Former Florida State quarterback Marcus Outzen passed away on Tuesday at the age of 46. The Tallahassee Democrat said Outzen had complications from HLH, or hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, defined by the Immunodeficiency Foundation as a severe systemic inflammatory syndrome. This disappointing news was revealed by his son Colton on social media.
Ausen played quarterback for the Seminoles from 1996 to 2000 under late coach Bobby Bowden. He spent most of his career backing up Thad Buzbee and Chris Weinke during the program's most legendary runs. With Weinke suffering a neck injury, Utzen was given the starting role for the final three games of the 1998 season. He led Florida State to wins over Wake Forest and Florida, earning the team a berth in its first BCS National Championship Game.
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The Seminoles ultimately fell short, losing 23-16 to Tennessee. However, a year later, they avenged the loss by defeating Virginia Tech in New Orleans and winning the first of Florida State's three national titles. Outzen completed 72-of-121 passes for 1,074 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions during his time in the garnet and gold. He ran for an additional 142 yards and scored four more scores.
The Fort Walton native earned the nickname “Rooster” for his red hair and demeanor. He earned a bachelor's degree in business communications from Florida State. Outzen has worked as an executive oncology specialist at his Guardant Health in Tampa for the past nine years.
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