1996 Florida Gators football team
{{{year}}} [[{{{team}}} football]] | |
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Ranking | |
Coaches | No. 1 |
AP | No. 1 |
The 1996 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. This was the team's seventh season under head coach Steve Spurrier. They played their home games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida.
Zeitplan
8–31–1996Southwestern Louisiana*No. 4
W 55–21 9–7–1996Georgia Southern*No. 4
- Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
- Gainesville, Florida
SSW 62–14 9–21–1996No. 2 TennesseeNo. 4
CBSW 35–29 9–28–1996KentuckyNo. 1
- Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
- Gainesville, Florida
CBSW 65–0 10–5–1996ArkansasNo. 1
JPW 42–7 10–12–1996No. 12 Louisiana StateNo. 1
- Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
- Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming)
CBSW 56–13 10–19–1996No. 16 AuburnNo. 1
- Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
- Gainesville, Florida
CBSW 51–10 11–2–1996Georgien*No. 1
CBSW 47–7 11–9–1996VanderbiltNo. 1
JPW 28–21 11–16–1996South CarolinaNo. 1
- Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
- Gainesville, Florida
ESPNW 52–25 11–30–1996No. 2 Florida State*No. 1
ABCL 21–24 12–7–1996No. 11 AlabamaNo. 4
ABCW 45–30 1–2–1997No. 1 Florida State*No. 3
ABCW 52–20
Postseason awards and accomplishments
National award winners
- Danny Wuerffel - Heisman Trophy, [1] Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Davey O'Brien Award,[2] Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award,
Draddy Trophy, National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar, College Football Association Scholar-Athlete Team
- Jeff Mitchell - Outland Trophy semi-finalist (Interior Lineman)
- Lawrence Wright - Jim Thorpe Award,[3] College Football Association Scholar-Athlete Team
First round draft picks
- Ike Hilliard, 7th pick to New York Giants
- Reidel Anthony, 16th pick to Tampa Bay Buccaneers[4]
Game notes
Southwestern Louisiana
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ragin' Cajuns | 0 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 21 |
Gators | 7 | 28 | 7 | 13 | 55 |
Georgia Southern
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eagles | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
Gators | 14 | 21 | 21 | 7 | 63 |
Tennessee
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gators | 14 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
Volunteers | 0 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 29 |
This would be one of the premier matchups of the 1996 season, with the SEC opener for #4 Florida and #2 Tennessee. The rain was pouring down in Knoxville, and touchdowns were raining down on the Volunteers in the first half. The Gators would score first on 35 yard touchdown pass from Danny Wuerffell to Reidel Anthony on 4th and 10. It would not stop as turnovers killed the Vols, with Peyton Manning throwing 4 interceptions and Anthone Lott returning a fumble 27 yards for a Gator score. Tennessee would get one score right before the half, but trailed 35-6. The second half featured Florida being conservative and running the clock. The Vols would score 23 points and turn a blowout into a close game, even though their final touchdown came with 16 seconds left. Florida would win 35-29 and be vaulted to #1 the following week.
Kentucky
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wildcats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Gators | 21 | 20 | 17 | 7 | 65 |
Coming off a big win in Knoxville the week before and being ranked #1 for the first time since 1994, the Gators were looking for somewhat of an easy home game against the Kentucky Wildcats. This would prove true as the Gators scored just 63 seconds into the game with a touchdown pass from Danny Wuerffell to Ike Hilliard. Wuerffell would have 3 touchdown passes in all, but the day belonged to Jaquez Green. In the 3rd quarter, Green took a punt back 66 yards for a touchdown. On Kentucky's next possession, they would punt again and Green, who was still breathing heavy from his first return, weaved his way for another return for a touchdown, this one from 79 yards. In all, the Gators amassed over 300 return yards from punts and kickoffs. In the end the Gators posted their first shutout since a 31-0 drubbing of Tennessee in Knoxville in 1994, with Florida defeating Kentucky 65-0.
Arkansas
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gators | 14 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 42 |
Razorbacks | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
LSU
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tigers | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
Gators | 14 | 28 | 0 | 14 | 56 |
With Florida winning so convincingly all season, the next two weeks might have proved a challenge for the Gators, with #12 LSU and #16 Auburn coming to town. It was business as usual for the Gators. LSU came in undefeated on the campaign and featured an offense that scored 38 points per game. Florida, however, was not thinking upset, as Danny Wuerffell threw three touchdowns, two of them to Ike Hilliard, and ran for another score as the Gators proved to have the better offense. Their defense came to play as well as they forced two turnovers and recorded 7 sacks and held the LSU offense to just 28 rushing yards. In the end, the Gators proved themselves worthy of the #1 ranking as they thumped the Tigers 56-13.
