He May Not Be An Nfl Qb, But Wuerffel Definitely A Winner

“Florida’s greatest quarterback ever,” that’s how the Gators’ band announcer described Danny Wuerffel in a pregame salute.

Fellow Heisman Trophy winner Steve Spurrier might object, but Thursday night Wuerffel went one better than his coach.

He led Florida to the national championship.

Evidently, Wuerffel survived all those devastating late hits he endured in Florida’s 24-21 loss to FSU on Nov. 30.

He threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in Thursday night’s 52-20 Sugar Bowl victory.

Make no mistake, the Gators are No. 1.

Their only loss was at FSU, while Rose Bowl winner Ohio State lost at home to Michigan. Even more important, they beat the only remaining undefeated team.

Florida State did not fall easily, rallying from a two-touchdown deficit to pull within 24-20 in the third quarter. But despite drawing a Sugar Bowl record number of penalties, Florida proved the superior team.

The Gators’ offensive line provided better protection than it did in the first meeting, when Wuerffel was sacked six times in a loss that knocked Florida out of the No. 1 spot.

And the Florida defense held archnemesis Warrick Dunn to 28 yards on nine carries before Dunn departed his final collegiate game with leg cramps in the third quarter.

Wuerffel also was playing his final game - but unlike Dunn, he might not be headed to the NFL. Scouts project him as only a fifth- to seventh-round pick. No matter. He’ll always have this season. And he’ll always have Thursday night.

He threw for 246 yards against the nation’s third-ranked defense in the first half, helping Florida build leads of 17-3 and 24-10. And his 16-yard touchdown run at the end of the third quarter put the game out of reach.

Spurrier outcoached Bobby Bowden, wisely making extensive use of the shotgun, a formation he once resisted. But it was Wuerffel who had to regroup after FSU mounted its comeback, Wuerffel who had to make the plays.

He was sacked several times by the ferocious, swarming FSU defense, knocked down on numerous other occasions. But just as in the previous meeting, he kept rising off the canvas.

What was it Bowden said? “He’ll hold the ball till the last second. He’s got courage.” Courage and class. While Spurrier repeatedly complained about FSU’s late hits in the first meeting, Wuerffel never said a word.

His lack of arm strength and awkward release are the reasons he’s only a borderline NFL prospect, but Wuerffel is undaunted. If he makes it as a pro, fine. If he doesn’t, that’s OK, too.

The Gators were 33-5-1 in games he started, 24-2 the past two seasons. Wuerffel led them to their first national championship. There are worse ways to end a career.

“If I never play a down in the NFL, my life will not be affected at all,” Wuerffel said this week. “There are other opportunities in other areas where I’m sure I’d be just as happy.

“If money was the only thing I was looking out for, then that would be a big disappointment because there’s so much money in the NFL. But life to me is much more than money.”

Wuerffel said he will consider graduate school, full-time work or possibly even the ministry if he doesn’t make it in the NFL.

Spurrier, at least, insists he can make it in the NFL.

“Watch him play,” Spurrier said. “Just watch him play. Forget the size thing and what happens in the combines. Watch him play.

“If they let him play in games, he’ll get first downs and throw touchdown passes. I firmly believe he will be an excellent player in the NFL.”

That’s just a coach supporting his player - Wuerffel is likely to follow the same path as previous Heisman winners Charlie Ward, Gino Torretta and Andre Ware, none of whom succeeded in the NFL.

Who cares?

College football occupies its own special place in the sports galaxy, and Wuerffel is the kind of player who helps keep it unique.

He’s Danny Wuerffel.

He’s Danny Wonderful.

He’s the quarterback of a national-championship team.