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Name: Rex Culpepper
Position: Quarterback
Year: Freshman
Height: 6’ 3”
Weight: 228
Hometown: Tampa, Fla.
High School: Plant
2015 Stats: Rex didn’t play at all during his senior year because of an ACL injury he suffered before the season started. In his junior year, he completed 138 of 219 passes for 2,016 yards and 20 touchdowns.
2016 Projections: Rex currently sits fourth on the post-spring depth chart, but that could certainly change during the ensuing backup quarterback battle.
How’d He Get Here: Rex was one of former head coach Scott Shafer’s commits that decided to sign onto the new coaching staff’s system. He turned down 13 (!!!) other offers to stick with the Orange. The list included Clemson, Florida, Miami, Mississippi State, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Utah, and West Virginia.
What’d Recruiting Sites Say?: Rex received three stars from Scout, ESPN, and 24/7. He was ranked as the No. 7 quarterback in the state of Florida by Scout and the No. 43 pro-style quarterback in the Class of 2016 by 24/7.
Links of Wonder: Rex was unsure if the new coaching staff would still want to pursue him after Scott Shafer was fired in November. Dino Babers quelled those doubts by giving him a ring soon after Babers was settled at Syracuse, as stated in Syracuse.com’s Nate Mink’s story.
Money Quote: On his role as an incoming freshman on a deep quarterback roster:
“With the new coaching staff, even if they bring in another guy, competition is just something that’s going to be in college football. Eric Dungey is here. He had a great year last year. I just want to come in and compete and be better after four years than I was when I got here.”
— from Syracuse.com’s Nate Mink’s story back in February.
Twitterfeed: He doesn’t have an account.
Interesting Nugget O’ Interest: Rex’s father, Brad, played defensive tackle for the University of Florida and went on to play nine seasons, for three different teams, in the NFL. His mother, Monica, was a “Survivor” contestant in 2011 and again in 2013 with Brad on “Survivor: Blood vs. Water” in which she was the runner-up.
Let’s Get A Good Look Atcha: