About Them Dawgs! Blawg

Whether for the great UGA backs who ran through
his opened holes, or the numerous people off the
field, Adams (No. 75) touched the lives of many.

As many of you are likely aware, Scott Adams passed away suddenly and unexpectedly yesterday in Oconee County. The former standout UGA offensive lineman was just 46 years old and leaves behind wife Tishara and a young daughter, Dyllan.

When I think of Adams, I first recall how instrumental he was in paving the way for some of the best Bulldog backs of all time. The Lake City, Florida native started 24 regular-season games over three seasons (1986-1988) and at three different positions – 16 starts at left tackle, six at right guard, and two at right tackle, while opening holes for 1,000-yard career rushers Lars Tate, Rodney Hampton, Tim Worley, Keith Henderson, Larry Ware, James Jackson, and David McCluskey. Standing at 6-foot-6, Adams was also always one of the taller Bulldogs on the team, if not the tallest.

Entering his final collegiate campaign, Adams was one of just five Bulldogs elected by his peers to serve on the team's "seniors committee." The team leader responded by earning All-SEC honors for the 1988 season.

After a stint in the World Football League, the undrafted Adams made the Minnesota Vikings team in 1992 as a 26-year-old NFL rookie; he was starting for the Vikings the very next season at right guard. Adams saw playing time in the league with New Orleans, Chicago, Tampa Bay, and Atlanta through the 1997 season.

I also knew of Scott Adams, who worked in the mortgage business while living in Watkinsville, because of his involvement in the local community. However, I didn't know him – never even met the man. Therefore, I felt compelled to reach out to someone who did, and contacted one of the great Bulldogs backs Adams once blocked for and knew well – Tim Worley, an All-American tailback in 1988.

"Scott Adams was a versatile warrior," Tim told me. "He could play any position on the offensive line. Scott was a major contributor to my success as an All-American running back at Georgia. Without Scott and the offensive line that I ran behind at UGA, I could have never accomplished what I was able to accomplish. Scott was also just an awesome human being that people loved to be around. He was full of life, full of energy, always revved up in the huddle and whenever you saw him, you were ready to play. Scott was also one of the most talkative lineman I've ever played with on the field. And, he backed up what he talked. But the most important thing about Scott is that he was a man of God. I love you Scott. You will be missed. Top Dawg #75."

In searching for old articles on Adams, I discovered one that especially grabbed my attention. In 1995, the city of Athens hosted a benefit for the American Cancer Society for those living with the disease. And, even though he was playing in Chicago with the Bears at the time, Adams, whose father had died of cancer, was an integral part of the event.

Adams had experienced firsthand what the terrible disease does to its victim and family. "We just wanted to do something to raise some money for the families," Adams had simply stated.

Scott Adams will be missed dearly by those close to him, and even by those who didn't even know him. However, I have a feeling there were plenty of those anxiously awaiting his arrival in the next life, including a father he hadn't seen in decades. Adams was the epitome of a true "Top Dawg," whether on the gridiron, or off it.

Even the great Junkyard Dogs struggled
against the itsy bitsy Spiders in 1975.

On the eve of Georgia's game against 33-point underdog North Texas, and with an all-important meeting with LSU looming, I thought it would be appropriate to post a historical lesson of sorts: to not overlook the opposition, no matter how inferior it appears, or how much more imperative the following week's contest may seem.

During the week of Halloween in 1975 and leading up to Georgia's eighth game of the season, there was a lot going on – what some would call distractions– involving the Bulldogs' football program. James Brown's Dooley's Junkyard Dogs was officially released at a press conference in Atlanta, while some UGA students caused an uproar demanding that the school's marching band revive another song, Dixie, which hadn't been played by the Redcoats during games for several years. Because of such diversions, plus, high-powered Florida fast approaching as Georgia's ninth opponent, hardly anyone noticed the University of Richmond was coming to town.

The Spiders traveled to Athens with a perfect record – a perfect 3-0 record in conference play, that is, as part of the soon-to-be Division I-AA Southern Conference; they were 1-3 in non-conference games.

Back then, Las Vegas wouldn't even release a line on a game matching a formidable team with one considered lower tier; however, at most of the local books, the Bulldogs were laying nothing less than four to five touchdowns versus Richmond.

Georgia would be without the services of its starting quarterback, Ray Goff, who had an injured shoulder, but it didn't seem to matter. Matt Robinson, the starter from the year before, would be filling in, although speculation was that he would be off the field by halftime as the Bulldogs emptied their bench during an expected rout. According to a local sportswriter, the only chance Richmond had for victory was if the Bulldogs ate "so much candy [from Halloween] that they can't get out of bed." He concluded by predicting a 47-7 Georgia victory.

The only person seemingly concerned about the Spiders was UGA coach Vince Dooley; nevertheless, those of us that remember the Dooley era recall that the then-head Bulldog of them all would have fretted if his team was to play the Little Sisters of the Poor. "I just call 'em as I see 'em...Sure, I'm worried about Richmond," he said a few days prior to the game. Grasping a little at straws, Dooley then cited Tennessee's upset loss the week before, ironically, to what was then known as "North Texas State." Also, Vince's brother Bill's North Carolina team had recently been beaten by East Carolina, which had lost to Richmond earlier in the season.

Informing the media why Richmond possibly could play inspired football at Sanford Stadium, Dooley explained, "It would be like us playing Ohio State or Notre Dame or Oklahoma. We may not win, but we [would] sure try too."

Here's the best part of the story – an anecdote a then-UGA defensive assistant still tells to this day. In preparing for Richmond early in the week, the assistant coach approached Dooley and asked if instead of solely Richmond, the defense could also prepare for the biggest distraction of them all – the 11th-ranked Gators, who were sure to be double-digit favorites when they faced Georgia in Jacksonville the following week. Dooley was reluctant but gave in, allowing the assistant to primarily prepare his troops for a game more than a week away while somewhat neglecting the lowly Spiders. However, within minutes of the opening kickoff, forgotten Richmond exhibited it had a surprise in store for host Georgia, and the Spiders were not one to be overlooked.

On the first possession of the game, Richmond marched more than 70 yards in a whopping 17 plays to kick a field goal. The Bulldogs quickly responded with a touchdown, but then the Spiders regained the lead with a touchdown of their own. Spearheaded by running back John Palazeti and quarterback Larry Shaw, the Richmond offense had its way with Georgia's acclaimed Junkyard Dogs defense, and the Spiders entered intermission with a 17-14 lead.

At halftime, a reporter indicated that Dooley was obviously incensed with his team's first-half effort, and closed the doors to the locker room off to everyone but players and coaches. It was noted that even the youngest Dooley, 7-year-old Derek, was shut out from his father's halftime fury.

As he tells the story, the aforementioned assistant believed during halftime his coaching career at Georgia was literally hanging on by a string. Surely, he thought, if the Bulldogs happen to lose to the Spiders, Dooley would perhaps be looking for a head or two to roll, beginning with the one head that talked him into looking towards the following week.

Fortunately for the UGA defensive assistant, the Bulldog offense was able to counter Richmond's Palazeti, who finished with 130 rushing yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, and Shaw, who completed 12 of 19 passes for two touchdowns. Georgia's terrific rushing trio of Glynn Harrison, Andy Reid, and Kevin McLee each gained at least 75 yards on the ground. Off the bench, Robinson completed 5 of 9 passes while adding two touchdowns rushing.

With just under 10 minutes remaining in a true seesaw battle of eight lead changes, Georgia was knocking on the door at Richmond's 14-yard line, trailing 24-21. McLee took a pitch from Robinson, cut through the defense, and ran the final five yards untouched into the end zone "waving the ball jubilantly" in celebration it was said, as if he was scoring the game-winner against the likes of Ohio State or Notre Dame or Oklahoma... and, I guess, Richmond.

Dooley leaves the field exasperated,
but relieved after the Richmond win.

Once again, having to take the field was the Junkyard Dogs – a defensive unit which had entered the season given little chance as a small, inexperienced group, but was instantly transformed into a feisty band of Bulldogs with a bend-but-don't-break philosophy. Still, Richmond appeared to have discovered the remedy to finally break that defense; hence, no Georgia lead was safe. However, on the Spiders' final three offensive possessions, the Junkyards stepped up, allowing Richmond only 10 combined yards after yielding 350 prior to the final quarter. The Spiders final threat ended at their own 28-yard line with lineman Jeff Sanders batting down a fourth-down pass to preserve a 28-24 win for Georgia – a difference of merely four points in a game that was supposed to end with at least a four-touchdown margin.

Following the game, an angry, but relieved Dooley declared, "Today, we tried to come out there and beat somebody by just showing up. There is no way we can do that." The coach then admitted that he mistakenly "took time to look at Florida's wishbone" offense during the week's practice.

