Memphis star could have been a Gator
Paxton Lynch has emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in college football, while leading Memphis to a 6-0 start.
Lynch is having a big season at Memphis. But he could have been quarterbacking the Florida Gators right now.
During Lynch’s senior season in 2011, then-Florida offensive coordinator Charlie Weis saw him play at Trinity Christian Academy in Deltona, Fla., and was on the verge of offering him a scholarship. But then Weis left to become the head coach at Kansas.
Weis’ replacement, Brent Pease, chose to give the scholarship to Skyler Mornhinweg instead. Mornhinweg’s father, current Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, was a friend of Pease’s. Mornhinweg had also passed for 4,912 yards in his high school career, compared to just 2,099 for Lynch (who played in a run-heavy wing-T offense at Trinity). And Lynch had missed much of his senior season with a knee bruise.
#Memphis QB Paxton Lynch was ready to commit #Florida late in the process in 2012 & then the #Gators passed on him: https://t.co/GxCGfxQhel
— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) October 22, 2015
Pease’s decision turned out to be a bad one. Mornhinweg started three games for the Gators in 2013, and never passed for more than 122 yards in a game. He transferred to Columbia after last season.
Meanwhile, Lynch has thrown for 7,006 yards and 44 touchdowns in two-and-a-half seasons, and is currently ranked 10th on Mel Kiper’s most recent Big Board for NFL prospects.