1997 Football Roster
Roster
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Jersey Number 21
Fred Taylor
- Height:
- 6-1
- Weight:
- 223
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Belle Glade
- High School:
- Glades Central
Florida Highlights:
1996
1995
1994
Prep
Major:
Earned bachelor’s degree in Sociology May 2024
- 1997 All-America third team (Associated Press & Sporting News)
- 1997 All-America honorable mention (The Football News)
- 1997 All-SEC first team (Associated Press and Coaches)
- 1994 SEC All-Freshman team
- Gators 1994 Outstanding Running Back
- SEC Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 15, 1997)
- Finished UF career second in consecutive 100-yard games (5 in 1997), second season 100-yard games (8 in 1997) and third in career (14, 1994-97)
- 14 career 100-yard rushing games
- Finished career fourth on Florida’s career all-purpose yardage (604) and touchdowns (31), third in total yards gained (3,792)
- 234 Most Net Yards Tied for Fourth in SEC Bowl History (1998 Citrus Bowl) and Florida leader
- Ninth overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1998 NFL Draft
- 1997 All-America third team (Associated Press & Sporting News)
- 1997 All-America honorable mention (The Football News)
- 1997 All-SEC first team (Associated Press and Coaches)
- 1998 CompUSA Florida Citrus Bowl Most Valuable Player
- 1997 Ray Graves Award winner as Gators most valuable player
- Florida’s leading rusher with 1,292 yards on 214 carries (6.0 yards per carry). Led UF with 1,530 all-purpose yards
- Led Gators with 13 touchdowns and eight 100-yard rushing performances
- 1997 Senior Bowl selection
1996
- Played in nine games (all but SW Louisiana, Georgia Southern and Tennessee) with two starts (South Carolina and Florida State). Also played in Sugar Bowl
- Named corecipient, with Elijah Williams, of UF’s Most Outstanding Running Back Awards in 1996
- 104 carries for 629 yards (6.0 avg.) and five TDs, as well as eight catches for 120 yards. 629 yards ranked second on team
- Three 100-yard rushing games (LSU, Auburn and South Carolina)
- Named the squad’s most improved running back during spring
1995
- Teamed with Elijah Williams and Terry Jackson to give UF a talented trio at TB
- Knee injury sideline Taylor for second half of 1995 season
- Played in six games for 118 plays
- Third on team in rushing with 281 yards (5.9 avg.) and five TDs
- Sidelined after suffering knee injury versus Georgia
1994
- Led Florida with 171 carries for 873 yards (5.1 ypc), eight TDs, long 25 (vs. Kentucky)
- 29 catches for 271 yards (9.3 ypc), long 50 (vs. LSU)
- Played in all 12 games (two starts- Auburn and Alabama) with a team-leading 421 plays. Also started in Sugar Bowl
- Named UF’s most Outstanding Running Back
- SEC All-Freshman Team selection by Knoxville News-Sentinel
- Sports Illustrated named him the South’s top freshman player in 1994
- 72.8 rushing yards per game ranked 10th best in SEC and led all SEC freshman (83.9 ypg vs. SEC foes)
- Team-high 873 rushing yards was second-best single season effort by a UF freshman in school history (Emmitt Smith ranks first with 1,341)
- Led team in rushing in eight of 12 regular-season games
Prep
- Considered the state’s top prep RB in ’93 and one of the nation’s elite players at that position
- 1993 Parade All-American
- Second-team USA Today All-American honors and was named to Blue Chip Illustrated’s “Dream Team”
- Among nation’s top five running backs by SuperPrep magazine
- Rushed for 1,545 yards on 150 carries (10.3 avp) with 20 TDs in ’93 and was named first-team all-state (3A) and was selected to the prestigious Florida Super Seniors Team
- Florida’s 3A Player of the Year and finished as the runner-up in the balloting for the 1993 Florida Mr. Football Award
- High School coach: Rick Casko
Major:
Earned bachelor’s degree in Sociology May 2024
| Years | Rush | Rec | Total | TD |
| 1994 | 873 | 271 | 1,144 | 8 |
| 1995 | 281 | 125 | 406 | 5 |
| 1996 | 629 | 83 | 712 | 5 |
| 1997 | 1,292 | 238 | 1530 | 13 |
| Total | 3,075 | 717 | 3,792 | 31 |
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