After what nearly resulted in the biggest upset loss in UGA history, life went on with the Bulldog football program as normal, or as expected: Dooley's Junkyard Dogs became a huge hit within days of its release, while despite a near-uprising from some students, Dixie rightfully remained excluded from the Redcoats' play list. The following Saturday, thanks to a miracle and the Junkyard Dogs, Georgia defeated Florida, which was normal, and expected back then, as well. And, a defensive assistant coach still had his job.

The former UGA assistant chuckles today about what nearly wasn't a laughing matter 38 years ago. Above all, a valuable lesson was learned by him and many others: don't get caught looking ahead because, like Georgia in the 4th quarter against Richmond in 1975, you might suddenly find yourself behind.

As we're all aware, one of the leading stories for the Bulldogs this early season has been the emergence of sophomore fullback Quayvon Hicks – his powerful running, pass-catching prowess, punishing blocking and, perhaps the most distinguishable feature of the fan favorite, his predator-like facemask. Although similar varieties are worn around college football, Hicks' unusual facemask has been the only one of its kind at Georgia, ever.

A year or so ago, I compiled the UGA Football Helmet Project– an ongoing display of every kind of helmet worn by the Bulldogs, and every featured decal in their history. While undergoing this project, I came across some rather unique facemasks donned by a number of Bulldogs of old – a few you could say are as notable as Quayvon's full-cage mask. Therefore, I have assembled my top five pre-Quayvon Georgia facemasks of all time.

Whereas Hicks has indicated he believes his particular mask looks "kind of intimidating," the appearances of my top five, plus an honorable mention, seem nearly as unusual, I acknowledge, as someone actually taking the time to rank a program's all-time facemasks. Regardless, without further adieu...

#5 CRUMLEY'S EXTENDED TWO-BAR: When placekicker and Athens-native Steve Crumley came to UGA in 1985, he arrived with an uncommon kicking style, plus a facemask preference for a variation of an old stand-by. Crumley, the school's first primary placekicker to kick straight on in 13 years, elected to go with a tight two-bar mask – a common protector amongst UGA players during the 1960s and 1970s, and fitting for a kicker. However, no Bulldog had ever wore a mask quite like this as Crumley's two bars seemingly extended out five feet from his face. After 46 career field goals – the third-most in school history at the time – Crumley departed Georgia following the 1988 season; his kicking style and mile-long mask having never been seen in Athens since.

#4 THE IRON MASK: He was Georgia's first pure drop-back passing quarterback; his 38 career wins as a starting signal caller stood as an NCAA record for 30 years; he rushed for 16 touchdowns, scored three receiving, and even intercepted a then-UGA-record 13 career passes playing defense; yet, Johnny Rauch broke his cheek bone during his sophomore season, of all things, while returning a kickoff. For five entire games in 1946, Rauch was equipped with a mask made of spring steel covered in leather to protect his injury. During this time, the media dubbed him "The Man in the Iron Mask," or since Rauch would often play nearly all, if not the entire 60 minutes of a ballgame, the "Iron Man in the Iron Mask."

#3 ONE-BAR MASK: Introduced during the early-1950s, the simple one-bar facemask was essentially the first mask to be widely worn by the Bulldogs. Primarily skilled-positioned players donned the one-bar until around the mid-1960s when it was mostly reserved for placekickers and punters. Joey Hester (1986-1989) was the last Bulldog punter to wear the one-bar, and finally in 1990, the mask made its last appearance on a Georgia gridiron by All-SEC placekicker and eventually the NFL's all-time leading scorer, John Kasay (photo).

#2 O'MALLEY'S NOSE MASHER: While some of his teammates are sporting the one-bar mask during the 1954 season, senior end Joe O'Malley introduces some sort of nose guard/mask for protection. Whether it was protecting an injured nose, or worn to keep O'Malley from injury, the nose protector evidently did the overall team captain some good. Known as a defensive terror, and one having a knack to block kicks, O'Malley suddenly becomes a pass-receiving threat as well while wearing the mask. The Scranton, Pa. native ends his UGA career earning All-SEC recognition for the second time in three seasons.

#1 THE VERY FIRST?: Fullback Louis Woodruff was never in the limelight as a member of the Georgia varsity (1939-1941). Back when one had to see significant playing time to even earn a letter, Woodruff never lettered while at Georgia, although he was instrumental in a win over The Citadel in the 1939 season opener. In 1941, Woodruff entered his senior campaign as merely Georgia's third-string fullback (out of the team's three at the position). However, through all the archives I've searched, it appears then while posing for preseason photos and although the mask is attached to a dark, practice helmet or one worn in games prior to 1941 (Georgia first donned silver helmets that season), Woodruff evidently unveils the first standard facemask in UGA football history. And, wouldn't it make sense for the very first mask to rank first on this list?

Honorable Mention: THE CAGE: Frank Sinkwich broke his jaw during the second game of the 1941 season against South Carolina following a 50-yard run when the Gamecocks committed unnecessary roughness on the All-American halfback. Despite his jaw wired shut and unable to breathe freely, Sinkwich refuses to be sidelined. He also refuses to wear the pictured eyesore made of steel, which was laced up in the back, specifically designed for the Georgia star. Instead, for the remainder of the season, Sinkwich would wear a simple chin strap of metal, covered in leather. Described as a "cage," making Sinkwich appear as a "creature from another world," the metal contraption was interestingly not worn by the eventual Heisman Trophy winner because of its appearance, but because Sinkwich "couldn't see through the bars so well."

Dooley gets a victory ride following one
of the greatest afternoons, and before the
wildest night, in the history of Athens.

Fresh off one of the most thrilling games in the history of Sanford Stadium this past Saturday, I wanted to pay tribute to a Georgiahome victory that ranks right up there with the win over LSU, if not actually surpassing it in excitement -- the memorable 21-0 shutout over Alabama, resulting 37 years ago on this very date.

Recently, the same friend who was kind enough to give me UGA's radio broadcast of the 1975 Florida game handed me a recording of the fourth quarter of the Bulldogs' win over Alabama a year later. And, similarly to what I did with the Florida broadcast, I've arranged Larry Munson's call against 'Bama with 14 photos taken from the game.

For you Munson admirers, it's a thrill to hear that familiar, booming voice holler, "Listen to the stadium!" and ironically ask, "After all that wild noise last night, how can [Georgia fans] possibly match that tonight?"

In my latest book on UGA football, then-wide receiver Steve Davis said, "But what some people, including maybe even some players, most recall from the '76 Alabamagame was the partying that ensued afterwards." You see on that day, the Junkyard Dogs were responsible for one of the most thrilling moments on a Georgia gridiron, andlater caused its surrounding city to experience excitement like it never had before, or since.

Here's to October 2, 1976 -- not only did one of the greatest wins ever in Sanford Stadium occur that afternoon, but what has been called the "biggest party" and "wildest night" in the history of Athens, Georgia, would transpire just hours later.

Having trouble viewing video? SEE IT HERE.

Entering Saturday, Grantham's "guard dogs" have

allowed 7 consecutive opponents to score 20+ points,

& 7 straight BCS-conference foes to gain 400+ yards.

What the heck is wrong with Georgia's defense since the end of the 2012 regular season?

As evident at times during last season, especially the SEC title game and Capital One Bowl, the Bulldog defenders didn't always play as a unit as some of the starters seemed to already have one foot out the door towards the NFL. This season, Grantham's troops are evidently too young and inexperienced, while "it's a learning experience," according to the defensive coordinator following the win at Tennessee. "We won the [Tennessee] game with the players we had, and we're going to move on."

Thank goodness for the offensive players Georgia has had or the Bulldogs could very well be moving on from Knoxville with a 1-4 record instead of their actual 4-1 mark.

Yesterday, a good friend of mine, and someone close to the program, might have put it best when we chatted: "Starting with the SEC championship, I think our defense has been, well, disconnected. Does that make sense?" he asked.

What doesn't make sense is that beginning with the SEC title game, Georgia's big-time defense led by supposedly a big-time coordinator, making big-time cash as Bernie points out, has allowed seven consecutive opponents to score at least 20 points, tying an all-time program record -- one of those records you wouldn't want to break. Over the more than 1,200 games in UGA football history, only once before -- the final seven contests of the 1990 season -- have the Bulldogs yielded 20+ points over the same number of games. The difference is while this season's squad has exhibited one of the better offenses in the entire nation, the '90 team, which won just one of those seven games, displayed hardly any offense at all.

Furthermore, if you include the Georgia Tech game prior to last season's SEC Championship, the Georgia defense has allowed seven consecutive major-college opponents to gain 400+ yards -- that assuredly is also an undesirable program record.

