FSU Alums: Burt Reynolds explains why he left Noles football program

Burt Reynolds may be one of the more famous people to ever play football at FSU – but he explains why that fame turned out to not be on the field.

For nearly four decades, he was one of the most popular actors in all of Hollywood – but for a lot of people who don’t root for the Seminoles, they don’t realize that Burt Reynolds was at one time one of the top running back recruits in the country before signing with FSU football prior to the start of the 1954 season.

A young back from West Palm Beach, the man called “Buddy” arrived on campus before the start of the season ready to make a name for himself in college football. Unfortunately for Reynolds, his career would involve spending more time in the training room than on the field for his first years in Tallahassee.

During his first season, Burt Reynolds would go for 134 yards and two touchdowns on the ground with 16 carries (not counting 35 yards on seven carries in the bowl game) to go along with four catches for 76 total yards. Much was expected of him, but knee surgery and a serious car accident kept him off the field for two seasons.

In 1957, Reynolds returned for the Seminoles – but it would be short lived following a nearly 60 years ago against this weekend’s opponent for FSU, the N.C. State Wolfpack:

Burt Reynolds would finish that season with just 12 yards on two carries before leaving campus and becoming one of the biggest stars out there. Still, “Buddy” didn’t forget about the FSU football program and became one of its biggest cheerleaders over the last half century.

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He was generous financially, including buying uniforms and endowing scholarships, while also being a frequent guest on the sidelines and appearing weekly on former coach Bobby Bowden’s syndicated highlight show. Though he won’t go down as one of the best players in Florida State history, there may be no bigger fan of the Seminoles than Burt Reynolds.