It was a breakthrough national championship, highlighted by the Fun’ N’ Gun offense, a Heisman-winning quarterback and a visor-wearing coach with swagger that stretched from Key West to Pensacola.
Florida football won its first national title 30 years ago, capping a 12-1 season in 1996 with a 52-20 win over rival Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.
Two of the three statues erected in front of The Swamp played a key role in the championship season. Heisman winner Steve Spurrier, in his sixth season as UF coach, guided a UF offense that lit up scoreboards like a pinball machine. With Spurrier calling the plays, the Florida Gators led the nation in total offense (503.9 ypg) while leading the SEC in scoring offense (47.0 ppg, an SEC record that still stands).
Starting quarterback Danny Wuerffel won the Heisman Trophy in the 1996 season, passing for 3,625 yards and 39 TDs.
Defensively, Florida transformed into a more aggressive, blitzing unit under first-year coordinator Bob Stoops. UF wound up ranking third in the conference in total defense (250.2 yards per game allowed) and third in turnovers forced (2.2 per game).
To honor the 30th anniversary of 1996 national title team, the Gainesville Sun will count down the top 30 players from the team in the coming weeks. Here’s a look at No. 20:
No. 20 Zach Piller, OL
Why Piller is No. 20: A transfer from Georgia Tech and former Tallahassee/Lincoln HS standout, the 6-foot-5, 320-pound Piller made nine starts at right and left tackle as a redshirt sophomore in 1996. Piller helped protect Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel during a Heisman Trophy season in which he passed for 3,625 yards with 39 TDs. After earning All-SEC honors as a senior at UF in 1998, Piller was drafted in the third round by the Tennessee Titans in the 1999 NFL Draft and went on to an eight-year NFL career with the Titans, Detroit Lions and New York Giants.
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida football Top 30 players from 1996 | No. 20 Zach Piller
Reporting by Kevin Brockway, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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By Kevin Brockway, Gainesville Sun | USA TODAY Network
