He’s Doering Just Fine, Thanks Proves Skeptics Wrong With Great College Career

Chris Doering can think of no other way to describe his career than as a dream come true. Even as a dream, it is a fantasy that would tax the imagination of the great storytellers.

Doering is a fifth-year senior, a record-setting, touchdown-producing receiver in Florida’s air-filled offense. He grew up in Gainesville, the Gators’ hometown. He was not offered a scholarship by a Division I school. He walked on and earned a scholarship.

No.2 Florida’s national-championship appointment with No.1 Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl Tuesday night will be Doering’s final college game. And, given his penchant for making the clutch catch, he could be one of the deciding factors.

Despite being a record-setting receiver at P.K. Yonge High, Doering did not fit the profile of the receivers Florida wanted. To make coach Steve Spurrier’s “Fun and Gun” passing attack work, the Gators were seeking speedy game-breakers who could turn any pass into a touchdown.

“At that time, we were looking for fast guys who could run,” Florida receivers coach Dwayne Dixon said. “At the college level, you’ve got to have that kind of player.”

Doering’s high school coach tried to convince a Florida graduate assistant coach to look at film of Doering. The coach rudely rejected the film by saying Doering couldn’t play at Florida and wasn’t a major-college talent.

“That coach no longer is with us,” said Spurrier, who adds that Doering is one of his favorite players.

“It hurts when people say you’re no good or not good enough to play,” Doering said. “I didn’t consider myself a long shot. I thought I had the ability to play at a major Division I school. I thought I could be successful. I just had to prove it.”

Florida State coach Bobby Bowden says that Doering is the perfect example of a player who was overlooked. Bowden, though, invited Doering to try to make his team as a walk-on. Doering had always dreamed of being a Gator. For him, playing for the Seminoles would be like Newt Gingrich asking the Clintons for a loan.

“We couldn’t take the gamble and spend a scholarship on him,” Dixon said. “We told him that we couldn’t guarantee him anything, but if he earned it, he would get a scholarship.”

In 1991, Doering joined Florida’s squad as a self-described “slow, skinny white dude.” A journalism-communications major, Doering is accurate with his reporting. He was 6-foot-4, weighed 155 pounds and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.9 seconds.

At Florida, the scout team and redshirt players scrimmage each week. It’s called “Monday night football.” Doering began his campaign for a scholarship by running precise routes and catching every pass thrown his way.

“He would show up everybody,” Dixon said.

Doering spent his freshman season as a redshirt. His first season of competition was 1992 as a redshirt freshman and still as a walk-on. Doering was awarded a scholarship before the 1993 season.

His first big catch came against Kentucky that season, when his last-second touchdown helped the Gators win, 24-20. In last season’s Southeastern Conference championship game, Doering caught the winning TD pass in Florida’s 24-23 victory against Alabama.

Doering leads the Gators with 70 receptions for 1,045 yards and 17 touchdowns, an SEC season record. His 31 career TD receptions are an SEC record. Hours spent in the weight room have added 25 pounds, and Doering has lowered his 40-yard time to a more respectable 4.5.

“You could talk about his athletic ability, which I think he has more of than people give him credit for,” Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel said of his roommate and best friend. “He’s faster than you think. He runs tremendously precise routes and he has a great ‘stick’ step to get distance from the defender. He’s a tall target with great hands. He takes pride in being the best. It’s an understatement to say how much it disturbs him when he drops a pass.”

Doering could wear a “Do Not Disturb” sign instead of a number. Wuerffel says he can count on one hand the number of times Doering has dropped a pass.

An all-state basketball player in high school, Doering says that sport has helped him in football. He is quick off the line of scrimmage, runs precise routes and is adept at peeling himself away from sticky defensive backs.

In many ways, he is similar to former Florida and NFL receiver Cris Collinsworth, Doering’s idol and role model. In fact, they bear an uncanny facial resemblance.

“He’s the reason I started playing receiver,” Doering said. “His speed is better than mine, but he always made the tough catches and the big plays. That’s how I’ve tried to pattern myself.

“I used to brag about it when I was younger because everybody said I looked like him. If people want to make that comparison, that’s fine.”

Florida’s other top receivers - Ike Hilliard, Reidel Anthony and Jacquez Green - are game-breaking deep threats who were all offered scholarships. Doering provides the complimentary work, the possession catches, the reliable hands that Wuerffel knows will be there when needed.

“A lot of times, people think they’re giving me a compliment when they say I’m a ‘former walk-on,”’ Doering said of his career path. “I just want to be considered like everyone else. But I’ve got a scholarship now - they pay for my school.

“Instead of listening to people who said I couldn’t do it, I used it as a motivating factor. I wanted to prove people wrong. I tried to turn a negative situation into a positive one.”