Elite showing at Oviedo makes Bortles No. 1

ORLANDO — | and 53 touchdowns in four years as the Lions’ quarterback.

Bortles was also one of the best quarterbacks in Florida college history.

He starred at UCF, putting together stellar back-to-back seasons to finish a Knights’ career that would rival most QBs in the history of any college in the state. Bortles completed 510 of 781 pass attempts (65.3 percent) for 6,640 yards, 50 TDs, and 16 INTs in leading UCF to a pair of bowl victories.

The Knights won 38-17 over Ball State in the 2012 Beef O’Brady’s Bowl and 52-42 over No. 6 Baylor in the 2013 Fiesta Bowl.

“He’s a 6-5, 235-pound athlete who can throw it,” UCF coach George O’Leary said before Bortles’ redshirt junior season – his last at UCF as he headed to the NFL Draft and was picked third overall by Jacksonville. “He doesn’t panic and he has that one ingredient that you really can’t coach. He can take a bad play and make a good play out of it. That’s what you look for in a quarterback.”

Bortles’ number was retired by Oviedo four years ago. The same could eventually happen at UCF. And he was voted the top player in the 20-year history of the Central Florida All-Star Game, which takes place Friday night at 7:30 at Lake Howell High School.

Bortles has thrown for 17,500 yards and 103 TDs in five NFL seasons. He led the Jaguars to the playoffs and the AFC Championship game last season. But with the Jags at 3-8 and mired in a seven-game losing streak, Jacksonville head coach Doug Marrone benched Bortles in favor of Cody Kessler last Sunday. Bortles did not play in the 6-0 victory over Indianapolis.