More dudes and duderinos: The top ten Florida quarterbacks

A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning:

“The Dude abides.  I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners.” – The Stranger, talking about The Dude, Jeff Lebowski, also known as His Dudeness, Duder or El Duderino in “The Big Lebowski”

When it comes to Florida football, Steve Spurrier is THE DUDE and Gene Ellenson and Urban Mayer qualify as El Duderinos. For the next few days, we’ll go position by position to name THE DUDE at each position and a top 10, or El Duderinos.

Quarterbacks

THE DUDE

1. Tim Tebow: It’s a travesty that he didn’t win two Heismans. He has two national championship rings, one as Chris Leak’s caddie in 2006, the other as the starter in 2008 when he should have won his second Heisman. He threw for 88 TDPs and ran for 57 more.

El Duderinos

2. Danny Wuerffel: He won the Heisman in 1996 and was the runner-up the year before. The Gators were 22-2 his last two years with a national championship in 1996. He threw for 10,785 yards and 114 touchdown passes.

3. Steve Spurrier: Yes, he is THE DUDE when it comes to UF football but that’s because he was a player and coach. As a QB he won the 1996 Heisman. His career passing numbers were big time for the era – 4,848 yards and 36 touchdowns. When he led the Gators to a 9-2 record and a win over Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl as a senior, Spurrier passed for 2,012 yards and 16 touchdowns.

4. Shane Matthews: Not enough people appreciate just how good Shane was. He was the sixth string QB when Steve Spurrier became the head coach in January. He was the starter in May and started three years, winning SEC Player of the Year twice. Threw for 9,287 yards and 74 TDPs.

5. Rex Grossman: He should have won the Heisman in 2001 but it was given to Nebraska’s Eric Crouch as a lifetime achievement award. He threw for 9,164 yards and 77 touchdown passes.

6. Kyle Trask: It took Feleipe Franks breaking his ankle for us to discover just how good Kyle Trask was. He led a fourth quarter comeback win over Kentucky in 2019, coming off the bench cold after Franks went down, then never looked back. The Gators went 11-2 that season and were the only team that came within a touchdown of national champ Alabama in the SEC Championship Game in 2020. He threw for 7,386 yards and 69 touchdowns in 22 games as a starting QB. He made it to the Heisman Trophy podium as a senior in 2020, not bad for an almost no-star recruit from Texas in 2017 who had 27 pass attempts prior to the comeback against Kentucky. .

7. Chris Leak: When he signed with the Gators he vowed to lead the Gators to a national championship. As a true freshman he beat national champion LSU in Baton Rouge in just his second collegiate start. In his final collegiate start he was the MVP of the national championship game when he clearly outplayed Heisman Trophy QB Troy Smith as the Gators destroyed Ohio State 41-14. Leak started 47 games in all, and was 22-4 his final two seasons. He threw for 11,213 yards and 88 touchdowns in his UF career.

8. John Reaves: You will be hearing the name John Reaves a lot as the season opener with Miami approaches. In the final game of 1971, the Gators were already destroying Miami when it became known on the sideline that Reaves was 14 yards shy of what was then the NCAA career passing yardage record. Miami had the ball but to give Reaves a chance to secure the record, the defense flopped allowing Miami to score. Reaves got the record on a pass to Carlos Alvarez, but Miami fans are still infuriated by “The Florida Flop.” There was no love lost between the two schools before the flop, but now, from Miami’s perspective, it’s pure hate. In three years as the UF starter, Reaves threw for 7,549 yards and 54 touchdown passes.

9. Kerwin Bell: A walk-on from tiny Mayo, he became the starting QB when Dale Dorminey was lost for the 1984 season just days before the Gators were to take on Miami in the season opener. The Gators lost that game, 32-20, but The Throwin’ Mayoan aquitted himself quite well. He was the SEC Player of the Year in 1984 and Florida’s starting quarterback for four years, during which he threw for 7,585 yards and what was then a school record 56 touchdowns.

10. Doug Johnson: Unfortunately, he will always be remembered more for a loss at LSU and for throwing a football at Bobby Bowden’s head than for the 7,114 passing yards or 62 touchdown passes he threw. The top-ranked Gators lost to LSU, 28-21, in Baton Rouge, a game in which Johnson was picked off four times. It came out later that Johnson had been out drinking in downtown Gainesville on Thursday night before the Gators traveled. When there was a near brawl before the 1998 Florida-FSU game in Tallahassee, Johnson nearly hit Bobby Bowden in the head with the football. He was actually a good QB with a lot of talent.

UF BASEBALL: Draft day approaches

Most of the experts at D1Baseball predict the 2025 Gators will make a return visit to Omaha for the College World Series even though the Gators will lose Jac Caglianone for sure and quite possibly, several other important players who made the late season run to Omaha possible. Kevin O’Sullivan has a good nucleus of returning players, an outstanding group of high school signees and five additions from the transfer portal.

