Seminoles QB Sexton decides to bag football

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida State quarterback Wyatt Sexton has decided to quit football after sitting out the past season because of illness.

Sexton, committed to a psychiatric facility in June after being found disheveled and disoriented on a Tallahassee street, said he will forgo his final year of eligibility to concentrate on his health and his studies.

"This has been the most difficult decision I have ever had to make in my entire life," Sexton said in a statement. "I will focus on regaining my health and my academic pursuit of getting an MBA."

The school released the statement Saturday night without comment from coach Bobby Bowden or his staff. Billy Sexton, Wyatt's father, is the longtime running backs coach.

Sexton had been suspended at the time of the bizarre June episode for failing to take a drug test, Bowden said in July. That month, Sexton was diagnosed with Lyme disease and pronounced out for this season.

Sexton went 5-2 as the Seminoles' starting quarterback in 2004. In his two seasons, Sexton completed 142-of-257 passes for 1,717 yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions.

He had practiced with the team in the fall and during recent Orange Bowl preparations.

Sexton would have likely entered spring practice competing for third on the depth chart with highly recruited incoming freshman Christian Ponder.

Rising sophomores Drew Weatherford and Xavier Lee led the Seminoles in 2005. Weatherford set an Atlantic Coast Conference freshman record with 3,208 passing yards.