ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 31, 1996 TAG: 9612310124
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: NEW ORLEANS
SOURCE: Associated Press
Danny Wuerffel's whirlwind tour of seven cities, five states and three football stadiums could have a stirring conclusion in the Sugar Bowl.
For the past month, Florida's Heisman Trophy winner has been crossing the country, picking up prizes, plaudits and public-speaking pointers. The current count has Wuerffel with eight trophies, three scholarships and one public relations degree.
``It seems almost like a blur, it all happened so quick,'' Wuerffel said Monday after the Gators worked outdoors for the first time since arriving in town on Friday. ``Less then a month ago, we were preparing for Alabama, the SEC championship game, school and everything was the norm.
``Then all of a sudden, I went on a few trips. Probably a week and a half for just the traveling. After that, take finals, graduate, move out of my place and, other than that ''
At the Superdome on Thursday night, Wuerffel goes after the most elusive prize of all in No. 3 Florida's rematch against No. 1 Florida State - a national championship.
``That's the epitome of team goals,'' he said. ``And when you're focused on celebrating things with the team, it's really exciting. The ability to hug a teammate after a game is far more exciting than sitting behind a podium by yourself and saying `thank you.'''
This time, the Gators need help to get back to the top. Ohio State must beat No. 2 Arizona State (11-0) in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday, with Florida (11-1) then beating Florida State (11-0) in the Sugar Bowl. Last season, Florida lost its title chance by losing to Nebraska 62-24.
Wuerffel says it makes no sense to worry about the Rose Bowl and figures the Gators will take in a movie instead of rooting for the Buckeyes to take out the Sun Devils.
Of greater concern is whether Wuerffel's offensive line can hold off the ferocious Seminoles pass rush, which infuriated Gators coach Steve Spurrier so much in the first game he's still ranting about late hits, cheap shots and dirty play.
``I stay out of all that,'' Wuerffel said with a slight smile. ``My dad and my coaches have always said that's not your business. Those types of things only serve as a distraction. We're just going to show up and play and when the game starts, all that goes out the window.''
In the 24-21 loss to the Seminoles on Nov. 30, Wuerffel was sacked six times, knocked to the ground about 20 more and threw three interceptions. The defeat dropped the Gators out of the No. 1 ranking and elevated the Seminoles to the top spot.
While Wuerffel is intent on beating Florida State, the 22-year-old son of an Air Force preacher also remains focused on his religious faith. After each touchdown pass - and there were 39 of them this season - Wuerffel places the palms of his hands together, looks briefly to the heavens and says a ``thank-you prayer.'' Some people think the prayer is not sincere, but Wuerffel wants to assure everyone ``it's from the heart.''
``A lot of people also think you're praying to a genie, saying `OK, let me win and let this guy lose,''' Wuerffel said. ``That's not what's going on there, either. I was thankful to be out there. Thankful to be healthy.
``When I look at the Florida State game and see how many times I was hit and to not break a toe a lot of prayers were answered.''
His baby face and modest demeanor belie his toughness on the field. Knock him down, he gets back up. Slap him upside the head, and he'll turn the other cheek.
``If that was any other quarterback in the nation, he wouldn't have been in there that long,'' Florida State linebacker Daryl Bush said about last month's game. ``You get Reinard [Wilson] and Pete [Boulware] and some of the inside guys coming in and having some of the sacks they did and you start thinking about it. We had some quarterbacks on other teams that were taken out of the game, but Danny's not easily thrown off course. If you know him off the field, he's similar.''
Wuerffel was on course all year, completing 207-of-360 passes for 3,625 yards, 39 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The 6-foot-2, 209-pound senior set 47 NCAA, Southeastern Conference and school records, including the best career pass efficiency rating (163.6). His 114 career TD passes rank second behind Ty Detmer, who had 121 at Brigham Young.
Among the other honors were the Maxwell, Davey O'Brien and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm awards, Walter Camp Player of the Year, SEC Player of the Year, Draddy Award and scholarship and a Honda scholarship. The hardware is stored in boxes in assistant athletic director John Humenik's office until Wuerffel finds a new place to live.
With his final college game just two days away, Wuerffel's next stop could be the NFL, although he's not considered a top prospect because of a shotput-like delivery and weak arm. Also, critics say the gaudy numbers are misleading because he's a product of Spurrier's system.
``That's something I can't control,'' he said. ``I can only do the best I can.''
If the NFL doesn't work out, Wuerffel has other options.
``I have job offers through the school and I'd definitely go back to grad school with a lot of that scholarship money,'' he said. ``I've thought about seminary and that's definitely an option, or get on the staff of the FCA [Fellowship of Christian Athletes]. Whatever doors open. I'm definitely not worried about it.''
He's also becoming quite an entertainer on the awards circuit. In Louisville earlier this month to accept the Unitas Award, Wuerffel found himself helping a woman to her feet after she fell off the podium.
When Wuerffel took the microphone to accept his award, he said he had been kidded by friends that ``if I started winning all kinds awards, women would be falling all over me. But this is a little much.''
LENGTH: Long : 103 linesby CNB