Lavaedeay Monlique "Vad" Lee (born April 27, 1993) is an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
for the
Philadelphia Stars of the
United States Football League
The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be ...
(USFL). He previously played for the
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a professional Canadian football team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Roughriders compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division.
The Roughriders were founded in ...
and
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Lions compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and play their home games at BC Place.
The Lions played their first seas ...
of the
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...
(CFL),
Columbus Lions
The Columbus Lions are a professional indoor football team based in Columbus, Georgia and are a member of the American Indoor Football Alliance. The were a founding member of the National Arena League (NAL) for the 2017 season. The Lions were ...
of
American Indoor Football
American Indoor Football (AIF) was a professional indoor football league, one of the several regional professional indoor football leagues in North America.
The AIFL began as a regional league with six franchises on the East Coast of the United ...
(AIF),
DC Defenders
The DC Defenders are a professional American football team based in Washington, D.C. The team was founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and is an owned-and-operated member of the new XFL owned by Dwayne Johnson’s Alpha Acquico. Th ...
of the
XFL
XFL may refer to:
Sports
* XFL (2001), a defunct American football league that played its only season in 2001
* XFL (2020), a professional American football league
Vehicles
* Bell XFL Airabonita, a 1940 U.S. Navy experimental interceptor aircra ...
, and
Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL.
He went to
Hillside High School in
Durham, North Carolina. Lee is considered to be a skilled dual-threat, athletic quarterback who redshirted as a true freshman at
Georgia Tech
The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
. Lee played in several games during his redshirt freshman season in 2012 as a backup to starting Georgia Tech quarterback
Tevin Washington
Tevin Washington (born May 19, 1990) is a former American football player. He played college football as a quarterback for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets from 2009 to 2012. Washington came to the Georgia Institute of Technology after a suc ...
, and Lee was the Yellow Jackets' starting quarterback during 2013 season. Lee went to Georgia Tech after a successful prep career in North Carolina. In January 2014, Lee transferred to
James Madison University
James Madison University (JMU, Madison, or James Madison) is a public research university in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the institution was renamed Madison Coll ...
.
High school
Lee earned four varsity letters and served three years as a team captain while playing for Hillside under coach Antonio King. Lee led Hillside to the North Carolina state championship in 2010. Lee's high school career totals include: 5,000 passing yards, 1,960 rushing yards, and Lee was responsible for 85 touchdowns. Lee also played wide receiver as a sophomore, producing 1,124 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
Lee led Hillside to a perfect 16–0 record in 2010 and won the North Carolina 4A State Championship game 40–0 over Davie County at BB&T field in
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in ...
. Lee threw for 264 yards and three touchdown passes in the state championship game, earning MVP honors. Lee's other high school honors include: the Pac-6 Conference Player of the Year, the AP North Carolina state Player of the Year, first team all-state, and MVP of the
Offense-Defense All-American Bowl The Offense-Defense All-American Bowl is an annual high school football all-star game typically held in early January, created to spotlight the nation's top high-school seniors. The game was originally hosted in the U.S. state of Florida, but the 2 ...
.
College
Georgia Tech
Lee was recruited by
Georgia Tech
The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
as a four-star recruit. He received a
redshirt
Redshirt, Red Shirt, or Redshirts may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Red Shirts'' (film), a 1952 film about Anita Garibaldi by Franco Rossi
* Redshirt (stock character), originally derived from ''Star Trek'', a stock character who dies soon after ...
season in 2011. Lee played in several games during
2012 football season as a backup to starting Georgia Tech quarterback
Tevin Washington
Tevin Washington (born May 19, 1990) is a former American football player. He played college football as a quarterback for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets from 2009 to 2012. Washington came to the Georgia Institute of Technology after a suc ...
. However, Lee saw only limited playing time until Georgia Tech faced
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
on November 10, 2012. Lee entered the game at
Kenan Memorial Stadium
Kenan Memorial Stadium is a stadium located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and is the home field of the North Carolina Tar Heels. It is primarily used for football. The stadium opened in 1927 and holds 50,500 people. It is located near the center ...
with Tech trailing North Carolina 14–7 in the first quarter, and he never left. Lee made Georgia Tech's
triple option
The triple option is an American football play used to offer several ways to move the football forward on the field of play. The triple option is based on the option run, but uses three players who might run with the ball instead of the two used i ...
offense unstoppable, helping the Yellow Jackets account for 588 yards of offense in a 68–50 win over North Carolina, the most combined points ever in any
Atlantic Coast Conference football game. Lee rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns, and he threw for 169 yards and a touchdown as well. However, coach
Paul Johnson continued to start Washington in every football game during 2012 season, and he rotated the two quarterbacks with their playing time depending on performance during games. Lee became the Yellow Jackets' starting quarterback at the beginning of the 2013 football season. Lee announced his decision to transfer to another school at the end of the 2013 football season.
James Madison
In January 2014, Chip Patterson at CBSsports.com reported Lee would transfer to
FCS James Madison for the upcoming spring semester. Lee transferred to JMU due to his familiarity with the Dukes' new head coach,
Everett Withers
Everett Rowe Withers (born June 15, 1963) is an American football coach and former player. He currently serves as the assistant head coach and defensive passing game coordinator for the Florida Atlantic Owls. He formerly served as the defensive ...
, who had recruited him from his time at
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
.