In their last seven games, beginning with Alabama a year ago through last Saturday, the Bulldogs have given up an average of 32.0 points per game and 4.48 yards per rush, while yielding a passer rating of 144.23 and a 3rd down-4th down conversion rate of 44.74 percent -- all atrocious and alarming defensive results.

In defense of Georgia's defense, you might be thinking, the Bulldogs have faced some rather tough offenses since the end of last regular season: the Crimson Tide, Nebraska, and as Seth Emerson indicates, three really good offenses this season in Clemson, South Carolina, and LSU. Still, from what I discovered, Georgia's defense was nearly as impactful, which wasn't very much, against those seven offenses as was all of the seven's other opposing defenses on average. To my point, please bear with me as I deliver a dose of stat-geek overload.

The following is Georgia's aforementioned defensive stats for each of the four categories in the Bulldogs' last seven games followed by the offensive statistics of those seven teams against all other competition (excluding their games vs. Georgia) during their respective season, and (in percentage difference) how much "better" the Bulldogs were defensively against the seven teams than the seven teams were offensively against the rest of their schedule:

Points Per Game: GA- 32.0; Seven- 36.9 (+13.3%)

Rush Yds Per Carry: GA- 4.48; Seven- 5.15 (+13.0%)

Passer Rating: GA- 144.23; Seven- 157.15 (+8.2%)

3rd-4th Conv.: GA- 44.74%; Seven- 49.01% (+8.7%)

Confused? Perhaps all that's really worthy of mentioning, according to the four telling measurements in this analysis, is Georgia in its last seven games had a defensive advantage of only 10.8 percent (average of four percentage differences above) over those seven opponents compared to when the seven teams faced the rest of the defenses on their schedules. In other words, Georgia might have encountered excellent offenses since the end of November a year ago, but their defense has essentially performed no better than, say, a Mississippi State defense against Alabama, Purdue confronting Nebraska, or Syracuse versus Clemson's offense.

A 10.8 percent defensive advantage is rather low considering that while spot-checking seven-game stretches during the Coach Richt era, I discovered Georgia's advantage to normally be at least twice that amount, sometimes three times and even more. There was an exception: In Willie Martinez's final seven games as Georgia's defensive coordinator (Tennessee through Georgia Tech games in 2009), or the home stretch leading up to his firing, the Bulldogs had a defensive advantage nearly as low (9.8 percent) as in their last seven contests.

Now, similarly to when I compared Georgia's last two defensive coordinators when opposing efficient offenses, I'm not saying I prefer Martinez to Grantham -- not even close.

All I'm saying is that Missouri enters Saturday averaging 46.6 points per game and 6.08 yards per rush, having a team passer rating of 158.49, while converting 3rd and 4th downs at a 54.9 percent clip. And, if the Bulldogs continue to allow opponents to be just off (like 10.8 percent) their offensive output, our defense will continue to get boat raced, especially by the high-powered Tigers. And, no offense, particularly one riddled with injuries, will be able to overcome a defense so disconnected.

Kevin Butler "did it" with a 44-yard field goal vs.
BYU in '82, but it was a defense, which intercepted
Steve Young six times, that ultimately saved the day.

Happy Birthday to the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback...

Having similar circumstances to tomorrow, 31 years ago an undefeated, nationally-ranked (but barely), seven to eight-point underdog team out West ventured into Sanford Stadium for the first time in its history, led by a scrambling quarterback, directing a high-powered offense.

Steve Young and BYU led Georgia 14-7 in the fourth quarter before the Bulldogs tied the game on a Herschel Walker touchdown shortly after converting a controversial fourth-down play. The Bulldogs would get the ball back and, with just over a minute remaining, won the game 17-14 on a field goal by Kevin Butler.

Young averaged just 5.1 yards per play, was sacked three times and intercepted on six occasions. Butler may have won the game with his kick, but hoping to have similar circumstances to tomorrow, the defense ultimately led Georgia to a big Bulldog victory, making life difficult for a visiting quarterback along the way.

This sack on Aaron Murray resulted in a fumble
returned for a touchdown, and was yet another
incident of Georgia simply "giving away" points.

Growing up observing UGA football during the 1980s, I became accustomed to the Bulldogs' bend-but-don't-break defenses, which often allowed opponents to march up and down the field; however, as for any points the foe put up on the scoreboard, as actor John Houseman would say back then in Smith Barney commercials, they usually earned it.

Therefore, like many of you, it is still difficult for me to endure games like last Saturday's, when Georgia yielded 375 yards of total offense to an excellent Missouri offense -- about 30 yards less than the Bulldogs had been giving up per game, and the first time in eight games they held a BCS-conference opponent to less than 400 -- but allowed the Tigers to tally 41 points, the eighth consecutive opponent dating back to last year (an all-time program high) to score 20+ points.

In its 41-26 loss, as has been commonplace, Georgia gave scores away to its opponent, or handed it points, and gave away the ballgame to Missouri in the process.

I've often mentioned YPP, or yards per point, which is just that -- the number of yards a team gains/allows for every point it scores/yields. It has been called "probably the single most powerful stat in handicapping college and NFL football." Defensively, Georgia's YPP is poor -- very poor -- which might help explain why the Bulldogs have covered the spread just once this year in six games.

Although defensive YPP primarily and obviously concerns defensive play, as I've mentioned before, the ratio is a reflection of the entire team: the offense giving opponents good field position, unfavorable turnover and penalty margins, poor special teams play, bad coaching calls, etc. Simply put, it's a measurement of how hard a team makes its opposition "work" to score points. The lower the defensive YPP, the worse. The worse of the worse in the country entering this week:

114. California- 11.86
115. Georgia- 11.851
116. New Mexico St.- 11.846
117. UNLV- 11.80
118. Western Michigan- 11.69
119. Eastern Michigan- 11.58
120. Purdue- 11.03
121. Florida Int'l- 10.54
122. SMU- 10.32
123. Southern Miss- 10.21

Of all 123 FBS schools, the Bulldogs are eighth from the bottom in defensive YPP, or one of the most generous in the nation this season in just giving away points to their opponents. Besides being charitable, what else do the 10 teams above have in common? For the most part, they're big losers. Excluding Georgia, the nine others have combined to win just 9 of 53 games.

Notably, the FBS teams currently with the highest defensive YPP: in order, Louisville, Alabama, Oregon, Florida State, and Clemson -- all with defensive YPPs of greater than 21.3.  What they have in common is that they're big winners. In fact, they're such winners, they haven't lost a single game combined, recording a perfect 29-0 record, while holding five of the top six spots in the latest Coaches Poll.

As for our team, a lowly defensive YPP is something we've gotten used to.  In the first five years of the Coach Richt era (2001-2005), Georgia notably averaged about a 19.0 mark per season. However, since the start of the 2006 season, the Dogs have been down wit' defensive YPP.

This is near mind blowing: Of the last eight seasons (including 2013), SIX rank among Georgia's bottom 12 defensive YPPs of all time (all time meaning the last 68 seasons, 1946-2013). Remarkably, FOUR of the last six seasons rank in Georgia's bottom five of all time (And, there is no excuse of defensive YPPs, on the whole, trending down over time as the NCAA average has remained rather consistent, hovering around 14.0 to 16.0 annually for the past 50 years). UGA's bottom five defensive YPPs in its history, including this season:

11.85 in 2013
12.61 in 1961
12.71 in 2008
13.09 in 2009
13.48 in 2011

Last season, due in large part to the Bulldogs allowing just 43 points to their final five regular-season opponents, Georgia got back on track by recording a defensive YPP of 18.2, which ranked third in the SEC behind Alabama and Florida. However, this year, the Dogs are up to their old tricks, on pace for the lowest, worse mark in the program's history.

When will the Bulldogs get back on track again? I long for the first half of the Richt regime, when Georgia hardly handed or gave away points to the opponent, or the bend-but-don't-break units I remember from the 1980s. Nevertheless, for now it appears we're stuck with a defense that simply, well, breaks.

Gene Washington races into the end zone, com-
pleting what "was so easy it was ridiculous."

Notably, the Bulldogs faced the same opponent they'll play tomorrow 38 years ago on this very day on the same field. Back in 1975, there were few televised games, especially one being played at Vanderbilt, so you nearly had to be there to believe what occurred on that wet and chilly day in Nashville. "What" was so imaginative, totally tricky, it was reported by a writer fortunate to be present that the incident would "be the talk for quite some time."