Auburn
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tigers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Gators | 7 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 51 |
It was another ranked team and another set of Tigers for Florida. This time, it was 16th ranked Auburn coming to Gainesville. Like the LSU game, the Gators scored quick and often, amassing over 600 yards of offense and holding Auburn to just 173 yards. Danny Wuerffell again threw for 3 touchdowns and ran for another for the red-hot Florida offense. The first half may have been closer than most would have expected, as Auburn kicked a field goal late to trail just 21-10. But that would be it for the War Eagles as the gators reeled off 30 unanswered points en route to a 51-10 win.
Georgien
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Gators | 20 | 14 | 0 | 13 | 47 |
- 1 Florida was coming in looking to win its 7th consecutive game against Georgia in the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Wuerrfell again would have an outstanding game, bolstering his heisman candidacy, with 279 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. The Gators also amassed over 200 yards rushing. The Gator defense held the Dawgs to just 272 yards and one touchdown on the day. By the end of the day, Alltel Stadium was half teal (teal seats in the stadium) and half orange and blue as the Gators won 47-7. By this point in the season, Florida was bruising their opponents by an average score of 52-12.
Vanderbilt
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gators | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
Commodores | 3 | 0 | 11 | 7 | 21 |
South Carolina
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gamecocks | 6 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 25 |
Gators | 14 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 52 |
Florida State
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gators | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
Seminoles | 17 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
Alabama (SEC Championship Game)
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Crimson Tide | 7 | 7 | 14 | 2 | 30 |
Gators | 6 | 18 | 14 | 7 | 45 |
Florida State (Sugar Bowl, National Championship Game)
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gators | 10 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 52 |
Seminoles | 3 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
Scores by quarter
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Opponents | 57 | 45 | 66 | 60 | 228 |
Gators | 148 | 220 | 117 | 127 | 612 |
Personnel
Depth Chart
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Depth Chart: http://gatorzone.com/football/history.php?his=1996/depth1996.html
Roster
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Tailbacks
Fullbacks
Tight Ends
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Wide Receivers
Offensive Line
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Defensive Line
Linebackers
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Cornerbacks
Defensive Backs
Safeties
Punters
Kickers
Long Snappers
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Coaching staff
- Steve Spurrier (Florida '67)- Head Coach
- Rod Broadway (North Carolina '77) - Defensive Tackles
- Jim Collins (Elon College '74) - Recruiting Coordinator, Will and Mike Linebackers
- Dwayne Dixon (Florida '85) - Assistant Head Coach, Wide Receivers
- Carl Franks (Duke '82) - Assistant Offensive Coordinator, Running Backs
- Lawson Holland (Clemson '76) - Tight Ends
- Bob Sanders (Davidson '76) - Assistant Defensive Coordinator, Defensive Ends
- Jimmy Ray Stephens (Florida '77) - Offensive Line
- Bob Stoops (Iowa '83) - Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator, Secondary
- Barry Wilson (Georgia '65) - Special Teams Coordinator, Sam Linebackers
Coaching Staff: http://gatorzone.com/football/history.php?his=1996/fastfacts1996.html
Team statistics
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Scores by quarter
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
