Jeff Godfrey
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Godfrey IV, also known as Jeff Godfrey (born January 1, 1992) is an American football
quarterback
currently starting for the University of Central Florida
Knights. Godfrey led the Knights to a Conference USA Championship in his freshman year, becoming the first true freshman quarterback to win an FBS conference championship game.
on January 1, 1992.
, located in Miami, Florida
. He graduated as the leading passer in Miami-Dade County history with 7,251 yards, beating the previous record set by Jacory Harris of Miami Northwestern. In high school, Godfrey was rated as one of the top quarterbacks in Florida, and amongst the nation's top 10 dual-threat quarterbacks. Due to his performance, Godfrey has been called "Mr. Dade Football".
During his senior year, he committed to UCF. He chose the Knights over Florida State
, Miami
, Georgia
, Tennessee
, Michigan
, Ohio State
, Oregon
, USF
and FIU
.
In his first appearance, Godfrey took over during an opening-game rout of South Dakota, going 6-of-7 for 65 passing yards and a TD. He would then replace Calabrese the next week while UCF was losing to NC State. He stepped in with 5:17 to go in the third quarter, the Knights down 28-7, and led UCF on two touchdown drives to pull within one score. A fumble by one of his receivers on the third drive ended their comeback hopes with a 28-21 loss. Godfrey went 7-of-10 for 107 yards, and rushed for 53 yards, scoring both touchdowns himself.
Godfrey became the starting quarterback in the third game of the season against Buffalo
, but with the understanding that he would still be splitting time with Rob Calabrese. Head coach George O'Leary
felt it was important for Godfrey to watch a more experienced quarterback work as well before giving him full control of the offense. Godfrey ended up 15-of-24 with 130 passing yards, and rushed for 44 more yards.
Initially, Godfrey allowed the Knights' rushing offense to do the heavy lifting while he continued to develop his passing attack as a true freshman. During a game against UAB
, Godfrey took a hard hit, forcing Calabrese to step in for the remainder of the drive. Godfrey would return and finish the game.
During UCF's game against Marshall on October 13, Calabrese was brought in to run a "Wild Knight" play, UCF's take on the Wildcat formation. He scored a touchdown, but tore his ACL
in the process, firmly establishing Godfrey as starter for the remainder of the season. When UCF hosted Rice
on October 23, Godfrey threw his first touchdown pass since the opener, and finished 13-of-18 for 178 yards. From there he would take full control of the UCF offense, scoring two passing touchdowns in each of the next five games, while only throwing 2 interceptions the rest of the way. His signature game as a freshman would come against Houston
on November 5, where he would go 15-of-19 for 294 yards with two passing touchdowns, and rush for 105 yards–his first 100-yard rushing game at UCF–with one touchdown.
As a starter, Godfrey went 8-2 in the regular season placing UCF in both the AP Poll
and USA Today Poll for the very first time in the prgram's history. He also led the Knights to the Conference USA title against SMU earning them an invitation to the 52nd Annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl
, A clash between the Georgia Bulldogs
(SEC)
and the UCF Knights
(C-USA)
with a final score of 10-6 UCF's first ever bowl win. He finished the season completing 159-of-238 passes for 2,159 yards with 13 TDs and 6 INTs, and rushed for 556 yards and 10 more touchdowns. All those numbers are second-most for a true-freshman starter in UCF history behind Daunte Culpepper
. His 105-yard rushing game against Houston was the highest rushing total for any quarterback; he had surpassed Culpepper's record earlier in the season. Godfrey exceeded a 200 passer rating
four times, and only went under 100 twice. He ended up winning the Conference USA Freshman of the Year award.
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...
currently starting for the University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
Knights. Godfrey led the Knights to a Conference USA Championship in his freshman year, becoming the first true freshman quarterback to win an FBS conference championship game.
Early life
Godfrey was born to Jeffrey Godfrey, Jr., and Roshanda Spencer in Miami, FloridaMiami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
on January 1, 1992.
High school career
Godfrey attended high school at Miami Central High SchoolMiami Central High School
Miami Central Senior High School, commonly referred to as Central Rockets, is a secondary school located at 1781 NW 95th Street in West Little River, unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA. The school serves most of the northern fringes of the city of Miami as well as parts of North Miami,...
, located in Miami, Florida
Florida
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 graduated as the leading passer in Miami-Dade County history with 7,251 yards, beating the previous record set by Jacory Harris of Miami Northwestern. In high school, Godfrey was rated as one of the top quarterbacks in Florida, and amongst the nation's top 10 dual-threat quarterbacks. Due to his performance, Godfrey has been called "Mr. Dade Football".
During his senior year, he committed to UCF. He chose the Knights over Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
, Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
, Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
, Michigan
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
, Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
, Oregon
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
, USF
South Florida Bulls football
The South Florida Bulls are a Division I FBS college football program that plays its home games in Tampa, Florida. The team began playing in 1997, holding its first team meeting under a shade tree as the school had no proper football facilities on campus...
and FIU
FIU Golden Panthers football
The FIU Golden Panthers football team represent Florida International University in Miami, Florida in the sport of college football. The FIU Panthers are a mid-major NCAA FBS college football team in the Sun Belt Conference led by Mario Cristobal and play at the on-campus FIU Stadium.-History:On...
.