In 1969, UGA offensive line coach Jimmy Vickers had been an assistant at North Carolina under head coach Bill Dooley, brother of UGA's Vince. That season, UNC had been fooled by Duke, executing the sandlot "shoestring play" to score the go-ahead touchdown to defeat the Tar Heels. In preparation for the Commodores six years later, Vickers noticed that Vanderbilt's defense often held hands while turning their backs in the huddle, so he suggested "the shoestring" to Vince Dooley. A couple of days prior to the game, the Bulldog offense began running the play in practice.

With just over five minutes remaining until halftime, Georgia possessed the ball on Vanderbilt's 36-yard line, leading by a score of only 7 to 3. Offensive coordinator Bill Pace suddenly called for the Bulldogs to pull the shoestring play; his head coach consented. At one time, the trickery had fooled those close to Dooley; however, now it was his turn to deceive a coach once under his regime -- Vanderbilt head coach Fred Pancoast, who had been Georgia's offensive coordinator in 1970 and 1971.

Before trying the shoestring, the Bulldogs first needed to run a play to set the play up, "68-Sweep," which called for quarterback Ray Goff to simply sweep to his right. Interestingly, the run required no blocking from the offensive linemen, so the runner would be brought down quickly and kept from going out of bounds. Going out of bounds would mean spotting the ball in the middle of the field for the ensuing snap -- a hindrance for the perfect shoestring play.

On first down, Goff kept it to his right and was nearly "killed," the quarterback would later say, in being stopped for no gain; however, as planned, the ball was spotted on the right hash mark, leaving the entire left side of the field wide open and ready for perhaps the most unusual play in the history of Georgia football to unfold.

"Although the ball was set on the right hash, we stood in the middle of the field," center Ken Helms (No. 53) recalled for me earlier this week. "The plan was for Ray to take a knee at the ball and act like he was tying his shoe."

"My job was to streak downfield after Ray flipped the ball and just block whoever seemed like he had an angle on the ball carrier," split end Steve Davis (No. 80) informed me recently. "We hardly passed the ball back then, so the receivers were used to blocking. In fact, we sometimes jokingly called ourselves 'downfield blocking specialists' instead of receivers."

On the play, Goff knelt in front of the ball, pretending to tie his shoe as his other 10 offensive teammates nonchalantly gathered at the left hash mark. Instantly, the quarterback flipped the football to flanker Gene Washington, who began racing down the left sideline with a convoy of blockers.

"[The blockers] just zoned across to the play side," Helms says. "Geno (Gene Washington) was gone. It happened so quick."

"After the snap of the ball, I'll never forget their left cornerback, the guy I would cut block down the field, when he came out of their huddle," Davis laughs speaking of Vanderbilt's Reggie Calvin (No. 20). "In disbelief of what was going on, his eyes popped open as big as silver dollars."

The Goff-to-Washington "shoestring play" not only was one of the most inventive plays in the annals of the sport of football, but it also jump-started a struggling squad to victory. The play would "break our backs," according to Vanderbilt's Pancoast as his team "lost our composure afterwards." What was once a close game soon became a rout as Georgia would eventually hammer Vanderbilt, 47-3.

The shoestring play evidently caused the Commodores' head coach to lose his composure afterwards, as well.

"I certainly remember the play, but what also stands out is what happened after the game," says another Georgia player involved in the shoestring. "Pissed off because Coach Dooley ran the play, I remember Coach Pancoast refusing to shake his hand, and here Pancoast had been Dooley's offensive coordinator just a few years before."

Dooley would admit afterwards, "If I'd known the game was going to end like it did [in a blowout], we probably wouldn't have used [the shoestring play]."

Perhaps the best postgame assessment concerning a play that apparently wouldn't have even been used came from the speedster who was on its "receiving end." Washington, who said he'd knew the shoestring would work the second Goff grabbed the ball, declared "it was so easy it was ridiculous."

As easy as tying your shoestring...

What do you mean, I'm going to lose another game
after leading by double digits in the 2nd half?

Realizing this is the third unfavorable post in my last five concerning the football program I treasure, let me first say, I hate to be a "Negative Ned" and really try to be a glass-half-full guy. However, after witnessing Georgia's season suddenly go in a span of just seven days from one with national championship possibilities to where even a bowl game might not result, I cannot help myself to share the following "historically-based thoughts" after the loss at Vandy:

1) Georgia's consecutive losses to Missouri and Vanderbilt -- both where the Bulldogs entered as 6.5-point favorites -- marked the first time in 40 years the team lost back-to-back games when favored by 6 points or more. In 1973, Georgia was defeated by Vanderbilt as a 17-point favorite and Kentucky as a 13-point favorite in consecutive games. For you older Dawg fans, you may recall that those two straight setbacks prompted "Dump Dooley" bumper stickers to pop up in the Athens and Atlanta areas. Ironically, it is said that for the very next season "Vince Dooley made a personnel decision that energized Georgia's offensive game plan" by hiring Bill Hartman as the program's first kicking coach, becoming one of the few specialty coaches in the nation.

Unfortunately, I don't think Coach Richt is going to hire a "specialty coach" anytime soon without being pushed to do so by someone else. However, as far as any bumper stickers, or the like, that might pop up in the near future, like "Get Rid of Richt" or "Move On Mark," nothing would surprise me regarding UGA football's demanding fan base.

2) Speaking of a special teams coach, seriously, will Georgia just hurry the heck up and hire one?!? The special teams snafus have become ridiculous, costing the Bulldogs ballgames in the process.

Georgia's excuse has been the NCAA limits each football staff to nine full-time assistants, so Richt cannot simply hire another assistant to head up his special teams. However, often not mentioned is that since the head coach's arrival in 2001, the Bulldogs' staff has included an assistant responsible for the tight ends -- David Johnson (2001-2007) and John Lilly (2008-2013) -- and nothing else, having no other major responsibility.

For the many decades Georgia football employed assistants up until the Richt era, never was there an assistant on staff only responsible for tight ends. Under Dooley and Goff, the tight ends were normally coached by the offensive line or wide receivers coach. The same was usually true during Coach Donnan's tenure, plus, he actually had an assistant at one point, Phil Jones, solely responsible for special teams.

Considering the Bulldogs have essentially utilized just two tight ends this season, who have combined to make less than 13 percent of the team's receptions, does that particular position really require its very own assistant, especially when the squad's special teams, on the whole, are in shambles?

3) Following Georgia's loss in the 2012 Outback Bowl after the Bulldogs actually held a 16-point second-half lead, I researched and discovered the team's "comeback wins," where Georgia trailed by double digits in the second half but rallied to win, and "lost leads," where the Dogs lost after leading by double digits in the second half, beginning with the Dooley era.

After the Vanderbilt loss, where Georgia led by 13 points in the second half, here's an updated look at the last four head coaches' comeback wins and lost leads during their tenures:

DOOLEY: 13 comeback wins; 3 lost leads (25 seasons)
GOFF: 4 comeback wins; 2 lost leads (7 seasons)
DONNAN: 5 comeback wins; 3 lost leads (5 seasons)
RICHT: 5 comeback wins; 7 lost leads (12+ seasons)

Richt's comeback wins and lost leads in detail:

2002: Trailed Auburn by 11 in 2H but won

2004: Trailed South Carolina by 10 in 2H but won

2006: Trailed Colorado by 13 in 2H but won

2006: Led Tennessee by 10 in 2H but lost

2006: Trailed Virginia Tech by 18 in 2H but won

2007: Trailed Vanderbilt by 10 in 2H but won

2008: Led Georgia Tech by 16 in 2H but lost

2009: Led Kentucky by 14 in 2H but lost

2010: Led Colorado by 10 in 2H but lost

2011: Led Michigan State by 16 in 2H but lost

2012: Led Alabama by 11 in 2H but lost

2013: Led Vanderbilt by 13 in 2H but lost

I won't bore you with a bunch of comeback wins-lost leads statistics; I probably did enough of that back in January 2012. However, something which really stands out and is downright appalling: In a span of less than five years, Richt's teams have now lost six games when having a double-digit lead in the second half -- one for each of the last six seasons -- or, one more lost lead than Dooley and Goff suffered in 32 seasons combined.

To conclude, for a team whose motto is to finish the drill, after losing consecutive games as a substantial favorite, more atrocious special teams play, and repeatedly dropping games after having double-digit second-half leads, its "drill," or the program's aim, should be immediately altered, because the current one is often not getting "finished."

As told by his own head coach, the Superman of Gator

Land finally met his match in Jacksonville in 1966.

One of the greatest victories by Georgia over Florida--fifth-best in my book--was when the Bulldogs upset the Gators in 1966 and their Heisman-winning "Superman of Gator Land."

A friend of mine recently sent me a true gem--The Ray Graves Show which followed Georgia's great 27-10 win. The Florida head coach's show is much different than the coaches shows I grew up on--no Yella Fella and his Yella Wood, no Frito Lay commercials.

