Dusty Bonner
| Position: | Quarterback |
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| Personal information | |
| Date of birth: | October 27, 1978 |
| Place of birth: | Valdosta, Georgia |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight: | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: | Valdosta State |
| Undrafted: | 2002 |
| Career history | |
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| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Dusty Bonner (born October 27, 1978) is a former American football quarterback. He was a standout Harlon Hill Trophy winner in 2000 and 2001 while playing for Valdosta State University, and was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2002 by the Atlanta Falcons.
At Kentucky, Bonner was the backup quarterback behind eventual #1 overall NFL draft pick Tim Couch during the 1998 season in which the Wildcats ended up in the Outback Bowl after winning seven games. Couch went to the NFL after his junior season and Bonner became the starting quarterback in 1999. In 1999, Bonner started all 12-games and led the Southeastern Conference in pass efficiency, total offense, and passing yards per game. He led Kentucky to six wins (including victories over Louisiana State University and the University of Arkansas) and a close loss in the Music City Bowl. After head coach Hal Mumme announced that freshman Jared Lorenzen would be the starting quarterback for the 2000 season, Bonner transferred to Valdosta State University. Dusty lists his most memorable collegiate moment as defeating Vanderbilt while playing for UK to become bowl eligible.
Bonner enjoyed a stellar career in his two years at Valdosta State, during which he twice earned both the 2000 and 2001 Harlon Hill Trophies as the top Division II player in the nation. The back-to-back Harlon Hill Trophies made Bonner just one of three players in the 27-year history of the award to win the honor more than once.As a junior, he passed for 4,126 yards and 55 touchdowns while completing 71.9 percent of his passes. He led the nation in total offense, touchdown passes, passing yards and pass completions while leading VSU to a 10-2 record. He was a three-time Gulf South Conference Player of the Week and three-time Division II National Player of the Week and went on to earn first-team All-GSC and GSC Co-Offensive Player of the Year before also becoming a consensus All-American.As a senior, Bonner threw for 4,037 yards and 52 touchdowns while leading VSU to a perfect 11-0 regular season and the first No. 1 ranking in school history. He was the GSC Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season and accounted for eight touchdowns in a game against Delta State, throwing for six and running for two more scores. He was named All-American by Daktronics, D2Football.com and Don Hansen at the conclusion of the season.
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