed fifth on the depth chart -- followed by solid practices in Spurrier's first training camp.
“Shane is going to have an opportunity to be our quarterback,” Spurrier announced. “He's played a little bit better than the rest of them. He avoided the really bad plays. Shane's a very good athlete with the ability to scramble around a little bit and make a few things happen.”
As it turned out, Matthews could do more than make a few things happen. He started every game over the next four years, posting a 28-8 record, twice won Southeastern Conference Player of the Year honors and rewrote virtually every school and conference passing record.
Good call, Coach.
