Drew Weatherford
Encyclopedia
Andrew Skillern Weatherford (born June 22, 1985) is a former American football
quarterback
. He played college football
at Florida State University
.
. He led the Fighting Gators to a 32-14 (4-4 in the state playoffs) record in four years as the starting quarterback. Drew set both school and county records for season and career passing yards as well as touchdown passes.
In his freshman season, Drew had the opportunity to play football with his older brother, Sam. The tandem played to a 7-3 regular season record and traveled to Southlake High School for the playoffs. Andrew threw a touchdown to his tight end sibling in a losing effort.
In the 2002 season, Weatherford had his most prolific stats, leading the state in passing touchdowns(ahead of future FSU backup Xavier Lee
). His Gators would win the second playoff game in school history against Ocala Vanguard. Weatherford did not throw an interception through eight games. This was the season he would set Pasco's single season passing yardage record. Land O' Lakes would set school scoring records for points in a game(60) as well as points for a season(423). Weatherford guided his team to a perfect regular season, and two playoff wins. His season ended when they lost to eventual state champion Palm Bay High School, which featured future NFL players Reggie Nelson
and Joe Cohen
. The Palm Bay game was by far Drew's most struggling performance being sacked and intercepted four times (making the season total six). He would finish the season with an astounding 12-1 record.
Coached by John Benedetto
, Drew Weatherford would start every game of his high school career behind center. In his senior year he would also start on defense as the team's safety. After a superb junior year, the Gator's started the year with a state ranking of No. 5. They quickly fell from the state's elite when they lost the first two games of the season. While Drew put up modest numbers himself, the lack of another standout player and the loss of focus on the running game, the team would finish 6-4. Drew and his team would gain composure in the playoffs defeating Auburndale and Ocala Forest. Drew Weatherford played his final game in a shootout with Lakeland Lake Gibson High School
, losing to the Braves (who were led by USF
's eventual star quarterback Matt Grothe
) 44-35.
was cut short by Lyme disease
, Drew Weatherford won the starting job over fellow redshirt
freshman Xavier Lee
during fall practice.
Drew Weatherford, as a redshirt
freshman, led the Seminoles to an Orange Bowl berth in 2005, but his #22 Seminoles lost to #3 Penn State
in triple overtime. After that game, he underwent surgery for a torn tendon
in his right ankle and healed fully.
game on October 28, 2006 due to injury, which gave Xavier Lee
his shot at the starting job, escalating the quarterback controversy which had been hotly debated all season. Eventually Drew won the starting position over Lee.
Following FSU's Emerald Bowl
victory against UCLA, a heated quarterback competition between Lee and Weatherford came to a resolution on August 23, 2007 when Weatherford was named the starter for the opener against Clemson.
.
On August 3, after two and half scrimmages, Jimbo Fisher, Florida State's quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, announced that Christian Ponder would start the Seminoles' game against Western Carolina on September 6. Weatherford was moved down to third string on the depth chart and played in only one series late in the fourth quarter during FSU's 69-0 blowout of Western Carolina.
He also split snaps with Richardson during FSU's 45-15 loss to the Florida Gators, as Ponder left the game at halftime after aggravating a back injury inflicted during FSU's 37-3 rout of Maryland.
Weatherford participated in an open tryout on August 22 for the Orlando Tuskers of the newly formed United Football League. Following this tryout, Weatherford was film-interviewed by reporter Donnie Paschal.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
.
High school career
Drew Weatherford attended Land O' Lakes High School in Pasco County, FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. He led the Fighting Gators to a 32-14 (4-4 in the state playoffs) record in four years as the starting quarterback. Drew set both school and county records for season and career passing yards as well as touchdown passes.
In his freshman season, Drew had the opportunity to play football with his older brother, Sam. The tandem played to a 7-3 regular season record and traveled to Southlake High School for the playoffs. Andrew threw a touchdown to his tight end sibling in a losing effort.
In the 2002 season, Weatherford had his most prolific stats, leading the state in passing touchdowns(ahead of future FSU backup Xavier Lee
Xavier Lee
Xavier Tyree Lee is an American football quarterback and wide receiver for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Florida State.-Early years:Lee attended Seabreeze High School...
). His Gators would win the second playoff game in school history against Ocala Vanguard. Weatherford did not throw an interception through eight games. This was the season he would set Pasco's single season passing yardage record. Land O' Lakes would set school scoring records for points in a game(60) as well as points for a season(423). Weatherford guided his team to a perfect regular season, and two playoff wins. His season ended when they lost to eventual state champion Palm Bay High School, which featured future NFL players Reggie Nelson
Reggie Nelson
Reggie Nelson is an American professional football player who is a safety for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League...
and Joe Cohen
Joe Cohen
Joe Cohen is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League . Cohen played college football for the University of Florida, and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
. The Palm Bay game was by far Drew's most struggling performance being sacked and intercepted four times (making the season total six). He would finish the season with an astounding 12-1 record.