2014 season
In his first season with the Dukes, Lee was named the starter at quarterback and would go on to lead the Dukes to a
9–3 regular season along with a trip to the
2014 FCS playoffs. Along the way, Lee would go on to set JMU's single-game passing, completion percentage, single-season touchdown, passing & total-offense records in addition to being named
CAA Offensive Player of the Week three times. Following a 55–20 JMU victory over rival
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
on November 15, 2014, Lee was named to the 2014
Walter Payton Award
The Walter Payton Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) of college football as chosen by a nationwide panel of media and college sports ...
watch list and would ultimately place 4th for that award. On December 10, 2014, Vad Lee was named the recipient of the 2014
Dudley Award, which is given to the top Division I football player in
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
over
Old Dominion's Taylor Heinicke
Taylor Heinicke ( ; born March 15, 1993) is an American football quarterback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Old Dominion and signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted f ...
&
Virginia Tech's Kendall Fuller
Kendall Christopher Fuller (born February 13, 1995) is an American football cornerback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Virginia Tech and was drafted by the Washington Commanders ...
. The following week, Lee was named 2014
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...
Third Team FCS
All-American.
2015 season
Prior to the start of the
2015 season, Lee was named to the watch lists for the
STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year (formerly the Walter Payton Award) and the College Football Performance Awards FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy. In JMU's 2015 home opening victory against
Morehead State, Lee became the first JMU QB to throw for more than 250 yards and rush for more than 100 in a single game. In a week four 48–45 victory against
SMU, Lee set a
Division I record by becoming the first player to both run and pass for 275 yards in a single game.
After a 7–0 start to the season, Lee suffered a broken foot during the fourth quarter of a 59–49 loss against
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
. During the game, Lee tied JMU's all-time passing touchdown record with 51 career touchdowns, across just 21 games.
Lee was forced to undergo surgery for his foot, ending his final college season. While announcing the end of Lee's career, head coach
Everett Withers
Everett Rowe Withers (born June 15, 1963) is an American football coach and former player. He currently serves as the assistant head coach and defensive passing game coordinator for the Florida Atlantic Owls. He formerly served as the defensive ...
called him "one of the best players in JMU history."
Statistics
Professional career
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Lee dressed for three games for the
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a professional Canadian football team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Roughriders compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division.
The Roughriders were founded in ...
in 2016 as 3rd string QB, recording one rushing attempt. Lee was cut on August 12, 2016.
Columbus Lions
On August 28, 2017, Lee signed with the
Columbus Lions
The Columbus Lions are a professional indoor football team based in Columbus, Georgia and are a member of the American Indoor Football Alliance. The were a founding member of the National Arena League (NAL) for the 2017 season. The Lions were ...
for the 2018 season. He was released on February 1, 2018.
In February 2019, Lee joined
Your Call Football where he was coached by
Solomon Wilcots
Solomon Wilcots (born October 9, 1964) is a former American football free safety in the NFL, a current national television analyst and broadcaster as well as a head coach in Your Call Football. Wilcots played six seasons in the league for the Ci ...
during a 4-game series where fans called the plays through a mobile app.
DC Defenders
Lee was signed by the
DC Defenders
The DC Defenders are a professional American football team based in Washington, D.C. The team was founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and is an owned-and-operated member of the new XFL owned by Dwayne Johnson’s Alpha Acquico. Th ...
of the
XFL
XFL may refer to:
Sports
* XFL (2001), a defunct American football league that played its only season in 2001
* XFL (2020), a professional American football league
Vehicles
* Bell XFL Airabonita, a 1940 U.S. Navy experimental interceptor aircra ...
in December 2019. He was waived during final roster cuts on January 22, 2020.
Lee signed with the Alphas of
The Spring League
The Spring League was an American football developmental league and scouting event (pro showcase) that played from 2017 to 2021 and was founded by Brian Woods. Aimed at professional athletes but not paying a salary or expenses, the league's go ...
in May 2021.
Pittsburgh Maulers
He signed with the
Pittsburgh Maulers of the
United States Football League
The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be ...
on May 10, 2022. Lee led the team to its first win of the season just 5 days later.
Lee was released after the season on January 2, 2023.
BC Lions
Lee signed with the
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Lions compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and play their home games at BC Place.
The Lions played their first seas ...
of the CFL on January 5, 2023. He was released on February 27, 2023.
Philadelphia Stars
On March 19, 2023, Lee signed with the
Philadelphia Stars of the
United States Football League
The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be ...
(USFL).
Career statistics
See also
*
List of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets starting quarterbacks
This is a list of every Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team quarterback and the years they participated on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team. Georgia Tech quarterbacks have led Georgia Tech to 673 wins, 37 bowl games, and 4 Na ...
*
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football statistical leaders
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football program in various categories, including passing, rushing, receiving, total offense, defensive stats, ...
*
2012 Sun Bowl
The 2012 Hyundai Sun Bowl, the 79th edition of the game, was a post-season American college football bowl game, held on December 31, 2012, at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, as part of the 2012–13 NCAA Bowl season. The game, the 79th edi ...
References
External links
JMUsports.com Bio: Vad LeeYouTube video: Vad Lee interview with Wes Durham published on 11/15/12ESPN Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Vad
American football quarterbacks
Canadian football quarterbacks
American players of Canadian football
1993 births
Living people
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football players
James Madison Dukes football players
Columbus Lions players
Saskatchewan Roughriders players
Players of American football from North Carolina
People from Wilson, North Carolina
DC Defenders players
Hillside High School (Durham, North Carolina) alumni
The Spring League players
Pittsburgh Maulers (2022) players
BC Lions players
Philadelphia Stars (2022) players