Here is a look at the draft-eligible players from the 2024 roster and signing class that could be hearing their names called when Major League Baseball drafts next week:

Draft-eligible

Jac Caglianone, 1B/P: He will be one of the first four players chosen. Probably the ideal spot would be Colorado at No. 3. In that thin air he could hit home runs into the next county. No. 3 prospect MLB.com, No. 5 Baseball America

Colby Shelton, SS/3B: He is a draft-eligible sophomore so he has tremendous leverage. If he doesn’t like the team or the money, he can come back for a year. With his glove and his power he could be a surefire first rounder in a year if he comes back and cuts down on his strikeouts. No. 64 prospect by Baseball America, No. 133 MLB.com

Luke Heyman, C: Unless he’s drafted first five rounds, he needs to come back. He’s a draft-eligible sophomore so he can be picky. He could go first two rounds next year if he comes back and cuts back on the strikeouts. Serious power.  No. 222 prospect by Baseball America

Pierce Coppola, LHP: Here is why you hope he resists the urge to go pro. In the last 9-1/3 innings he pitched (Nebraska and Kentucky) he struck out 17. After a 2-year absence due to injury the heat was still there, only the command was missing. If he comes back and has regained command of the strike zone, he will be a No. 1 pick in 2025. All indications are he’s coming back. No. 242 prospect by Baseball America

Ty Evans, OF: Missed the run to the CWS after breaking his wrist. Power is a plus. He has the leverage to come back for his senior year, but if he’s top ten, he needs to sign and go. No. 359 prospect by Baseball America

Brandon Neely, RHP: His last month of the season elevated his draft stock considerably. Should go first five rounds. Does have the leverage of returning for one more year. No. 193 prospect by MLB.com, No. 246  Baseball America

Ryan Slater, RHP: After an outstanding sophomore season, he struggled to get people out in 2024. If he’s drafted it will be because of 2023 when he was 10-1 coming out of the bullpen.

Fisher Jameson, RHP: He has a year of eligibility remaining and if he wants to be a closer, this will be his chance. Had a great last half of the season primarily as long relief and setting up Neely to close. Is that enough to get him into the first 10 rounds? If he’s first ten he needs to sign.

Tyler Shelnut, 3B/OF: He has graduated and run out of eligibility. Good power numbers in 2024 should at least give him a shot as a late round draftee or free agent signee.

Assessing the situation: Figure Caglianone and Neely are gone for sure. Evans is probably a goner and if Slater cracks the first ten rounds, he should go also. Shelton and Heyman have leverage and a chance to move up for next year’s draft if they come back and play well. Figure they’re leaning toward coming back if the money or team isn’t right. If Jameson wants to close, he needs to come back. Coppola can pitch his way into a top ten pick next year if he comes back.

Could be drafted from the signing class

Kellon Lindsey, SS: Nearly every mock draft has him going last half of the first round. He’s the fastest guy in the draft. No. 27 prospect by Baseball America, No. 29 MLB.com

Jackson Barberi, RHP: There is a good chance he is selected first 3-4 rounds, perhaps even in the second. Power pitcher with room to grow. No. 99 prospect MLB.com, No. 169 Baseball America

Joshua Whritenour, RHP: Mid-90s fast ball and a wicked splitter. Another Hurston Waldrep in the making? No. 157 prospect by Baseball America, No. 160 MLB.com

Brendan Lawson, SS: Can play the left side of the infield. Hits well enough that he could DH. Gap to gap hitter with exceptional power potential. No. 131 prospect by Baseball America, No. 156 MLB.com

Schuyler Standford, RHP: He had Tommy John surgery so 2025 will be a redshirt year if he comes to UF, which is likely. No. 275 prospect by Baseball America

Aidan King, RHP: Put up ridiculous strikeout numbers in the Jacksonville area. Likely tenth round or later.

Kolt Meyers, SS: Can play three infield positions, makes a lot of contact and has power potential. Likely tenth round or later.

Niko Janssens, LHP: Lefties who can hit 95 on the gun at 18 are always in demand. Could slip into the first ten rounds.

Assessing the situation: It will be a huge surprise if Lindsey turns down first round money. If Barberi likes the team and is first three rounds, he’s seems certain to be a goner. Whritenour, Lawson and Standford should be Gators.

A possible lineup for next season

C: Heyman or Brody Donay; 1B: Donay or Caden McDonald; 2B: Cade Kurland; SS: Shelton or Lawson; 3B: Justin Nadeau (Jacksonville transfer) or Landon Stripling (Texas Tech transfer); LF: Hayden Yost or Ashton Wilson;  CF: Kyle Jones (Stetson transfer); RF: Blake Cyr (Miami transfer)

Starters: Liam Peterson; Coppola; Jake Clemente; Michael Ross (Samford transfer); Billy Barlow (Clemson transfer)

Closers: Jameson; Slater; Luke McNeillie; King

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Call me a pessimist. Having scoured the Lindy’s, Athlon and Phil Steele magazines, I have reached the following conclusion that these five teams will go down as vastly overrated when the curtain comes down on the 2025 season:

1. Southern Cal: A new quarterback and the same lousy defense. The luster is starting to wear off Lincoln Riley.

2. LSU: Jayden Daniels is gone and so are those stud wide receivers. No running game without Daniels and the defense still sucks.

3. Michigan: With 17 starters and Jim Harbaugh gone, the Wolverines aren’t going to be anything close to what they were a season ago. After week two against Texas fans will be questioning of Sherrone Moore was the right coach to replace Harbaugh.

4. Florida State: The quarterback will be DJ Uiagalelei. All of last year’s receivers are gone as well as three starters on the O-line and seven from the defense. The record will be good but it’s a pansy schedule.

5. Texas A&M: Aggies are thinking that a new coach will solve all their problems. They may be wishing they still had Jimbo after Notre Dame in the opener and a roadie to UF two weeks later.