Leonard George & Willie Jackson, Sr. Scholarship Endowment

Leonard George and Willie Jackson, Sr. began their collegiate football careers at the University of Florida in the fall of 1969. Leonard and Willie faced two distinct challenges as they put on Gator helmets for the first time: Leonard and Willie were the first African-American scholarship football players at UF and NCAA rules of the era did not permit freshmen to participate in a varsity game. By 1970, the duo of sophomores competed on the field in a varsity game and sealed their legacy as history-making Florida Gators.

A dedicated group of former Gator football players have come together to mark the 50th anniversary of this milestone by creating an endowed football scholarship honoring Leonard and Willie. The Leonard George and Willie Jackson, Sr. Scholarship Endowment will provide funding for football scholarships in perpetuity and continue their legacy for generations to come. The Leonard George and Willie Jackson Sr. Endowment Committee (John D. Williams, Wayne Fields, Jimmy DuBose, and Melvin Flournoy) want to encourage other Gator athletes to support this endowment.

Support the Leonard George and Willie Jackson, Sr. Football Endowment Today


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