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Former FSU Football Quarterback Marcus Outzen Passes Away at 46
Outzen led the Seminoles in their first BCS National Championship Game appearance.
Former Florida State quarterback Marcus Outzen passed away on Tuesday at 46 years old. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Outzen was dealing with complications from HLH or hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis which is defined as a severe, systemic inflammatory syndrome by the Immune Deficiency Foundation. The unfortunate news was revealed on social media by his son, Colton.
Outzen played quarterback for the Seminoles from 1996-2000 under the late Bobby Bowden. He spent the majority of his career backing up Thad Busby and Chris Weinke during some of the program's most legendary runs. Outzen was thrust into the starting role for the final three games of the 1998 season after Weinke suffered a neck injury. He led Florida State to victories over Wake Forest and Florida which earned the team a berth in the first BCS National Championship Game.
The Seminoles ultimately came up short in a 23-16 loss to Tennessee. However, they avenged the defeat a year later by taking down Virginia Tech in New Orleans to win the first of Florida State's three national titles. Outzen completed 72/121 passes for 1,074 yards with six touchdowns to five interceptions during his time in garnet and gold. He also ran for 142 yards and four more scores.
The Fort Walton Native earned the nickname 'Rooster' due to his red hair and attitude. He earned a bachelor's degree in Communications for Business from Florida State. Outzen worked as an Executive Oncology Specialist for Guardant Health in Tampa for the last nine years.
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