Me too. My first game as a UF student. What a way to start the season! Sent from my iPad
> On Aug 3, 2017, at 10:02 AM, Oliver Barry <[email protected]> wrote: > > I’m sorry he’s gone. John Reaves is a Gator legend. > I was at that Houston game in ’69. My uncle worked for the University and got > tickets for me and my father. > I sat in the north end zone and he sat in the shade. I’ll never forget that > pass. > > Oliver Barry, CRS, GRI > Real Estate Broker > PARKS > 305B Indian Lake Blvd > Suite 220 > Hendersonville TN 37075 > Phone: 615-826-4040 > Mobile: 615-972-4239 > [email protected] > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Shane Ford > Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2017 7:53 AM > To: GatorNews > Subject: [gatornews] [SUN]: Gator Great Reaves dies at 67 > > Gator Great Reaves dies at 67 > > > > John Reaves, who died Tuesday night, was an All-American quarterback at > Florida. > > File photo > By Robbie Andreu > Gainesville SUN Staff writer > > Published: Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 9:21 a.m. > Last Modified: Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 9:21 a.m. > (Updated: 4 p.m.) Former Florida quarterback John Reaves, leader of the > “Super Sophs” in 1969 and one of the all-time Gator greats, was found dead in > his Tampa home on Tuesday. He was 67. > > Reaves was found dead at his home Tuesday, according to the Hillsborough > County Medical Examiner’s Office. The cause of death is being investigated, > the office said. > > “All us Gators were sad to hear about the passing of John Reaves,” said > former UF Heisman Trophy winner and head coach Steve Spurrier, who coached > Reaves in the USFL and made him part of his first UF coaching staff in 1990. > “John was one of the all-time best quarterbacks to play here. That ’69 Gators > team — with John and Carlos Alvarez and Tommy Durrance — that came within one > game of winning our first SEC championship was one of the really special > teams in the history of our school.” > > Elected to the UF athletic Hall of Fame in 1985, Reaves led the Gators to one > of the most successful seasons in school history in 1969. Reaves, along with > several other top sophomores mixed in with a strong group of seniors, helped > the Gators go 9-1-1 (the best record in UF history at the time), including an > upset of SEC champion Tennessee in the Gator Bowl. > > The highlight of that season, and perhaps of his stellar three-year UF > career, came in his very first start against Houston, which was ranked No. 1 > in the nation in one preseason publication. On the third offensive play of > the game, Reaves launched a 70-yard touchdown strike to Carlos Alvarez and > the Gators were on their way to a 59-34 victory over the Cougars that set the > tone for the season. > > “The Gators lost one of their own in John Reaves,” said Florida coach Jim > McElwain, who recruited Reaves’ son, Stephen, to Michigan State. “Obviously > got to know the family very well. My thoughts and prayers go out to that > family who’s been through a lot. At the same time, I do know this: I don’t > think anybody will ever realize how much the Florida Gators truly meant to > John Reaves.” > > In his sophomore season, under coach Ray Graves, Reaves threw for 2,896 yards > and 24 touchdowns. Although his production dipped in his junior and senior > years under run-oriented new head coach Doug Dickey, Reaves finished his > career as the all-time NCAA passing leader (7,549) and the SEC leader in > career TD passes with 54. > > After being named an All-American quarterback in his senior season, Reaves > was a first-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1972. Over the > course of his nine-year NFL career, Reaves played for five different teams. > > After the NFL, his pro career continued with the USFL’s Tampa Bay Bandits, > where he was the starting quarterback for three seasons (1983-85) under > Spurrier. > > “My favorite memories of John are when I got a chance to coach him during our > time with the Tampa Bay Bandits in 1983, ’84 and ’85,” Spurrier said. “He was > a wonderful player to coach and a super teammate. Our second year he threw > for more than 4,000 yards. > > “I thought he was easily the best quarterback in the league. John was > outstanding throwing the ball and directing the team. He was as good a pure > drop-back passer as I’ve ever coached.” > > Reaves was waived by the Bandits after the 1985 season and signed with the > Orlando Renegades. But the league folded before the start of the 1986 season. > > Reaves caught on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for one season (1987), and his > playing career ended after that. > > He hooked up with Spurrier again in 1990, when Spurrier hired him to be part > of his first Florida coaching staff. Reaves was let go after the 1992 season, > but was rehired by Spurrier again in 1994. In 1995, Reaves left to take a job > on Brad Scott’s staff at South Carolina, where he spent three seasons. > > After football, Reaves moved back to Tampa and sold real estate. > > “It’s sad to see that John has passed on, but we’ll celebrate his life down > in Tampa with so many good friends and Gators,” Spurrier said. “His memory > will always be with us.” > > Throughout his adult life, Reaves battled drug and alcohol addiction. He hit > one of his all-time lows when he was arrested in Tampa in 2008 for aggravated > assault with a firearm and possession of cocaine. > > Less than a year later, Reaves told the Tampa Bay Times he was now sober. > > “I’ve made a lot of mistakes, some temper flare-ups and stuff, but I’m trying > to lead an honorable life,” Reaves told the paper. “I’m not a person who > wakes up in the morning thinking of doing evil things.” > > The Associated Press contributed to this report. > > > > > Flag > · Rick Catlin > > · Rank 0 > I can still see the faces of the Houston Cougars coaching staff and players > when Reaves threw that bomb to Carlos, who outran everyone. That 59-35 score > was so out of line that I watched ABC tv commentators say to double check the > score cause it might be a mistake. Sad to see ya go John, but you were a hell > of a Gator. RIP > · 15 hours ago > · > 0 > 0 > 0 > > 0 > 0 > 0 > > > · Reply > > · Share > > Flag > · Richard Siler > > · Rank 0 > Very sad news! He was one of my favorite Gators when I was growing up. RIP > John. > · 16 hours ago > · > 0 > 0 > 0 > > 0 > 0 > 0 > > > · Reply > > · Share > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sent From Shane's iPhone > Go Gators! & Skål Vikes! > ALPCA #8756 > Europlate #1045 > -- > -- > GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! > 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 > National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 > National Football Champions | > Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), > Tim Tebow (2007) > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "GatorNews" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- > -- > GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! > 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 > National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 > National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier > (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "GatorTalk" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "GatorTalk" group. 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