Mike Beaudry – Noteworthy
Just like every college football program across the country, the University of West Florida coaching staff has spent the last few weeks since their season ended conducting exit interviews with returning players. Wednesday, one of those interviews was between UWF head coach and quarterback Mike Beaudry, one of the premiere talents in NCAA Division II. The news Beaudry delivered would leave Shinnick blindsided – the centerpiece of the Argos’ offense would be leaving UWF with two (possibly three) years of eligibility remaining to try and play for a Division I program.
Beaudry, who led UWF to the NCAA Division II championship game in 2017, was the first signee in program history in 2015 and his development was one of the keys to the Argos’ rise to national prominence in just their second season. This year, however, did not go quite as planned. UWF opened the season at No. 2 in the nation, but lost Beaudry after a serious foot injury in the first quarter of the season opener against Carson-Newman and the Argos stumbled to a 6-5 finish, losing four of their last five games. “He said he wanted to play (Division I)” Shinnick said. “He said this is about the opportunity to go play at (a Division I school). And he feels that gives him the best opportunity for his future. – Bill Vilona, Pensacola News Journal