Along with the game's recap from my I Love Georgia/I Hate Florida book, highlights of one of the most memorable games in UGA football history:

Led by “Superman” in 1966, Florida looked like it was finally going to capture its elusive SEC championship. The Gators were undefeated at 7-0, ranked seventh in the nation, and were led by quarterback Steve “Superman” Spurrier, who had defeated the Bulldogs in the final seconds the year before and was the frontrunner to win the Heisman Trophy.

Florida, looking every bit of having the country’s seventh-best offense, took the opening kickoff and quickly drove 86 yards in eight plays to a 7-0 lead. Georgia placekicker Bob Etter got the Bulldogs on the scoreboard with a field goal, but Florida’s Wayne Barfield would answer with one of his own just before halftime.

In the second half, Spurrier was far from super, hurrying almost all of his pass attempts and often sacked. After throwing just two interceptions in 191 passes for the first seven-and-a-half games of the season, Spurrier was intercepted three times in just 15 attempts in the second half. The Gator ground game didn’t fair much better, netting just five yards after halftime.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs scored on a second Etter field goal, two rushing touchdowns, and a 39-yard interception return by safety Lynn Hughes, who had helped defeat Florida and Spurrier two years before as Georgia’s quarterback.

Following the Bulldogs’ 27-10 upset victory, Jim Minter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted a spirited Georgia fan, dressed in red and assuredly enjoying the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party,” repeatedly shouted from the Gator Bowl stands, “Superman can be stopped…”

Spurrier had been stopped on that particular day, although he couldn’t be stopped from taking home the Heisman Trophy about a month later. Nevertheless, the loss to Georgia ended Florida’s chance for its first conference title, and it would be the Bulldogs instead taking home the SEC championship.

As the story goes, Georgia's rout in the rain of the
Gators in '68 would be the root of Spurrier's evil.

While at a wedding reception on Saturday, I had conversation with a group of family members regarding, what else, the looming World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Georgia's dominance of the series during the 1970s and 1980s was mentioned, followed by Florida's during the 1990s and 2000s, which brought up the primary reason why control of the series suddenly flipped—Stephen Orr Spurrier.

My family then discussed the logic behind Spurrier's tremendous hate for Georgia—the Bulldogs' 27-10 trampling of the Gators during the quarterback's senior and Heisman-winning campaign of 1966, or so that's the long-time, assumed reason.

Oh, contraire, I politely interjected. I then provided for my family the true reasoning behind Spurrier's trick plays when a number of games were well in hand and the public jabs at our head coaches from the former Gators' Ol' Ball Coach—rationale fully presented in my Georgia-Florida book (and copied below). And, in the process of my family learning something new about the storied Georgia-Florida rivalry, I learned that although family members are eager and generous enough to buy my books, some of them might not actually read them.

Perhaps the only thing stronger than the hate many Georgia followers have for Steve Spurrier is the Evil Genius’ despise for the Bulldogs. But where did Spurrier’s presumed hatred for our team stem from? Why all the snide and ridiculing comments about Georgia and its coaches over the years? What is the reason for the called flea-flickers and end-arounds when a number of Bulldogs-Gators games were already well decided?

Most of us have always assumed Spurrier’s beef with the Bulldogs was simply because of the defeats he endured as Florida’s quarterback in 1964 and particularly in 1966 to Georgia. However, the supposed truth goes much further than that.

Gene Ellenson was an All-SEC tackle as a Bulldog, a member of Georgia’s 1942 national championship team, and a Battle of the Bulge hero from World War II. After an assistant coaching stint at Miami (Fla.), he became Georgia’s top candidate to fill the head coaching position left by Wally Butts in 1961. In fact, UGA President Dr. O.C. Aderhold reportedly went so far as telling Ellenson the job was his to lose…but lose it he would.

Before his hiring became official, Ellenson, who was known for his motivational speeches, spoke a little too much to a Jacksonville newspaper, indicating several changes he would make if he became the Bulldogs’ head coach. With that, according to author Jesse Outlar, "Ellenson had talked himself out of one of the most sought after jobs in football."

So, it was off to the University of Florida for Ellenson, where he would serve as a defensive assistant for the entire—well, most of it—Coach Ray Graves era of 1960 to 1969. Against Georgia in 1968, in an attempt to shake things up with a struggling team, Graves had the ingenious idea of swapping coordinators—defensive coordinator Ellenson suddenly was the offensive coordinator. Graves’ move more than backfired as the Gators were trounced by the Bulldogs 51–0.

In that game, the Bulldogs comfortably led 48–0 with more than five minutes to play. Georgia had reached Florida’s 5-yard line, where it faced fourth down. Coach Vince Dooley decided to call upon reserve Peter Rajecki—a German-born, barefooted kicker, and the school’s first soccer-style place-kicker—to attempt his first-ever field goal as a Bulldog. Rajecki made the 22-yard attempt.

As the story goes, the successful field goal meant much more to the Gators, Ellenson, and eventually Steve Spurrier, than simply another three points for the Bulldogs. Spurrier, who was then playing in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers, was told of Georgia’s "running-up-the-score" maneuver by Ellenson in a phone conversation. Spurrier was furious and vowed then, if he ever got the chance, he’d run the score up on the Bulldogs just like they had done to his Gators.

In his first year as Florida’s head coach in 1990, Spurrier brought in Ellenson to deliver a motivational message at the team meeting the Friday night before the Georgia game. The Bulldog-turned-Gator speaker stressed taking charge of one’s own fate and not letting outsiders control it. The motivated Gators responded with an easy victory over Georgia, where Spurrier got his chance to run up the score, and sure enough he did in a 31-point victory.

Gene Ellenson: foremost Bulldog-turned-Gator

A year later, it was the same as the season before—Ellenson spoke to the team on Friday, urging them to go to "another level." The Gators would hold a late, comfortable lead over the Bulldogs the next day. Yet, it was not quite comfortable enough for Spurrier, who didn’t let up for a second straight blowout win for Florida over Georgia.

So, more or less, that is supposedly the reasoning behind Spurrier’s hate for Georgia while at Florida. However, there is a bit of information the Gators tend to leave out when recalling the story. Let’s just say that for many attending the Georgia-Florida game on that rainy day in 1968, it was rather obvious that the Gators collectively did not put forth their best toward the end of the game.

Dooley was not one to run up the score during his 25 seasons as the Bulldogs’ head coach. Further, he certainly hardly questioned an opponent’s effort, if ever, besides this one example. Dooley said after the game, "I really believe Florida’s effort was not at its maximum.… I believe you had a [Georgia] football team after the third quarter that was really keyed, against a team that was giving less than maximum effort."

Therefore, it appears that an assistant’s hard feelings for his alma mater and a head coach’s vengeance against the same rival results from not necessarily Georgia trying to run up a score, but perhaps something else, namely the Gators simply not playing to "another level" in the 1968 game.

Besides, what would Spurrier and the Gators faithful have preferred Dooley execute on fourth down from the 5-yard line and with more than five minutes remaining in the game?

Run a Spurrier-like end-around with a wide receiver?

With 100+ rushing yards tomorrow,
Gurley would join an elite class in
Georgia-Florida lore.

The other day, I was reminded by a sports-talk radio show of Todd Gurley's 118-yard rushing performance in Jacksonville a year ago, prompting me to identify Georgia's all-time individual 100-yard rushing games in the series. Resulting against what would rank as the fourth-best rushing defense in the entire nation, notably, Gurley's feat versus the Gators in 2012 was the 25th 100-yard rushing performance by a Bulldog against Florida.

Gurley's 118 yards as a freshman also setups the possibility in 2013 for him to be added to a very short list of Bulldogs, currently consisting of only Herschel Walker and Tim Worley, who faced Florida at least twice in their UGA careers, and rushed for 100+ yards in every one of their games against the Gators.

