Former Gators QB Joins Purdue's Coaching Staff as GA

Austin Appleby was Florida's leading passer during the 2016 season.

Nov 19, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Austin Appleby (12) celebrates during the second half of the game against the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium. The Gators defeat the Tigers 16-10. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

A former Florida Gators quarterback has made a jump to the Power Four level as a graduate assistant.

Austin Appleby, who was Florida's leading passer during the 2016 season, is set to become a graduate assistant with Purdue, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. Appleby previously spent time with the Boilermakers from 2012-15 with his final two seasons as the part-time starting quarterback.

Appleby's move to Purdue comes months after not being retained as UAB's wide receivers coach, a position he held for the last two seasons. Prior to his stint with the Blazers, he was the wide receivers coach at Missouri State from 2020-22, a quality control coach with Central Michigan in 2019 under former UF head coach Jim McElwain and the quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator at Mount Union in 2018.

He also had professional stints with the Dallas Cowboys (2017 - practice squad), AAF's Orlando Apollos under former UF head coach Steve Spurrier (2018) and the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2020 - practice squad).

While his one-year stint with the Gators won't go down as one of the greatest in UF history, Appleby will forever be a part of UF football lore after his performance in the team's upset over LSU to clinch the SEC Eastern Division title.

Appleby only threw for 144 yards, but 98 of those came on a touchdown pass down the sideline to then-freshman Tyrie Cleveland. That score, Florida's only touchdown of the game, proved to be the difference maker as the Gators won 16-10, thanks to a goalline stand in the final seconds inside Death Valley.

Florida has an offense? What???

Tyrie Cleveland 98-yard TD from Austin Appleby pic.twitter.com/3pxLWvKNJq

— Jack Mac (@JackMacCFB) November 19, 2016

He would go onto lose his next two games as the starter, a loss to FSU to end the regular season and a blowout defeat to Alabama in the SEC Championship, before leading the Gators to a dominant win over Iowa in the Outback Bowl with 222 yards and two touchdowns.

Appleby finished his lone season with the Gators with 1447 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions with a 4-3 record as the starting quarterback.

Austin Appleby (@AAppleby12) ends his @GatorsFB career with a 30-3 victory in the @outbackbowl. Hear what he had to say following the game. pic.twitter.com/ukM5pLPMd6

— Gators Creative (@GatorsCreative) January 2, 2017