Former Land O’ Lakes QB throws first Arena League touchdown
By Kyle LoJacono
A few years ago Drew Weatherford was leading the Land O’ Lakes High Gators to numerous touchdown drives on Friday nights, but his most recent score was different for him.
That latest touchdown was his first as a professional football player with the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League. The score came on a 24-yard pass to Hank Edwards in a 78-39 win over Bossier-Shreveport June 25.
“I’m just loving the opportunity to play,” Weatherford said. “Ever since I was little I wanted to play professional football. I didn’t think it would be in arena football, but it’s still great to be able to play. I mean, they pay me to play football.”
It is not Weatherford’s only job as he works full-time with Imperium Development, which is currently building a large renewable energy facility in Dover. After working all day he drives to practice to live out his football dreams.
“He certainly does whatever he can to promote the sport while helping us on the field and holding down a full-time job,” said Storm head coach Tim Marcum. “We see that with his willingness to play special teams while also developing into a top-notch quarterback in this league.”
Weatherford is the backup quarterback for the Storm (10-3), but also leads the team with 14 tackles on special teams, according to the team spokesman Jim Robinson.
“To be honest I just love playing football,” Weatherford said. “I always considered myself a football player first who just happened to be a quarterback.
“I’ve played quarterback since I was 12-years-old and I actually played linebacker in middle school, but I couldn’t do that in high school,” Weatherford continued. “I did get to play safety during my senior year at Land O’ Lakes. Then it was five or so years of just playing quarterback and being the one getting hit. Now I get to return the favor and hit people instead of getting hit.”
Weatherford has completed six of four passes for 64 yards and that one touchdown through the Storm’s first 13 games.
He first started playing football with the Citrus Park Bills of the Tampa Bay Youth Football League at Skyway Park near the Veterans Expressway and Tampa International Airport. Those were the same fields Weatherford’s tryouts were when he made the Storm’s roster.
Weatherford was the third of six brothers to play for the Land O’ Lakes High football team. As a senior he led the Gators to a 12-1 record with 2,639 passing yards and 20 scores.
“My high school experience couldn’t have been better,” Weatherford said. “I was the water boy for the team when I was little and I got to play with my older brother Sam when I was a freshman. Playing at Land O’ Lakes is something I’ll never forget.”
Weatherford’s younger brother, Stevie, is the Gators current starting quarterback and will be a senior next season.
“I wasn’t at the game he threw the touchdown, but I got to see it on TV and I was very happy to see him,” Stevie said. “I’ve gotten to some of the games and it’s great to watch him, but it is kind of weird but really cool to see him running down the field on special teams.”
Weatherford attended Florida State University (FSU) after graduating from Land O’ Lakes. He took a medical red during his first season, but became the Seminoles’ starting quarterback the following year in 2005.
FSU won the inaugural Atlantic Coast Conference his first year quarterbacking the Seminoles while setting a conference record for a freshman with 3,208 passing yards while adding 18 touchdowns, according to Florida States’ sports information department. He finished with 37 career touchdowns and nine 300-yard passing games.
After graduating from FSU, Weatherford got an invitation to a Chicago Bears rookie minicamp in 2009, but nothing came of it. Then he got his shot with the Storm before this season and quickly found the game to be different than what he has played his whole life.
“The speed is much faster here than in high school or college,” Weatherford said. “The biggest thing for me is the angles with the smaller field. The windows to throw the ball into are much tighter, so I need to be more accurate.”
Weatherford lives in Odessa, just minutes from his old high school. He plans on watching Stevie play during his senior year and said being able to stay close to home is very special to him.
“God works in funny ways sometimes,” Weatherford said. “I get to play for my home team and am getting a chance to do what I love. I couldn’t really ask for more than that.”
