Chris Leak

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Chris Leak
Photo depicts a smiling Chris Leak, quarterback of the Florida Gators, together with his Florida Gators football teammates, coach Urban Meyer, and U.S. President George W. Bush, who is holding a Gators football jersey and commemorative football.
Leak (second from left) and teammates visit President George W. Bush at the White House.
Sport(s) Football
Biographical details
Born (1985-05-03) May 3, 1985 (age 39)
Charlotte, North Carolina
Alma mater Florida
Playing career
2003–2006 Florida
2007 Chicago Bears
2008 Hamilton Tiger-Cats
2008–2010 Montreal Alouettes
2011 Saskatchewan Roughriders
2012 Jacksonville Sharks
2012 Orlando Predators
Position(s) Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2013 Florida (GA)
2014 Florida (WR)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
As a player
Hall Trophy (2002)
Pete Dawkins Trophy (2003)

Christopher Patrick Leak (born May 3, 1985) is an American football coach and former gridiron football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Florida, and led the Florida Gators to victory in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game. Leak played professionally for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL), the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the Jacksonville Sharks and Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League (AFL).

Early years

Leak was born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1985.[1] Leak received national attention as an 8th grader in 1998 when Wake Forest coach Jim Caldwell, who had just signed his older brother, C. J., offered him a college football scholarship.[2] He attended Independence High School in Charlotte, where he played for the Independence Patriots high school football team.[1] In three years as the Patriots' starting quarterback, Leak led his team to three consecutive North Carolina 4-A state championships and losing only once as a starter under head coach Tommy Knotts.[1] He set North Carolina state records for passing yards in a career (15,593) and completions in a career (1,013), as well as the national record for touchdown passes in a career (185).[1] He was recognized as a Parade magazine All-American as well as Parade's Player of the Year in 2003.[1] The Scout.com recruiting service ranked Leak as a five-star prospect and the third-best quarterback in the 2003 recruiting class.[1]

College career

Leak accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida,[1] where he played for coach Ron Zook and coach Urban Meyer's Florida Gators football teams from 2003 to 2006.[3] Leak was known for his quiet leadership as a quarterback, and was elected a team captain by his teammates two of his four years as a Gator.[3]

Leak began his career at Florida as a freshman, seeing playing time in the first few games, and taking over as the starter in the game against the Kentucky Wildcats. Leak finished his freshman year with a Southeastern Conference (SEC) record for a freshman, posting a 6–3 record as a starter, including wins over the eventual national champion LSU Tigers and the rival Georgia Bulldogs. Leak was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team and Rivals.com's Freshman All-America Team.

During his sophomore season in 2004, Leak's quarterback skills progressed, transforming him into one of the notable quarterbacks in college football. He started all of Florida's games, including a memorable school record-tying six-touchdown performance against the South Carolina Gamecocks. However, following a disappointing loss to the unranked Mississippi State Bulldogs and an on-campus confrontation with fraternity members, head coach Ron Zook was fired. After Zook was fired, Leak was rumored to be considering a transfer.

In December 2004, Urban Meyer replaced Ron Zook as Florida's head coach and introduced Meyer's spread offense to the Gators. Dan Mullen was introduced as the new offensive coordinator— Leak's third offensive coordinator in three years. Heading into his 2005 junior season, Leak had to learn his third offensive scheme in as many years, but was touted as a possible Heisman Trophy candidate. Leak won his first five games, including a big win over the SEC East rival Tennessee Volunteers, but struggled in the option portion of the Meyer's offense. Since Leak was a drop-back passer and not the ideal choice to run Meyer's spread option offense, Meyer tweaked the offense to tailor it to Leak's abilities after the Gators struggled midway through its schedule. The result was successful with the team winning its last two games against ranked competition. Leak received second-team All-SEC honors.

Before the beginning of his 2006 senior season, there was speculation that Leak might not be the Gators' starting quarterback due to the emergence of talented freshman Tim Tebow.[4] Instead, Meyer publicly endorsed Leak as the starting quarterback and confirmed Tim Tebow would be the back-up. Preseason analysis projected that Florida would have the hardest schedule in the country, including back-to-back games against Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, LSU, Auburn and Georgia. The 2006 season proved to be a redemption year for Leak: leading the Gators to their first SEC Championship since 2000, and a spot in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game against Ohio State Buckeyes (the Gators' first championship game appearance since 1996). Leak also broke many Gators' passing records set by Heisman Trophy-winner Danny Wuerffel, including Wuerffel's record for career passing yards set during the 2006 SEC championship game. Leak again received second-team All-SEC honors.

Leak led the Florida Gators to their second consensus national championship with a 41–14 victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes on January 8, 2007, taking home the offensive Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the game. His performance was solid throughout the BCS championship game, completing his first nine passes at the start of the game, and finishing with twenty-five completions in thirty-six attempts for 213 yards and one touchdown.

Leak was listed on the SEC Academic Honor Roll each year he attended Florida, and was a finalist for the Draddy Trophy, also known as the "Academic Heisman" for college football players.[3] He graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in sociology, with honors, in December 2006, and was a keynote speaker during the graduation ceremony.

Leak is remembered for volunteering with children in the Goodwill Gators Program, encouraging them to put school first and avoid drug use. At home in Charlotte, North Carolina, he also worked with the Boys and Girls Club and the Steele Creek Youth Athletic Association, served as an inspirational speaker with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and spoke at area middle schools encouraging students to stay focused on their goals.