Ranked by yardage (followed by rushes and rushing TDs), the following are Georgia's 25 individual 100-yard rushing performances in the series. Below the rankings is somewhat of a "history" of the Bulldogs' great rushing feats against the Gators, and the slight controversy regarding who should actually sit atop the rankings:

239-25-3: Charley Trippi, 1945

238-37-1: Herschel Walker, 1980

219-35-3: Herschel Walker, 1982

198-30-0: Kevin McLee, 1976

192-47-2: Herschel Walker, 1981

188-33-3: Knowshon Moreno, 2007

162-10-2: Willie McClendon, 1977

145- 9- 2: Keith Henderson, 1985

142-31-1: Frank Sinkwich, 1941

135-22-2: Tim Worley, 1988

135-26-1: Ricky Lake, 1970

131- ?- 1: Jack Roberts, 1931

127- ?- 1: Billy Rutland, 1944

124-17-3: Ray Goff, 1976

124-26-4: Robert Edwards, 1997

123-12-3: Cy Grant, 1932

121-29-2: Rodney Hampton, 1989

118-27-1: Todd Gurley, 2012

113- 8- 1: Frank Harvey, 1992

106- ?- 0: Bill Hartman, 1937

105-11-0: Bill David, 1932

104- 7- 1: Tim Worley, 1985

103-18-0: Rodney Hampton, 1987

103-18-0: Danny Ware, 2004

100-22-0: Musa Smith, 2002

In the 11th game of the Georgia-Florida rivalry, Jack "the Ripper" Roberts became the first identifiable Bulldog to rush for 100 yards against Florida, gaining 131 in a 33-6 rout over the Gators in 1931. A year later, Cy Grant and Bill David became the first of three Bulldog tandems where each player in the duo gained 100 yards.

In 1937, Bill Hartman became the first of five Bulldogs to reach 100 in a loss to Florida; however, this was followed four years later with Frank Sinkwich's spectacular performance where he not only rushed for 142 yards, but also successfully kicked Georgia's only made field goal in what would be a span of about 30 years.

In a 34-0 blowout over Florida in 1945, according to the Atlanta Constitution, Charley Trippi "carried the ball 25 times for a total of 239 yards, an average of 9.1 yards (although, according to my calculator, that's actually an average of 9.6 yards). Regardless, Trippi's 239 yards officially remains the most by a Georgia player against Florida and would be a school record against any team for 35 years--well, for the most part--until Herschel rushed for 283 versus Vanderbilt in 1980.

Here's where things get weird... In 1976, Kevin McLee and Ray Goff rushed for 198 and 124 yards, respectively, in a memorable 41-27 comeback victory in Jacksonville. Only a couple of days later, and although Trippi's 239 rushing yards against Florida in 1945 was listed as the school record, UGA announced that, in fact, Glynn Harrison (172 yards vs. Vanderbilt in 1974) had been the actual record holder, and now McLee's 198 was the new school record. Reportedly, "research revealed that [Trippi's 239] total included [73 in] pass receiving yardage." Evidently, Trippi 's rushing yards totaled 166 against the Gators.

Just a week later at Auburn, McLee rushed for 203 yards and seemingly broke his own school record only recently established. However, UGA again stepped forward, curiously declaring another mistake had been made--upon further research, Trippi did indeed rush for 239 yards against Florida in 1945 and the school record was his and had been for more than 30 years.

(Personally, I'd like to know what research was revealed. The NCAA has no official stat sheet from the 1945 Georgia-Florida game and it seems Trippi's 239-yard mark is based on the statement from the Atlanta newspaper. I believe the discrepancy may come from the fact that it appears Trippi gained a number of yards during that game on shovel passes, including 22 resulting in a touchdown. The shovel-pass yardage might be included in his 239 rushing. Interestingly, I've seen where Trippi's 22-yard score from a shovel pass is recognized as a rushing touchdown by some, but a receiving touchdown by others. Who knows... I am certain the UGA record keepers actually did not.)

Speaking of curious, Willie McClendon rushed for 153 yards on 9 carries in 1977 against the Gators in the first half alone; the Bulldogs took a 17-10 lead into halftime. However, McClendon was handed the ball just once in the second half, and Florida would rally for a 22-17 victory.

Worley vs. Florida in '85--his first of two 100-yard
performances, resulting in two games vs. the Gators,
separated by three years (Wingate Downs).

From 1980 through 1982, Herschel rushed for a whooping 649 yards against the Gators--the most collectively gained against the eight common opponents he faced in his three seasons at UGA. During the 1980s, Tim Worley and Rodney Hampton also had multiple 100-yard rushing games in Jacksonville. Hampton's two 100-yard performances (1987, 1989) surrounded a subordinate role to Worley in the 1988 game. Worley's two are intriguing in that the first (1985) came as a true freshman over the top-ranked Gators, while the second (1988) followed not playing in the '86 game due to an injury and attending junior college in 1987, resulting in two 100-yard performances in two games versus Florida, separated by three years.

Rushing for an 80-yard touchdown on Georgia's first offensive play of the 1992 game, Frank Harvey is the last Bulldog fullback to gain 100+ against the Gators. Whereas the last 15 years have produced remarkable performances by Georgia tailbacks versus Florida, particularly, Robert Edwards in 1997, Knowshon a decade later, and of course Gurley a season ago.

As far as Gurley joining Walker and Worley with multiple 100-yard rushing performances in the same number of games against Florida, I like his chances if he's healthy: the banged-up Gator defense is allowing 3.7 yards per rush--the same average Georgia is yielding--while their last two opponents have featured a 100-yard rusher (Jeremy Hill of LSU and Henry Josey of Missouri).

Last year, the Bulldogs wouldn't have won without Gurley's 100-yard rushing game against the Gators. Tomorrow, they'll likely need a similar performance from the sophomore tailback to avoid defeat in Jacksonville for the first time in three years.

Sixty years ago, the Brat (No. 12) broke a distin-

guished record (but you'd hardly be aware of it).

On the eve of Georgia's game with a lower-tier opponent in Appalachian State and while Aaron Murray continues to set new passing and total offense records, I was reminded of one of the one-time greatest NCAA individual records in Bulldog history, while curious if the player who established it 60 years ago actually knew of his record's details.

The last time a Bulldog was the NCAA's all-time career leader in a major statistical category was nearly a half-century ago. No, not even the great Herschel Walker accomplished as much, finishing his Georgia career in 1982 third in NCAA history in both career rushing yards and career rushing yards per game.

Although you'd hardly be aware of it, Georgia's Zeke Bratkowski became the NCAA's all-time leader in career passing yardage as a senior six decades ago in 1953, topping the 4,736 yards totaled by Hardin-Simmons' John Ford from 1947 to 1950. While conducting research for my first book, I noticed Bratkowski's feat as a mere mention in the NCAA record book's "record progression" for career passing yards. However, when exactly "the Brat" broke Ford's record was never publicized--not by the media, UGA, no one--therefore, I decided to continue researching to find out.

Facing what was then known as "Mississippi Southern College" (now, the University of Southern Mississippi), a member of the "College Division," or what could now be considered an FCS or I-AA program, Georgia's 14-0 loss in its next-to-last game of the 1953 campaign featured Bratkowski's memorable moment. Late in the contest, and as the Bulldogs were attempting to simply "get" on the scoreboard, the quarterback completed three consecutive passes to end the game. I discovered that the second of these--a 15-yard completion to Harold Pilgrim--resulted in Bratkowski breaking Ford's NCAA career record.

Bratkowski would finish the Mississippi Southern game with 4,754 career passing yards. He would add 109 more in the season finale against Georgia Tech, ending his career with 4,863, which would stand as the NCAA record for 11 years until Tulsa's Jerry Rhome surpassed the Brat's total in 1964.

I decided to reach out to Bratkowski at his home in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, asking if he was aware of the exact moment and circumstances when he broke Ford's record.

"Patrick, not only did I not know that I broke the record against Mississippi Southern," Bratkowski informed me in a phone conversation, "I didn't even know that I actually held the NCAA record until you just now told me!"

Bratkowski, who hails from Danville, Illinois, and nearly attended Marquette until realizing the school's football program was rather unstable (the Golden Avalanche football program would eventually disband in 1960), recognizes that the keeping and maintaining of football records was conducted in a much different manner in his day than now. "No one ever mentioned to me that I had broken the NCAA record probably because no one actually knew I had broken it," he said. "Like all games, I was just out there playing football against Mississippi Southern. And, might I add, Mississippi Southern had a really fine team!"

Bratkowski easily recalled the game played in front of an overflow crowd of 25,000 at Jackson's old Memorial Stadium. There were so many spectators that a number of them were forced to sit on the ground behind the end zones. "It was really loud," Bratkowski also remembers, "and they had these two outstanding backs--Laurin Pepper and Buck McElroy--that were really hard to stop." Mississippi Southern's two touchdowns were scored by Pepper and McElroy, resulting via interception return and a 1-yard plunge, respectively.

Photo from the Hattiesburg American of Carson's TD
catch from Bratkowski that was ruled incomplete. Notice
the overflow of spectators sitting in the background.

Bratkowski acknowledges it was a disappointing afternoon for he and his teammates against "the Southerners"--a team which had also upset 5th-ranked Alabama in the season opener. In Georgia's 14-0 loss, the All-American signal caller completed just 8 of 21 passes for 83 yards and was intercepted three times. At one point, Bratkowski did appear to complete a touchdown to John Carson in the back of the end zone, but a referee ruled the Georgia receiver was juggling the ball when he went out of bounds. But, what about the record-breaking completion to Pilgrim that did count?

