The possible devilish explanation goes back many centuries (tongue in cheek). Why would the story of Florida Gators quarterback starters since 1990 be any different?
There seems to be a Jekyll and Hyde thing happening with Florida Gators football since 1990. Or is it something else?
Steve Spurrier came back to his alma mater, the University of Florida, in Dec. 1989. He appears to have made a pact with you know who (the guy who resides in the uber-warm nether regions of the underworld). My guess is, the old ball coach said the following: “Give me 20 seasons of good luck with the quarterback play, and I’ll give you the following 20 years after that where we pay you back for all of the success — I should be retired by then anyway.”
Translation: We’ll leverage our distant future for present-day success. Let’s face it, humans do that sort of thing.
Don’t forget — Spurrier did come to Florida from Duke. You know, the Duke Blue Devils.
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All kidding aside, it is kind of interesting to think about, because those first 20 years were really good. Since then? It’s been pretty average — and it starts with the QB play.
WHEN DID IT BEGIN?
In 1990, Spurrier took a guy buried on the depth chart in 1989 — Shane Matthews — and turned him into an All-SEC signal caller who would go on to start for the Gators from 1990-92, won the school’s first SEC title (1991), and went on to play six seasons in the NFL.
Then came a Heisman Trophy winner (1996’s Danny Wuerffel) who started games in four different seasons (1993-96) and won four SEC titles, along with a natty in his final game — versus treated rival Florida State.
Not too much later, a Heisman runner-up (Rex Grossman) graced the roster, another four-year starter Chris Leak came along and won a national title in his final game, and then that 20-year period came to an end with the Tim Tebow era (enough said, no need to give his resume).
That’s 20 seasons, 12 different starters — with seven who started games across at least three different seasons, and three who started games in four different seasons (Danny Wuerffel, Jesse Palmer, and Chris Leak).
Count it: Seven victories in the SEC Title game (eight titles if you agree with Spurrier that 1990 was actually a title year despite the probation from the previous regime), 13 SEC East titles, three national titles, and two Heismans.
That’s a consistent success by any definition.
POST TEBOW ERA
Then, the “next phase” began. The Gators have had 15 different starters since 2010, zero SEC titles, their first losing season since 1979 (2013 season, with 2017, 2021, and 2022 also being sub-.500 campaigns), seven seasons outside of the Top 25 at the end of the year, and two seasons (2013 and 2017) without a bowl game.
Oh, and there have been five Florida coaches since 2011 — there were only three from 1990 to 2010 (you know, that 20-year span we talked about above).
Folks, there are like 57 different bowl games where even the fifth-place team in the Sun Belt could get into the postseason — think about what has to happen for a Gators team to not play past Thanksgiving Week.
And 15 different starters since 2010? It truly does seem like the Gators have been cursed. Kyle Trask certainly was a quick bright spot, as was Will Grier for his six-week tour — before banned supplements sent him to West Virginia, where he dominated and became an NFL Draft pick. Jacoby Brissett transferred to N.C. State and has been in the NFL for seven years now. Jeff Driskel left for Louisiana Tech and became an NFL QB after a dominant senior season. Hell, even Feleipe Franks played in games for the Atlanta Falcons in 2021 and 2022 after transferring to Arkansas.
In other words, it’s not like these post-Tebow quarterbacks suck — they’ve proven that after leaving Gainesville.
I’m telling you, a deal was made.
Had to be, right?
FLORIDA GATORS QUARTERBACK STARTERS SINCE STEVE SPURRIER STARTED IN 1990
| STARTING | CAREER | CAREER | CAREER | NFL | |
| GATOR QB | YEAR(S) | STARTS | YDS | TDS | YRS |
| Emory Jones | 2021 | 11 | 3,347 | 26 | N/A |
| Jack Miller | 2022 | 1 | 180 | 0 | N/A |
| Ant. Richardson | 2021-22 | 14 | 3,105 | 24 | N/A |
| Kyle Trask | 2019-20 | 19 | 7,386 | 69 | 1 |
| Feleipe Franks | 2017-19 | 21 | 4,593 | 38 | 1 |
| Malik Zaire | 2017 | 2 | 349 | 0 | 0 |
| Austin Appleby | 2016 | 7 | 1,447 | 10 | 0 |
| Luke De Rio | 2016-17 | 8 | 1,496 | 9 | 0 |
| Will Grier | 2015 | 6 | 1,202 | 10 | 1 |
| Treon Harris | 2014-15 | 14 | 2,695 | 18 | 0 |
| Sky. Morninweg | 2013 | 3 | 344 | 3 | 0 |
| Tyler Murphy | 2013 | 6 | 1,216 | 6 | 1 |
| Jeff Driskel | 2012-14 | 20 | 3,411 | 23 | 4 |
| Jacoby Brissett | 2011-12 | 4 | 455 | 3 | 6 |
| John Brantley | 2010-11 | 22 | 4,750 | 30 | 0 |
| Tim Tebow | 2007-09 | 41 | 9,285 | 88 | 3 |
| Chris Leak | 2003-06 | 47 | 11,213 | 88 | 0 |
| Ingle Martin | 2003 | 4 | 750 | 3 | 1 |
| Brock Berlin | 2001 | 1 | 653 | 11 | 2 |
| Rex Grossman | 2000-02 | 31 | 9,164 | 77 | 9 |
| Jesse Palmer | 1997-00 | 13 | 3,755 | 31 | 2 |
| Noah Brindise | 1997 | 1 | 723 | 6 | 0 |
| Doug Johnson | 1997-99 | 26 | 7,114 | 62 | 5 |
| Eric Kresser | 1995 | 1 | 1,572 | 18 | 1 |
| Danny Wuerffel | 1993-96 | 36 | 10,875 | 114 | 6 |
| Terry Dean | 1993-94 | 12 | 3,420 | 39 | 0 |
| Shane Matthews | 1990-92 | 34 | 9,287 | 74 | 6 |
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