Background
Libertore was born on November 18, 1939 in Canton, Ohio.
Libertore was born on November 18, 1939 in Canton, Ohio.
His family moved to Miami, Florida when he was in ninth grade. Larry Libertore was a small player of just 138 pounds, but a quick-on-his-feet option quarterback and defensive back for coach Ray Graves Florida Gators football team Libertore"s 786 rushing yards remained the most by a Gators quarterback until eclipsed by Tim Tebow in 2007.
He led the Gators to a record 9 wins in 1960, placing second among the twelve Securities and Exchange Commission teams—their best-ever Securities and Exchange Commission finish at that time.
Among the 1960 season"s many highlights was the Gators" 18–17 upset of Dodd"s tenth-ranked Yellow Jackets and a hard-fought 13–12 victory over the twelfth-ranked Baylor Bears in the Gator Bowl on New Year"s Eve 1960. In Libertore"s first ever game as a sophomore, at Louisiana State University"s Tiger Stadium, Libertore made a criss-crossing 66-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage to lead the Gators to a 13-10 victory over Louisiana State University. Libertore helped the Gators to defeat Penn State alongside Larry Rakestraw and Larry Dupree in the 1962 Gator Bowl from the halfback position.
He was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great.".