"Oblivious--didn't know I had set any kind of record," Bratkowski says. "In fact, I hardly even remember Pilgrim, the receiver."

In the Brat's defense, Harold Pilgrim was a mere freshman that season, and making one of his first appearances on Georgia's varsity. He would letter for the Bulldogs from 1954 through 1956, but by then, Bratkowski had moved onto an NFL career which, whether playing or coaching in the league, lasted for more than 40 years (1954-1995). Ironically, Pilgrim not only became associated with an NCAA record in a season in which he didn't earn a letter, but his record-breaking reception was the only catch he would make his entire Bulldog career.

As our conversation was coming to a close, I informed Bratkowski of an effort of his that was recognized by the media that afternoon on November 21, 1953--the quarterback's graciousness. As their 14-0 defeat was nearing an end, some Bulldog players displayed little sportsmanship, including a particular end who "grounded" an opposing player with a forearm to the face. A sportswriter noticed that few Georgia players shook hands with their opponent following the setback; however, Bratkowski not only offered his hand, but was the "only [Bulldog player] aggressive about it."

"I didn't know about that either," Bratkowski added. "Well, I can thank my high school coach for that. Paul Shebby of Schlarman [Academy in Danville] embedded into me to be a gracious winner, and a gracious loser."

Finally, as we said our goodbyes, Bratkowski demonstrated he was just as gracious as he was 60 years ago. He thank me (and he certainly didn't have to) for revealing a record that was once even unrecognized by the one-time record holder.

"That's really good to know; I can now add it to my resume," the 82-year-old laughed.

For Stinchcomb, the memory of the Miracle on the

Plainsincludes a turkey sandwich, cartwheels, and

perhaps most astonishing, gracious Auburn fans.

One of the reasons why GAME OF MY LIFE Georgia Bulldogs is likely my most favorite of all my book projects is that I got to hear intriguing anecdotes firsthand from 25 former players beyond each individual's story, including aside from what they considered the game of their life. Perhaps most notably, All-American offensive lineman Matt Stinchcomb, who was my final interview for the book, told a true gem of a side story to his most memorable game.

Just when I thought I'd heard about everything, I was informed of a bad turkey sandwich from Newnan which brought a 6-foot-7, 280-pound giant to his knees. But, in the end, the experience added to the unbelievable irony of what was the Bulldogs'"Miracle on the Plains."

Stinchcomb recalls the 1996 Georgia-Auburn game:

The Auburn game my sophomore year was not only the most important game I played in while I was at

Georgia

, but also likely my most memorable because of many different things.

Seemingly, half of my college experience was in Auburn, Alabama. For whatever reason, not only did a lot of my buddies from high school go to AuburnUniversity, but so did my girlfriend at the time, who eventually became my wife. While I was at Georgia, there often seemed to be a persisting rumor that because of my friends and girlfriend, I was thinking about transferring to Auburn. I remember on more than one occasion having to sit down with one of our staff members and dispel such rumors. It was never going to happen — I’d never leave UGA — unless the school somehow mysteriously disappeared and the football program was discontinued, maybe then, but not until.

On road trips to Auburnwe’d stop in Newnan [Georgia] on the way to visit with the city’s Bulldog Club and would then stay in a hotel near the state line. [Senior offensive tackle] Adam Meadows and I roomed together on the road that year and that Friday night, we ate some food in our room we had gotten from the hotel. Whether it was food poisoning or some sort of bug, I was up most of the night and into the next day getting sick from a turkey sandwich I had eaten. Before the game, our trainers pumped me full of IV fluids, allowing me to play. And, thank goodness, because who knew we were about to embark on a four-overtime game, lasting about an hour and a half longer than anticipated.

A side story going into that game was the benching of quarterback Mike Bobo and tailback Robert Edwards. Mike had struggled for several consecutive games while Robert had been susceptible to fumbling the ball. Another “story” occurring early in the game was something most Bulldog fans are familiar with: mascot Uga V, who honestly was rather ornery, lunged at Robert Baker after the Auburn wide receiver scored the game’s first touchdown and then touched [mascot handler] Charles Seiler. As most of us are aware, Uga tried to “dismember” Baker.

Suddenly, we were down 28-7 late in the second quarter, but Torin Kirtsey gave us a little bit of hope by scoring a touchdown with less than a minute remaining until halftime, pulling us within two touchdowns.

In the second half, we somehow found our way back into the ballgame. By this time, Mike and Robert had come off the bench and I can’t stress enough how much it meant to have a new, live arm at quarterback and fresh legs at tailback at that point, especially considering how long the game would wind up lasting. However, our offensive line suddenly had to play “musical chairs,” of sorts, in the second half. Meadows, our starting left tackle and probably the most athletic lineman Georgia has ever had regardless of the era, suffered a concussion late in regulation. I was forced to move to left tackle, right guard [Antonio] “Jake” Fleming moved to my regular position, right tackle, and backup Kenley Ingram took over at Jake’s right guard spot.

Our defense made some tremendous stops of a really good Auburnoffense in the second half. They gave the offense the ball back with just over a minute remaining. We had to go 80-something yards with no timeouts remaining and trailing by a touchdown, 28-21. Nevertheless, in about five or six plays we moved the football down to around Auburn’s 20-yard line. Here’s where things got a little weird.

At this point with 15 to 20 seconds remaining and no timeouts, you can’t give up a sack or the game is over. Well, I gave up a sack. I was blocking a defensive end to my left when Mike just happened to be flushed to the left directly into my man for the sack. As an offensive lineman, we have ways of justifying that the quarterback getting forced into the defender you’re blocking might result in a sack, but it’s one that cannot be helped (chuckling); regardless, I yielded the sack and it was evident time was going to run out with us stranded at around Auburn’s 36- or 37-yard line. However, there is often an element of luck in winning a football game and we certainly had it when a Tiger defensive tackle (Charles Dorsey) picked up the football following the sack, thinking the game was over. So, the officials had to retrieve the ball and, in the process, stop the clock with about five or six seconds remaining. Then, the ball wasn’t marked where Mike had literally gone down on the sack but about five or six yards closer to the 30-yard line, where apparently his progress had stopped in being sacked.

Mike then spiked the football, the ball was spotted, and one second and one last chance to tie the game remained. On the final play of regulation, Mike flung the ball towards the front, right corner of the end zone, just beyond the goal line, where Corey Allen caught an unbelievable touchdown. Hap Hines’s PAT tied the score 28-28 and we had miraculously forced the first overtime game in SEC football history.

Taken from the CBS telecast, circled Smith begins his

cartwheeling on the plains as Orantes Grant (right)

celebrates following the four-overtime marathon.

In overtime — all four of them — it was, simply put, the “Robert Edwards Show.” We repeatedly ran our counter trey running play, where the backside guard and tackle pull. Interestingly, most of the “pulling” was by Jake from his new right tackle spot, allowing Robert to run wild. I think he gained nearly all of the 100 yards we totaled in the four overtimes. In the first three extra periods, touchdown runs by Robert were matched by Auburn touchdowns. In the fourth overtime with the score tied 49-49, our defense forced a fourth down and three and then defensive tackle Jason Ferguson stopped their quarterback [Dameyune Craig] short of the first down. I don’t know how, but we had defeated Auburn and, man, did we celebrate. Perhaps, nobody celebrated more than noseguard Jermaine Smith – all 280 pounds of him – who immediately and unforgettably began doing cartwheels in the middle of the field after the stop of Craig.

Ironically, I got to celebrate that night with, of all people, Auburn fans. The coaches determined that because of the food poisoning, or the bug I had gotten, I probably couldn’t tolerate the bus ride home and shouldn’t be amongst my teammates. So, I got to stay with my Auburn friends and my wife-to-be that night. Everything worked out nicely from my standpoint. There were really no hard feelings on their part, but instead they were gracious in defeat — a four-overtime defeat, might I add, in a game where we trailed by three touchdowns at one point!

The Bulldogs are slight underdogs
tomorrow, and for Richt's bunch of late,
that spells near-guaranteed misfortune.

Entering tomorrow's game on the Plains, Georgia finds itself in a rather unfamiliar position: the Bulldogs are underdogs.

Prior to Auburn being recognized as a three-point favorite, as it currently stands, Georgia had entered just two of its previous 31 regular-season contests as the underdog, including being favored in each of its first nine games this season.

Simply put, the Bulldogs haven't been used lately to being underdogs. Still, I was curious of the program's "underdog tendency" over the course of a long period--like the last half-century, beginning with the Coach Dooley era in 1964.

