Jalen Kitna
Kitna with UAB in 2025 | |
| No. 7 – UAB Blazers | |
|---|---|
| Position | Quarterback |
| Class | Senior |
| Personal information | |
| Born | March 22, 2003 |
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Burleson (Burleson, Texas) |
| College | |
| Stats at ESPN | |
Jalen Kitna (born March 22, 2003) is an American college football quarterback for the UAB Blazers. He previously played for the Florida Gators.
Early life
Kitna is from Tacoma, Washington and attended Waxahachie High School in Waxahachie, Texas before transferring to Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix, Arizona after his freshman year. He then transferred to Frisco High School in Frisco, Texas before finally transferring to Burleson High School in Burleson, Texas for his senior season and after his father was hired as the head football coach there.[1][2] Kitna originally committed to Boston College[3] before decommitting[4] and switching his commitment to Florida.[5]
College career
Kitna began his college football career at Florida in 2021, using a redshirt in 2021, then playing four games in 2022. He was dismissed from Florida's roster in December 2022 following his arrest.[6]
In December 2023, he committed to play for UAB.[7] On November 2, 2024, he threw for 404 yards and six touchdowns against Tulsa, being named American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week.[8]
Statistics
| Season | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2021 | Florida | Redshirt | ||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Florida | 4 | 0 | — | 10 | 14 | 71.4 | 181 | 12.9 | 1 | 0 | 203.6 | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 |
| 2024 | UAB | 8 | 8 | 2−6 | 196 | 316 | 62.0 | 2,209 | 7.0 | 17 | 11 | 131.5 | 45 | -60 | -1.3 | 0 |
| 2025 | UAB | 4 | 4 | 2−2 | 108 | 150 | 72.0 | 1,256 | 8.4 | 8 | 3 | 155.9 | 10 | -21 | -2.1 | 0 |
| Career | 26 | 12 | 4−8 | 314 | 480 | 65.4 | 3,646 | 7.6 | 26 | 14 | 141.3 | 56 | -75 | -1.3 | 0 | |
Personal life
Kitna's father is former NFL quarterback Jon Kitna.
On November 30, 2022, Kitna was arrested on child pornography charges.[9][10] In July 2023, the charges were dropped as part of a plea deal; Kitna pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor counts of breach of the peace.[11] Kitna would go on to state that the initial charges were "not accurate" and a forensic investigation found no inappropriate material on any of his electronic devices.[12]
References
- ^ Scott, Dana (May 27, 2020). "Former Brophy Prep QB Jalen Kitna commits to Florida". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ Riddle, Greg (May 26, 2020). "Former Frisco Reedy QB Jalen Kitna, now at Burleson, commits to Florida". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ Patel, Niraj (July 29, 2019). "2021 QB Jalen Kitna Commits to BC". BC Interruption. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ Black, A. J. (January 6, 2020). "Quarterback Jalen Kitna Decommits From Boston College". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ Alderman, Blake (December 16, 2020). "3-star QB Jalen Kitna signs with UF on Early Signing Day". 247Sports. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ "Sources: Florida QB Kitna dismissed from team". ESPN.com. December 2, 2022.
- ^ "Dismissed Florida QB Kitna joining UAB, Dilfer". ESPN.com. December 30, 2023.
- ^ "UAB, UTSA Players Take Weekly Football Honors". theamerican.org. November 4, 2024.
- ^ "Florida QB Kitna jailed on child porn counts". ESPN.com. November 30, 2022.
- ^ "Gators' Kitna leaves jail as details of case emerge". ESPN.com. December 1, 2022.
- ^ "Kitna has child porn charges dropped in plea deal". ESPN.com. July 5, 2023.
- ^ "Ex-Florida QB Jalen Kitna provides insight into now-dropped child porn charges". NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. 2023-08-04. Retrieved 2025-07-11.