UF | 137 | 207 | 102 | 113 | 559 |
OPP | 47 | 38 | 63 | 53 | 201 |
Player statistics
Offense
Rushing
Name | # | GP | Att | Gain | Loss | Net | Avg | TD | Long | Avg/G |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wiliams, E. | 25 | 12 | 106 | 690 | 19 | 671 | 6.3 | 4 | 46 | 55.9 |
Taylor, F. | 21 | 9 | 104 | 650 | 21 | 629 | 6.0 | 5 | 30 | 69.9 |
Jackson, T. | 22 | 12 | 79 | 398 | 10 | 388 | 4.9 | 8 | 34 | 32.3 |
McCaslin, E. | 32 | 9 | 41 | 301 | 11 | 290 | 7.1 | 4 | 63 | 32.2 |
Baker, T. | 20 | 11 | 16 | 80 | 0 | 80 | 5.0 | 0 | 18 | 7.3 |
Hilliard, I. | 19 | 11 | 4 | 33 | 0 | 33 | 8.3 | 0 | 13 | 3.0 |
Anthony, R. | 15 | 12 | 4 | 27 | 0 | 27 | 6.8 | 0 | 21 | 2.3 |
Green, J. | 5 | 12 | 6 | 24 | 3 | 21 | 3.5 | 1 | 10 | 1.8 |
Mobley, D. | 23 | 12 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 17 | 8.5 | 0 | 10 | 1.4 |
Evans, J. | 34 | 12 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 5.5 | 0 | 9 | 0.9 |
Dubose, E. | 35 | 12 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 4.5 | 0 | 6 | 0.8 |
Schottenheimer, B. | 16 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0.4 | 1 | 3 | 0.3 |
Richardson, J. | 18 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
Johnson, D. | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 12 | -10 | -3.3 | 0 | 1 | -1.4 |
Brindise, N. | 17 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 | -10 | -10.0 | 0 | 0 | -3.3 |
Wuerffel, D. | 7 | 12 | 63 | 126 | 226 | -100 | -1.6 | 2 | 18 | -8.3 |
Team Total | 12 | 442 | 2378 | 338 | 2040 | 4.6 | 25 | 63 | 170.0 |
Passing
Name | # | GP | Effic | Cmp-Atm-Int | Pct | Yds | TD | Lng | Avg/G |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wuerffel, D. | 7 | 12 | 170.61 | 360-207-13 | 57.5 | 3625 | 39 | 85 | 302.1 |
Johnson, D. | 12 | 7 | 99.87 | 27-12-3 | 44.4 | 171 | 2 | 27 | 24.4 |
Schotetnheimer, B. | 16 | 9 | 155.22 | 21-13-0 | 61.9 | 194 | 1 | 34 | 21.6 |
Brindise, N. | 5 | 3 | 114.27 | 3-2-0 | 66.7 | 17 | 0 | 15 | 5.7 |
Jackson, T. | 22 | 12 | 0.00 | 1-0-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
Team Total | 12 | 164.37 | 412-234-16 | 56.8 | 4007 | 42 | 85 | 333.9 |
Receiving
Name | # | GP | No. | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | Avg/G |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anthony, R. | 15 | 12 | 72 | 1293 | 18.0 | 18 | 56 | 107.8 |
Hilliard, I. | 19 | 11 | 47 | 900 | 19.1 | 10 | 46 | 81.8 |
Green, J. | 5 | 12 | 33 | 626 | 19.0 | 9 | 85 | 52.2 |
Williams, E. | 25 | 12 | 14 | 253 | 18.1 | 1 | 45 | 21.1 |
McGriff, T. | 3 | 8 | 14 | 167 | 11.9 | 0 | 27 | 20.9 |
Jackson, T. | 22 | 12 | 13 | 163 | 12.5 | 1 | 43 | 13.6 |
Taylor, F. | 21 | 9 | 8 | 120 | 15.0 | 0 | 38 | 13.3 |
Allen, T. | 91 | 12 | 7 | 118 | 16.9 | 1 | 32 | 9.8 |
Richardson, J. | 18 | 9 | 5 | 75 | 15.0 | 1 | 34 | 8.3 |
Ross, T. | 88 | 12 | 4 | 93 | 23.3 | 1 | 45 | 7.8 |
Mobley, D. | 23 | 12 | 4 | 51 | 12.8 | 0 | 19 | 4.3 |
Karim, N. | 8 | 9 | 3 | 47 | 15.7 | 0 | 27 | 5.2 |
McCaslin, E. | 3 | 9 | 3 | 40 | 13.3 | 1 | 19 | 4.4 |
Kinney, E. | 83 | 11 | 3 | 40 | 13.3 | 0 | 15 | 3.6 |
Dubose, E. | 35 | 12 | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 | 9 | 0.8 |
Dean, J. | 83 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | 1.0 |
Nabavi, D. | 84 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 1 | 5 | 0.6 |
Schiralli, N. | 81 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 | 0.5 |
Total | 12 | 234 | 4007 | 17.1 | 42 | 85 | 333.9 |
Defense
Name | # | GP | Tackles | Sacks | Pass Defense | Fumbles | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Solo | Ast | Total | TFL-Yds | No-Yds | BrUp | QBH | Int.-Yds | TD | Rcv-Yds | FF | Blkd Kick | |||
Bates, J. | 44 | 11 | 51 | 74 | 125 | 6.0-23 | 2.0-14 | 1 | 6 | 1-9 | ||||
Rutledge, J. | 58 | 11 | 40 | 59 | 99 | 12.0-58 | 5.0-39 | 5 | 1-0 | 4 | ||||
Wright, L. | 4 | 11 | 40 | 31 | 71 | 2.5-15.5 | 2.5-15.5 | 3 | 3 | 2-12 1TD | 1 | |||
Showers, S. | 2 | 11 | 52 | 16 | 68 | 1.0-1 | 3 | 1-0 | 1 | |||||
Peterson, M. | 29 | 9 | 27 | 18 | 45 | 3.5-10.5 | 0.5-1.5 | 2 | 3 | |||||
Lott, A. | 9 | 11 | 36 | 8 | 44 | 1.0-6 | 1.0-6 | 6 | 2-25 | 2-26 1TD | 1 | |||
