Florida Memorial to lean on savvy starting QB as it seeks another winning season
Albert Einstein once said: “The only source of knowledge is experience.”
If that’s true, Florida Memorial University quarterback and Kissimmee native David Buggs, 20, has already accumulated a lot of information. He was a five-year starting quarterback at two different high schools, and he became a college starter last year by the fourth game of his true sophomore season.
The Lions went 6-3-1 last year, including 5-2 with Buggs as the starter.
“He is a dual-threat QB,” said Mike Jones, who was promoted to head coach in February. “He’s very cerebral.”
Indeed, Buggs has a 3.7 grade-point average while majoring in Finance.
Last month, Buggs was nominated for the Dr. Leroy Walker Champions of Character Award.
Buggs is a busy guy. Aside from football and school, he also competes in track and field (shot put, discus, javelin, hammer); and he works on campus as a sound engineer for the Lou Rawls Performing Arts Center.
In addition, Buggs serves in campus ministry, which includes Bible service on weeknights and chapel service on Sundays.
Buggs was also part of a group of about 20 FMU football players who donated their time to paint Carol City Elementary in the summer of 2024.
“As a Christian, I feel like I have been called to serve,” Buggs said. “If I’m not serving others, I’m not doing the right thing.”
On the field, Buggs – a 6-0, 205-pounder — completed 54.8% of his passes last season. He threw 15 touchdown passes and was intercepted eight times while averaging 213.3 passing yards per game.
Buggs pointed out that he threw five of his eight interceptions in his first two games last season. After that, he threw just three picks in six games.
Then again, Buggs admits he likes to take risks.
“Leadership is my biggest quality — that and playmaking,” Buggs said. “I’ve been compared to a gunslinger.
“I like fitting a football into a tight window. Sometimes it gets me into trouble, but I also get big rewards.”
Jones, who has been at FMU since he arrived in 2020 as an assistant quarterback coach, hopes Buggs has more rewards than risk this year as the Lions continue to improve as a football program.
FMU brought football back in 2020 after the program had been dormant for 58 years. The first three years were rough as the Lions went 0-3; 2-9 and 3-7.
However, the Lions went 6-4 in 2023 and had their second straight winning year last season.
“Our identity,” said Jones, 40, “is that we play a tough brand of football — fast and disciplined.”
The Lions play in the Sun Conference, which includes Keiser and St. Thomas.
Keiser has made it to the NAIA national championship game three straight years, winning the title in 2024.
St. Thomas, Florida Memorial’s neighbor in Miami Gardens, has won nine games in four straight years. FMU has yet to defeat St. Thomas.
“The Sun Conference is the SEC of the NAIA,” Jones said.
Jones, a Miami Gardens native, played football at Norland High, helping the Vikings win a state title in 2002 under coach Nigel Dunn. That Norland team included star wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and linebacker Antwan Barnes, who both played in the NFL.
FMU returns eight starters on offense this year, including Buggs, and five on defense.
Among FMU’s top players are running backs Jerodd Sims and Nygel Osborne; wide receivers Jamal Browder and Jalen Holly; right tackle Jeffrey Bonica; middle linebacker Kareem Roberts; and safety Darius Stokes.
The Lions will again play their home games at Betty T. Ferguson Complex as they await the potential of one day having an on-campus facility.
Buggs, though, is grateful the Lions can play at Ferguson.
“Any blade of grass where we can play football,” Buggs said, “we’re happy.”
This story was originally published August 20, 2025 at 11:24 AM.