Professional career

NFL

Leak was not selected during the 2007 NFL Draft. The Chicago Bears signed him immediately after the draft.[5] He spent the summer of 2007 working with the team, and training under former Gator Rex Grossman.[6] However, Leak only saw playtime during the final game of the preseason, where he completed eleven of sixteen passes for eighty-eight yards, an interception and a touchdown.[7] He was eventually cut from the Bears roster on September 16, 2007.

For the 2008 season, Leak tried out with the Kansas City Chiefs.

AAFL

In November 2007, Leak announced his intentions to play for Team Florida in the All American Football League.[8] He was later drafted in the 6th round by Team Florida. Lacking start-up capital and with low ticket sales, the AAFL's first season was postponed until 2009 (and later canceled). Leak, like all AAFL players, was released from his contract.

CFL

On June 3, 2008, Leak signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League.[9] He was claimed by the Montreal Alouettes on June 9 after being released a day earlier. With backup quarterback Adrian McPherson injured, Leak was on the active roster for the August 21, 2009 match against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, in which he threw his first CFL touchdown pass on his first play.[10] Leak was part of the Montreal Alouettes who won the 2009 Grey Cup.

On August 19, 2010, in a game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Montreal starting quarterback, Anthony Calvillo, got taken out with an injury which gave way to Leak to finish off the game. Leak would lead the Alouettes to a 39-17 win over the Bombers. Leak made his first CFL start at quarterback on September 3, 2010 against the BC Lions. However, he was on the short end of a 38-17 score, going 15 for 27 for 135 yards with two interceptions and a fumble. Leak suffered an apparent injury early in the fourth quarter and did not return.

On May 5, 2011, Leak signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders as a free agent.[11]

On June 25, 2011, Leak was cut from the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Arena football

On September 26, 2011, it was announced that Leak would sign with the ArenaBowl XXIV champion Jacksonville Sharks to replace star quarterback Aaron Garcia, who joined the San Antonio Talons for the 2012 Arena Football League season. In his only game in which he played for the Sharks, he completed twenty-one of thirty-one passes for 196 yards and five touchdowns in a 52–28 victory over the Kansas City Command. After it was announced that Garcia's former back-up would start the next game, Leak was suspended after skipping the following team practice.[12] On April 10, 2012, he was placed on the left squad list, effectively ending his time with the Sharks.[13] On April 23, 2012, Leak signed with the Orlando Predators.[14]

Post-playing career

Chris Leak worked as a host on SiriusXM College Sports Coast-to-Coast multiple nights each week during the 2012 college football season, along with co-host Chris Childers. The show was heard weeknights from 7:00 – 10:00 pm ET on SiriusXM College Sports Nation.

Florida Gators head football coach Will Muschamp announced that Leak had been added to his staff as a quality control coach in May 2013. Leak became a graduate assistant, helping coach the team's offense.[15]

On June 11, 2014, Florida announced that Leak had been promoted to the position of wide receivers coach following the resignation of Joker Phillips.[16]

On February 10, 2015, Florida hired Kerry Dixon II to replace Leak as wide receivers coach. Chris Leak is no longer on Florida's coaching staff.[17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 GatorZone.com, Football History, 2006 Roster, Chris Leak. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
  2. ↑ Stewart Mandel, "A Lot to Leak," Sports Illustrated (August 21, 2003). Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 75, 80, 89, 97, 98, 99, 101–102, 125, 127, 136, 141–142, 144, 146–147, 159, 162, 173, 183 (2011). Retrieved August 30, 2011.
  4. ↑ Kelly Whiteside, "Senior Leak will remain starter; freshman Tebow turning heads," USA Today (July 27, 2006). Retrieved May 5, 2011.
  5. ↑ Lindsay Jones, "Chris Leak to Chicago Bears," The Palm Beach Post (April 27, 2007)> Retrieved May 5, 2011.
  6. ↑ Larry Mayer, "Leak sees Bears as 'best situation for me'," ChicagoBears.com (May 8, 2007). Retrieved on May 5, 2011.
  7. ↑ Browns v. Bears Box Score, Chicago Bears.com (September 15, 2007). Retrieved May 5, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Leak to try out for AAFL," The Gainesville Sun (September 11, 2007). Retrieved May 5, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Hamilton Tiger-Cats sign former Florida Gators quarterback Chris Leak," Canoe.com (June 3, 2008). Retrieved on June 3, 2008.
  10. ↑ "Leak, Calvillo lead Als' win," Halifax Chronicle Herald (August 22, 2009). Retrieved August 22, 2009.
  11. ↑ "Saskatchewan Roughriders sign Chris Leak," The Regina Leader-Post (May 5, 2011). Retrieved May 5, 2011.
  12. ↑ Don Coble, "Jacksonville Sharks suspend quarterback Chris Leak," The Florida Times-Union (March 21, 2012). Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Jamarko Simmons Returns to Sharks," ArenaFootball.com (April 10, 2012). Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  14. ↑ Austin Lyon, "Orlando Predators sign former UF quarterback Chris Leak," Orlando Sentinel (April 23, 2012). Retrieved April 27, 2012.
  15. ↑ http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/blogs/swamp-things/os-gators-former-gator-chris-leak-becomes-offensive-graduate-assistant-20130731,0,376782.post
  16. ↑ http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=28337
  17. ↑ http://www.alligator.org/sports/football/article_089f25c8-b1af-11e4-8614-930e660e1439.html

Bibliography

  • Carlson, Norm, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (2007). ISBN 0-7948-2298-3.

External links

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