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| #7 QB John Reaves and #45 WR Carlos Alvarez, famed Super Sophs of the '69 Gators (This photo was taken before a game in the '71 season. |
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| Captains of the '69 Gators; Sr OT Mac Steen and Sr LB Tom Abdelnour. The leadership of a large class of Senior linemen and defensive players provided the backbone of Florida's greatest season ever to that point in Gator histoy. Carlos Alvarez recent election to the College Football Hall of Fame re-focuses attention on one of the Greatest Gator teams of all-time, the 1969 Gators. The '69 Gators established the best record in Florida football history to that point, 9-1-1, and upset both a team (Houston) ranked No 1 (in at least one poll) and the SEC regular season Champion (Tennessee, 14-13 in the '69 Gator Bowl). Sophomore QB John Reaves, WR Carlos Alvarez, RB Tommy Durrance, FB Mike Rich and other precocious Sophomores (DL Robert Harrell and others) were dubbed the Super Sophs for the over-the-top excitement and drama they unexpectedly brought to the '69 season, while shattering the Gator and SEC offensive record books. The team was undergirded with a large class of outstanding, but un-herald Seniors led by Captains OT Mac Steen and LB Tom Abdelnour and other outstanding SRs including C Kim Helton, LB David Ghesquiere, All-American DB Steve Tannen. The '69 Gators also had exceptional Juniors, too, including JR DE Jack Youngblood (a future NFL and College Football Hall of Famer) and Gator Bowl MVP Mike Kelley. In fact, not just one of the Greatest teams in Florida history; one of the Greatest, and most exciting, teams in College Football History! |
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