FSU football: Top 10 passing leaders in Seminoles history
By Josh Yourish
FSU football career passing leader No. 1: Chris Weinke (1997-00)
- 9,839 passing yards
- 79 passing touchdowns
- 58.7% completion
- 8.9 yards per attempt
After Charlie Ward led the Noles to the mountaintop in 1993, Bowden was looking for the next quarterback to lead them back. That guy ended up being Weinke in 1999 when he took the Seminoles to their second national championship in school history with a 12-0 season.
Weinke spent six years in the Toronto Blue Jays minor league system before heading to Florida State as a 25-year-old in 1997. Bowden had recruited him out of high school in 1989 and came knocking once Weinke quit baseball.
He and the Seminoles defeated Michael Vick and Virginia Tech in the 2000 Sugar Bowl for the national championship.
The next year was his best personally, Weinke threw for 4,167 yards and 33 touchdowns in 2000 which won him the Heisman Trophy. He led the country in passing yards, yards per attempt, and was second in passing touchdowns.