Coached by John Benedetto
John Benedetto
John Joseph Benedetto is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Maryland, College Park and is a leading researcher in wavelet analysis and Director of the Norbert Wiener Center for Harmonic Analysis and Applications. He was named Distinguished Scholar-Teacher by the University of Maryland...
, Drew Weatherford would start every game of his high school career behind center. In his senior year he would also start on defense as the team's safety. After a superb junior year, the Gator's started the year with a state ranking of No. 5. They quickly fell from the state's elite when they lost the first two games of the season. While Drew put up modest numbers himself, the lack of another standout player and the loss of focus on the running game, the team would finish 6-4. Drew and his team would gain composure in the playoffs defeating Auburndale and Ocala Forest. Drew Weatherford played his final game in a shootout with Lakeland Lake Gibson High School
Lake Gibson High School
- Athletics :Lake Gibson prides itself on having a long standing tradition of athletic achievement.Located in one of the most fertile recruiting grounds in all of college football, Lake Gibson High School football team has appeared in seven regional finals appearances and over 60 wins the past...
, losing to the Braves (who were led by USF
USF
USF may refer to:Universities* University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida* University of San Francisco, California* University of St. Francis, Joliet, Illinois* University of Sioux Falls, South DakotaFile formats* Universal Subtitle Format...
's eventual star quarterback Matt Grothe
Matt Grothe
Matt Grothe is a professional quarterback who is currently a member of the Tampa Bay Storm. He has been with the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. He played college football at South Florida....
) 44-35.
2005
After the career of Wyatt SextonWyatt Sexton
Wyatt Sexton is a former National Collegiate Athletic Association American football quarterback for the Florida State Seminoles. Sexton is well known for his performances on the field and for his suffering from the effects of Lyme disease...
was cut short by Lyme disease
Lyme disease
Lyme disease, or Lyme borreliosis, is an emerging infectious disease caused by at least three species of bacteria belonging to the genus Borrelia. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto is the main cause of Lyme disease in the United States, whereas Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii cause most...
, Drew Weatherford won the starting job over fellow redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
freshman Xavier Lee
Xavier Lee
Xavier Tyree Lee is an American football quarterback and wide receiver for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Florida State.-Early years:Lee attended Seabreeze High School...
during fall practice.
Drew Weatherford, as a redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
freshman, led the Seminoles to an Orange Bowl berth in 2005, but his #22 Seminoles lost to #3 Penn State
2005 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2005 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2005–2006 college football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno...
in triple overtime. After that game, he underwent surgery for a torn tendon
Tendon
A tendon is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that usually connects muscle to bone and is capable of withstanding tension. Tendons are similar to ligaments and fasciae as they are all made of collagen except that ligaments join one bone to another bone, and fasciae connect muscles to other...
in his right ankle and healed fully.
2006
In the Spring of 2006, he won FSU camp awards for Most Dependable Quarterback and Top Offensive Leadership. Weatherford missed the MarylandUniversity of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
game on October 28, 2006 due to injury, which gave Xavier Lee
Xavier Lee
Xavier Tyree Lee is an American football quarterback and wide receiver for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Florida State.-Early years:Lee attended Seabreeze High School...
his shot at the starting job, escalating the quarterback controversy which had been hotly debated all season. Eventually Drew won the starting position over Lee.
2007
Emerald Bowl
The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually at 40,800-seat AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, in San Francisco, California, since 2002...
victory against UCLA, a heated quarterback competition between Lee and Weatherford came to a resolution on August 23, 2007 when Weatherford was named the starter for the opener against Clemson.
2008
Weatherford sat out of spring practice after a slight tear in the lateral meniscus in his right knee required surgery. He was expected to be the starter headed into fall camp, but he faced fierce competition from redshirt sophomores D'Vontrey Richardson and Christian PonderChristian Ponder
Christian Ponder is an American football quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Vikings with the twelfth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, and signed with them on July 31, 2011, shortly after the 2011 NFL lockout ended...
.
On August 3, after two and half scrimmages, Jimbo Fisher, Florida State's quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, announced that Christian Ponder would start the Seminoles' game against Western Carolina on September 6. Weatherford was moved down to third string on the depth chart and played in only one series late in the fourth quarter during FSU's 69-0 blowout of Western Carolina.
He also split snaps with Richardson during FSU's 45-15 loss to the Florida Gators, as Ponder left the game at halftime after aggravating a back injury inflicted during FSU's 37-3 rout of Maryland.
2009
Weatherford was invited to participate in the Chicago Bears three day mini camp. Also worked out with the New Orleans Saints and the New England Patriots.Weatherford participated in an open tryout on August 22 for the Orlando Tuskers of the newly formed United Football League. Following this tryout, Weatherford was film-interviewed by reporter Donnie Paschal.