2010
Jeff Godfrey enrolled as a freshman in January 2010, and participated in spring practice. At the start of the season he was second on the depth chart behind starting junior quarterback Rob Calabrese.In his first appearance, Godfrey took over during an opening-game rout of South Dakota, going 6-of-7 for 65 passing yards and a TD. He would then replace Calabrese the next week while UCF was losing to NC State. He stepped in with 5:17 to go in the third quarter, the Knights down 28-7, and led UCF on two touchdown drives to pull within one score. A fumble by one of his receivers on the third drive ended their comeback hopes with a 28-21 loss. Godfrey went 7-of-10 for 107 yards, and rushed for 53 yards, scoring both touchdowns himself.
Godfrey became the starting quarterback in the third game of the season against Buffalo
Buffalo Bulls football
The Buffalo Bulls football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University at Buffalo located in the U.S. state of New York. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Mid-American Conference. Buffalo's first...
, but with the understanding that he would still be splitting time with Rob Calabrese. Head coach George O'Leary
George O'Leary
George Joseph O'Leary is the head football coach of the UCF Knights football team that represents the University of Central Florida located in Orlando, Florida; he previously coached the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team from 1994 to 2001, and served as an assistant coach for the Minnesota...
felt it was important for Godfrey to watch a more experienced quarterback work as well before giving him full control of the offense. Godfrey ended up 15-of-24 with 130 passing yards, and rushed for 44 more yards.
Initially, Godfrey allowed the Knights' rushing offense to do the heavy lifting while he continued to develop his passing attack as a true freshman. During a game against UAB
UAB Blazers football
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers college football team competes as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , as a member of the East Division of Conference USA . UAB plays its home games at Legion Field, which is located off-campus in Birmingham, Alabama...
, Godfrey took a hard hit, forcing Calabrese to step in for the remainder of the drive. Godfrey would return and finish the game.
During UCF's game against Marshall on October 13, Calabrese was brought in to run a "Wild Knight" play, UCF's take on the Wildcat formation. He scored a touchdown, but tore his ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
in the process, firmly establishing Godfrey as starter for the remainder of the season. When UCF hosted Rice
Rice Owls football
The Rice Owls football team represents Rice University in NCAA Division I college football. The Owls have competed in Conference USA's Western Division since 2005. Rice Stadium, built in 1950, hosts the Owls' home football games.-Venue:...
on October 23, Godfrey threw his first touchdown pass since the opener, and finished 13-of-18 for 178 yards. From there he would take full control of the UCF offense, scoring two passing touchdowns in each of the next five games, while only throwing 2 interceptions the rest of the way. His signature game as a freshman would come against Houston
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
on November 5, where he would go 15-of-19 for 294 yards with two passing touchdowns, and rush for 105 yards–his first 100-yard rushing game at UCF–with one touchdown.
As a starter, Godfrey went 8-2 in the regular season placing UCF in both the AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
and USA Today Poll for the very first time in the prgram's history. He also led the Knights to the Conference USA title against SMU earning them an invitation to the 52nd Annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl
2010 Liberty Bowl (December)
The 2010 Liberty Bowl, also known as Autozone Liberty Bowl, was the fifty-second edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee. The game started at 3:30 PM US EST on December 31, 2010...
, A clash between the Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia Bulldogs
The Georgia Bulldogs are the athletic teams of the University of Georgia. The Bulldogs compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and are members of the Southeastern Conference...
(SEC)
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
and the UCF Knights
UCF Knights
The UCF Knights are the athletics teams of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. All of UCF's varsity sports teams are known as the Knights, with the women's teams sometimes referred to as the "Lady Knights." The Knights, which includes the university's 16 varsity sports teams,...
(C-USA)
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
with a final score of 10-6 UCF's first ever bowl win. He finished the season completing 159-of-238 passes for 2,159 yards with 13 TDs and 6 INTs, and rushed for 556 yards and 10 more touchdowns. All those numbers are second-most for a true-freshman starter in UCF history behind Daunte Culpepper
Daunte Culpepper
Daunte Rachard Culpepper is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He last played for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League . Prior to joining the UFL, Culpepper enjoyed a successful National Football League career after being drafted 11th overall in...
. His 105-yard rushing game against Houston was the highest rushing total for any quarterback; he had surpassed Culpepper's record earlier in the season. Godfrey exceeded a 200 passer rating
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
four times, and only went under 100 twice. He ended up winning the Conference USA Freshman of the Year award.
2011
Before the 2011 season, Godfrey was placed on the watch list for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, which is given to the nation's best quarterback.Statistics
| Passing | Rushing | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | Rating | Att | Comp | Pct | Yds | TD | INT | Sack | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2010 2010 UCF Knights football team The 2010 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Their head coach was George O'Leary, who was in his seventh season with the team. For the first time in program history, the Knights were nationally ranked following a... | UCF Knights UCF Knights The UCF Knights are the athletics teams of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. All of UCF's varsity sports teams are known as the Knights, with the women's teams sometimes referred to as the "Lady Knights." The Knights, which includes the university's 16 varsity sports teams,... | 14 | 154.3 | 238 | 159 | 66.8 | 2,159 | 13 | 8 | 18 | 152 | 566 | 3.7 | 9 | ||
| Totals | 14 | 154.3 | 238 | 159 | 66.8 | 2,159 | 13 | 8 | 18 | 152 | 566 | 3.7 | 9 | |||
See also
- 2010 UCF Knights football team2010 UCF Knights football teamThe 2010 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Their head coach was George O'Leary, who was in his seventh season with the team. For the first time in program history, the Knights were nationally ranked following a...
- 2011 UCF Knights football team2011 UCF Knights football teamThe 2011 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights played in the Eastern Division of Conference USA, and played their home games at Bright House Networks Stadium in Orlando, Florida...
- List of University of Central Florida alumni
External links
- Official Biography by University of Central Florida
- Stats Page on ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.com