TAMPA – Jesuit Excessive Faculty senior quarterback Will Griffin at all times idolized Florida Gator soccer legend Tim Tebow.
“I look as much as him,” Griffin stated.
Nevertheless, it is Tebow that’s now wanting up at Griffin, at the very least with regards to the highschool soccer document books.
What they’re saying:
“He is undoubtedly the as soon as in a profession kind of participant,” Jesuit head coach Matt Thompson stated. “You do not actually get it that a lot. Not as a quarterback. I’ve not had a quarterback be as particular as Will.”
Within the first sport of the 2025 season, Griffin surpassed the ten,000 passing yards profession milestone. He’s simply the tenth participant in highschool soccer historical past within the sunshine state to ever be part of that membership, in response to MaxPreps. Tebow completed his profession at Nease Excessive Faculty with 9,765 passing yards.
“10,000 was superb,” Griffin stated. “It’s actually laborious to do this. I’ve acquired to remind myself that I am going out right here and play for the workforce. I’m not enjoying for myself or the stats that follows. In the event you can have a superb workforce round you and an ideal protection to get you the ball, an ideal offense that may rating, the stats will naturally come.”
The backstory:
It definitely helps he was in a position to play varsity soccer as a seventh and eighth grader beneath Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend Mike Alstott at Northside Christian. Griffin makes it clear; nonetheless, he doesn’t deserve all the credit score for hitting this mark.
“I would not be right here if it wasn’t for the offensive line,” Griffin stated. “If it wasn’t for the receivers catching my passes. If it wasn’t for the operating backs operating touchdowns to open up the go. Quite a lot of issues go into it.”
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Quite a lot of issues go into his success, however Jesuit head soccer coach Matt Thompson says Griffin has loads of the traits to achieve success.
“He has all the measurables,” Thompson stated. “[He has] the scale, the pace, the power and the arm power as a quarterback. His soccer IQ is excellent. He understands the sport. He understands the offense. He understands the protection. He is a complete bundle.”
The College of Florida was impressed with these talents and provided him a scholarship. For the child who grew up watching the Gators on fall Saturdays, it is a dream come true.
Going to Gainesville
“It is simply dwelling,” Griffin stated. “It felt like the proper place for me to be. Very excited. I wish to get there. I wish to assist out. I wish to contribute. I wish to play actually badly.”
Nevertheless, at this second, Griffin simply desires to soak in his previous couple of months as a highschool soccer participant.
“I’m attempting to get pleasure from it as a lot as I can as a result of I do know it may finish quickly,” Griffin stated. “I wish to ensure that I absorb each second.”
That is as a result of Griffin desires to be remembered not for his stats however for who he’s as an individual.
“I would like folks to recollect me extra as a frontrunner slightly than going to Florida,” Griffin stated. “I would like it to be extra like, ‘He was a frontrunner. He gave every thing to the workforce. He by no means give up. He by no means gave up.'”
Griffin will enroll early at Florida. He was the primary commit for Billy Napier within the 2026 recruiting class.
The Supply: The data on this story was gathered by FOX 13’s Mark Skol, Jr.