Kearse, J. | 42 | 10 | 27 | 16 | 43 | 8.5-38.5 | 2.5-11.5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | |||
Chester, E. | 94 | 10 | 21 | 20 | 41 | 9.0-35 | 5.0-28 | 19 | 1-0 | 1 | ||||
McGrew, R. | 92 | 11 | 23 | 15 | 38 | 3.0-4 | 1.0-2 | 1 | 7 | 1-0 | ||||
Weary, F. | 24 | 11 | 22 | 10 | 32 | 6 | 5-117 | 1 | 1-64 1TD | |||||
Harris, M. | 13 | 9 | 16 | 14 | 30 | 1 | ||||||||
Moten, M. | 90 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 27 | 2.0-7 | 1.0-5 | 6 | ||||||
Mitchell, A. | 98 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 25 | 3.0-14 | 3.0-14 | 1 | 5 | |||||
Rodgers, W. | 54 | 10 | 13 | 9 | 22 | 8.0-33.5 | 4.0-24.5 | 1 | 9 | 1-0 | 2 | |||
Jackson, D. | 27 | 11 | 13 | 7 | 20 | 1.0-1 | 4 | 1 | 1-0 | 1-0 | ||||
Kelsey, K. | 41 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 4.0-17 | 1.0-9 | 2 | ||||||
Thomas, D. | 52 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 19 | |||||||||
Beauchamp, T. | 93 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 7.0-43 | 6.0-40 | 9 | 1-6 | 1 | ||||
Davis, C. | 56 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 9.5-45 | 5.5-38 | 7 | 1-40 1TD | 1 | ||||
Brown, T. | 33 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 3-73 | 1 | ||||||
Council, K. | 66 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 2.0-9 | 1.0-7 | 1 | 3 | 1-0 | ||||
Ferguson, M. | 99 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 6 | |||||||||
George, T. | 1 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 1.0-7 | 1.0-7 | 1 | 1 | 1-2 | ||||
Sims, T. | 39 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | ||||||||
Owens, D. | 30 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
Cohens, W. | 55 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1.0-4 | 1.0-4 | 2 | |||||||
Jackson, T. | 22 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||
McCray, X. | 46 | 11 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||
Perry, J. | 4 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
Walton, K. | 50 | 6 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||
Badeaux, E. | 96 | 6 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||
Xynidis, J. | 26 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
Battle, R. | 10 | 11 | 1 | |||||||||||
Lewis, D. | 38 | 10 | ||||||||||||
Pollard, D. | 28 | 6 | 1-0 | |||||||||||
Baker, T. | 20 | 9 | ||||||||||||
Total | 11 | 467 | 386 | 853 | 85-372 | 43-266 | 37 | 93 | 14-226 | 2 | 14-148 4TD | 15 | 3 |
Defense statistics reflect regular season games only
Special teams
Kicking
Name | # | Punting | Kicking | |||||
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No. | Yds | Avg | Long | Blkd | FG | XP | ||
Stevenson, R. | 87 | 35 | 1475 | 42.1 | 64 | 0 | ||
Edmiston, B. | 14 | 9-17 | 64-66 | |||||
Cooper, C. | 70 | 1-1 | 7-9 | |||||
Total | 38 | 1475 | 38.8 | 64 | 3 | 10-18 | 71-75 |
Returns
Name | # | Punt Returns | Kick Returns | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | No. | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | ||
Green, J. | 5 | 25 | 324 | 13.0 | 2 | 79 | 10 | 216 | 21.6 | 0 | 40 |
Anthony, R. | 1 | 8 | 90 | 11.3 | 0 | 30 | 7 | 113 | 16.1 | 0 | 22 |
Richardson, J. | 18 | 4 | 46 | 11.5 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 79 | 26.3 | 0 | 28 |
Hilliard, I. | 19 | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 144 | 28.8 | 0 | 40 |
Xynidis, J. | 26 | 1 | 28 | 28.0 | 0 | 28 | |||||
Jackson, T. | 22 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 | 0 | 25 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 0 | 15 |
Lott, A. | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
Peterson, M. | 29 | 0 | 9 | 0.0 | 1 | 9 | |||||
Dubose, E. | 35 | 2 | 18 | 9.0 | 0 | 16 | |||||
Total | 41 | 532 | 13.0 | 3 | 79 | 28 | 585 | 20.9 | 0 | 36 |
Overall Individual Offensive Statistics http://gatorzone.com/football/history.php?his=1996/indio1996.html
Overall Team Statistics http://gatorzone.com/football/history.php?his=1996/overteam1996.html
Overall Defense Statistics http://gatorzone.com/football/history.php?his=1996/defe1996.html