** Campbell Q&A Series **
June 9, 2020: Chris Howard (1990,Air Force)
June 25, 2020: Robert Zatechka (1994,Nebraska)
August 12, 2020: Christian Wilkins (2019,Clemson)
August 26, 2020: Brad Culpepper (1991,Florida)
Sept. 10, 2020: Sam Acho (2010, Texas)
Sept. 24, 2020: Tom Burns (1993, Virginia)
Oct. 7, 2020: Brandon Roberts (2002, Wash U. in St. Louis (Mo.)
Oct. 21, 2020: Zach Terrell (2016, Western Michigan)
Nov. 4, 2020: Joaquin Gonzalez (2001, Miami [FL])
Nov. 18, 2020: Bobby Hoying (1995, Ohio State)
Dec. 2, 2020: Ty Darlington (2015, Oklahoma)
 

Danny Wuerffel owns one of the most impressive résumés in all of college football history, leading the University of Florida to four SEC championships and the 1996 national title while becoming the first person in history to win both the Heisman Trophy and Campbell Trophy® Presented by Mazda. Graduating with an impressive 3.74 GPA, including four semesters with a perfect 4.0, Wuerffel twice earned CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year honors while winning an NCAA Today Top Eight Award and an NCAA postgraduate scholarship. The 1996 team captain finished his Gator career completing 1,170 passes for 10,875 yards, with 114 TD passes, best in SEC history and second-most in major college history at the time. A First-Team All-America selection in 1995 and 1996, he won the Davey O'Brien Award twice, the SEC Player of the Year Award twice, and the Maxwell and Walter Camp player of the year awards in 1996. Drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 1997, the Pensacola, Florida, native played for the Saints, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins before retiring after the 2002 season. Known for his charitable work, he was named to the AFCA Good Works Team while at Florida, and he is the namesake of the Wuerffel Trophy, which is awarded annually to the college football player who best exhibits community service. His induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013 made him the first Campbell Trophy® recipient to ever achieve the dual honors. Wuerffel currently heads the Desire Street Ministries in Decatur, Georgia, training leaders to transform impoverished neighborhoods through spiritual and community development.

What did winning the Campbell Trophy mean to you and what role does the trophy play in the college football landscape?
What an honor it was to win the Campbell Trophy® in 1996. To be honored by The National Football Foundation, with its incredible and prestigious history, was amazing. And, to know that the award was for so much more than just being a good football player, meant a lot to me.

You were the first Campbell Trophy winner in history to also be elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. How does it feel to hold that distinction?
That is a great honor, and I'm very proud to be the first Campbell winner elected to the Hall of Fame.
 
The University of Florida is the first and only school to boast three Campbell Trophy winners all-time. What does that say about the Gators program, both academically and athletically?
One of the reasons I chose to attend the University of Florida was because of its prestigious reputation as an academic institution. Florida, simply put, is an incredible school. I'm not surprised that Florida has had three Campbell winners.
 
Tell us about playing for Steve Spurrier. How did he inspire you and your team, particularly during the 1996 national championship season?
Coach Spurrier is a one-of-a-kind coach. His tenacity, mind for the game, competitiveness, and drive make him one of the greatest coaches of all time. His offense was so innovative, and playing quarterback for him lead to so much success. Having him as my coach not only lead to championships and trophies, but also changed the trajectory of my life.
 
You won the Heisman Trophy in 1996. On a scale of 1-10, how much did you enjoy shooting those Heisman commercials? Do you have any fun behind-the-scenes stories you can share?
Filming the Heisman House commercials has been a blast. The advertisers and creative people do an outstanding job making them fun for everyone. While the 30-second spots all turn out great, people don't realize how long it takes to actually get them done. They are some long days of filming, but tons of fun to be hanging out with the Heisman fraternity.
 
You currently serve as the executive director of Desire Street Ministries. Tell us more about the organization and its mission.
Desire Street works in under-resourced neighborhoods all over the southeastern United States. We developed thriving and sustainable leaders who are making a difference in really difficult places. We have helped to start schools, medical clinics, after school programs, housing initiatives, and churches. I'm very proud of the work that we've done, and our plan going forward is to develop 20 thriving and sustainable urban ministries in the next five years.
 
Did you have any pregame traditions or superstitions?
Before every game, I would listen to an old classical song, Canon in D by Pachelbel. For some reason, it helped calm my heart and helped get me focused.
 
Give us your best dad joke.
I had several jokes about old, retired people, but I couldn't get any of them to work.
 
Favorite snack food?
Quest Bars.
 
Favorite movies?
Comedy:  Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Action:  Star Wars
Sports:  Remember the Titans
Other:  Amistad

Campbell Trophy Q&A Background:
Click here for more information on The William V. Campbell Trophy® Presented by Mazda, which has been presented every year since 1990 to the nation's top scholar-athlete from the college gridiron. In 2019, Mazda became the sponsor of the Trophy, launching their Power of Potential Platform with ESPN. The trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association, which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football.

Today's Q&A represents the twelfth in a series of Q&A sessions with former winners of the Campbell Trophy.