I really had to dig to find point spreads from the 1960s and early-1970s (and obviously really had some time on my hands). Nevertheless, I discovered the closing line for each of Georgia's 595 games beginning in 1964 through last week's Appalachian State game, finding out that the Dogs have been underdogs less than one-fourth the time (23.8 percent) over the last 50 years.

Ranked lowest to highest, Georgia's last four head coaches according to his frequency of being an underdog (games as underdog out of total number of games):

20%- Richt (33 of 167)

23%- Dooley (65 of 288)

29%- Donnan (17 of 59)

33%- Goff (27 of 81)

If you think there's little difference between, say, Richt and Goff's frequency, imagine being the underdog once every three games (like in Goff's case) compared to once every five games (like Richt)--there's a big difference.

More telling, what about how successful each coach was in an underdog role? Their winning percentages in games they entered as the underdog:

.485- Dooley (30-32-3)
.412- Donnan (7-10)
.394- Richt (13-20)
.278- Goff (7-19-1)

After discovering the coaches' winning percentages as an underdog, what first jumped out at me was Richt's respectable percentage of nearly 40 percent, and Goff's lowly mark. However, upon a second look, Richt was indeed 10-8 as an underdog through 2007, but has gone only 3-12 the last six seasons.

For Goff, there's a reason why he couldn't win as an underdog, often playing the role as a big underdog. When Georgia's head coach from 1989 through 1995 was the underdog, it was by a spread of 8.5 points or more nearly 60 percent of the time (10 of 17). In comparison, Richt's teams have been an underdog of at least 8.5 points less than 20 percent of the time (6 of 33).

What if a UGA coach was the underdog, but only a slight one--like in the Bulldogs' case at Auburn tomorrow--of four points or less? In other words, how have their teams performed in games they evidently were supposed to lose, but could reasonably win?

The four head coaches' winning percentage as an underdog of four points or less:

.556- Donnan (5-4 record)
.500- Goff (2-2)
.484- Dooley (14-15-2)
.400- Richt (8-12)

Because of the small data set, Goff's record, and maybe even Donnan's, under such circumstances could be disregarded, leaving Dooley and Richt. Speaking of our current head coach, his 8-12 mark is somewhat deceiving. Richt was 7-6 as an underdog of four points or less through 2007, but just 1-6 ever since, including losing his last five in a row.

Over the last 50 years, Georgia's "true story" as an underdog is primarily one of infrequency, but satisfactory results in such a role--that is, until the last several years. The Bulldogs' 3-12 record as an underdog the last six seasons is the program's second-worst record over a similar stretch under the same circumstances (Georgia was 2-11-1 as an underdog from 1993-1995), and never over the last half-century have their results been as poor as they have been since 2007 when the Bulldogs were recognized as slight underdogs.

Personally, I like how Georgia matches up with Auburn tomorrow, the Bulldogs playing in Jordan-Hare might as well be a home game, and I realize a number Vegas spits out doesn't determine the result of a football game. However, a reason for concern is simply that the Dawgs are underdogs, and when recent editions of Richt's squads play an underdog role, especially a slight one, his underdogs consistently underwhelm.

A section of the Classic City at night during the 1970s

After Saturday's heartbreaking loss by the Bulldogs'yet-another-near-miss program, I'm having a hard time even thinking about UGA football. Switching gears, I wanted to inform you of my recent book project and ask for your assistance.

Do you have any older photos of Athens?

I recently signed a deal to author a photo-heavy book on the city of Athens' modern history (1960s to the present) to be published by Arcadia Publishing. I'm particularly excited about the project because I'm a native Athenian and this is my first book not related to UGA football.

Speaking of books on the Bulldogs, a couple of years ago I asked readers of this blog if they could help me with my Georgia-Florida book, requesting stories, anecdotes, and jokes regarding the series. Your response was overwhelming! So, I'm asking for your assistance once again.

A major responsibility of mine for the Athens project is finding nearly 200 appropriate photographs for use. I have the 1990s and 2000s pretty much covered; however, it’s been difficult to find images from the decades of the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s.

Notably, the photographer of each image will obviously be credited in the book. Also, for what it’s worth, and I'm trying to be careful when bringing up this aspect--one photo source seemed highly insulted when I mentioned he would be paid for his photos, while it was the first thing requested by another--you'd be compensated for your photos used in the book. My publisher and I are proposing a royalty-sharing plan for the book’s photo sources, where based on the number of photos credited, the sources share in what royalties I earn off the book. I can explain further if you think you would be able to assist with this project.

So, if you possess any images of just about anything related to the Classic City--the moments/events, people, structures, businesses, etc. of Athens--especially from the 1960s through the 1980s, and in COLOR would be an added bonus, OR if you can suggest someone who does that I could contact, please EMAIL ME.

I am really looking forward to what assuredly will be a classic project, and perhaps with your help (plus, I'm anxious to see if I can write on anything other than Georgia football). Thank you all!

It might be more appropriate if told a year from now on the event's 40th anniversary and when the Bulldogs fly to Lexington instead of during the week the Wildcats venture to Athens, but considering I recently heard an extended version, I wanted to share it again. It is something I touched upon three years ago—the Georgia-Kentucky "bomb threat" of 1974. And, although there aren't many great tales in the history of the teams' football series, this has to be one of the greatest Georgia-Kentucky stories ever told, especially considering the story's culprit hasn't been fully revealed for nearly four entire decades.

As the story goes, upon the charter flight of the UGA football team landing at Lexington's Blue Grass Field the night before the 1974 Georgia-Kentucky game, the Bulldogs were unceremoniously greeted by their hosts.

"When we got to Lexington, the plane was immediately surrounded by all these police cars," Keith Harris informed me during our interview for my latest book. "Here, I was thinking what a great escort we were getting at the airport," the senior standout linebacker from '74 added while laughing.

"When we landed, we were told to sit down in our seats and stay there," said Horace King, the Bulldogs' leading scorer and second-leading rusher in '74. "At that point, we had no idea that we would wind up being at that airport for hours!"

During the flight, defensive coordinator Erk Russell had noticed a bomb threat written in soap on the mirror in one of the plane's bathrooms. He immediately alerted the flight staff, who relayed the coach's message to airport security. The pilot came over the intercom, informing the team about the threat, and then asking for the culprit to come forward. No one did. Upon arrival, the plane was boarded by the FBI, airport bomb squad, and local police. After milling about the plane for a while, gravitating toward where the threat had been scrawled, the authorities began seeking a confession.

"We were then taken out of the plane and marched into a room inside the airport," Harris added. "We later noticed [head golf coach and dorm disciplinarian] Dick Copas; he looked like something was wrong." A player pointed out to Copas the plane had not been cleaned following its previous flight; maybe someone on the earlier flight had written the bomb threat. "Hell no!" Copas apparently blurted. "I know it was one of you players for sure because [the authorities] said that whoever wrote it misspelled 'airplane.'"

"During the ordeal, I was told by an assistant coach that he had narrowed it down in his mind to about 10 players who could have written the threat, and I was one of them!" says Steve Davis, who admits to having some disciplinary problems while a quarterback-wide receiver at Georgia during the mid-1970s, including getting kicked off the team for the entire 1973 season. "It was a intimidating and kind of scary situation, especially when we were all sitting in chairs inside the room at the airport and surrounded by at least a couple dozen FBI guys."

Inside the room, it was eventually revealed by an individual, who seemingly was the head of the FBI members, that the player who wrote the threat was a "real dumbass." As Copas had indicated, "airplane" was misspelled on the mirror; the threat supposedly declared, "There is a bomb on this airplain."

After hours of questioning by authorities and pleading from tired teammates, including an upperclassman who suddenly became unhinged, threatening for the offender to come forward or else, the guilty Bulldog still remained unidentified. The FBI eventually gave up, and the team departed for their hotel not getting to bed until well after midnight.

Trailing 20-17 the following night, the weary Bulldogs finally awoke when King scored a fourth-quarter, go-ahead touchdown on a 6-yard run. Georgia clinched a 24-20 victory when Harris forced a Wildcat fumble. As for Davis, he broke his collarbone during the game. "First, I get blamed as someone who might have done the bomb threat, and then I get hurt," he says laughing.

No Wildcat defense, lack of sleep, or even the threat

of a bomb could stop Horace King from scoring this

game-winning touchdown to defeat Kentucky in '74.

When the Bulldogs arrived home to Athens, they found that the misconduct by one of their very own had made not only local, but national news. A writer for a local paper, who had traveled to Lexington with the team, wrote: "...the immature act of a single individual who by insinuating that a bomb was on the Georgia charter not only forced an unnecessary hardship on his own team, but also the airline to which the plane belonged."

Although the "single individual" responsible for "the immature act" was not discovered by authorities in Lexington, the UPI reported that the FBI would question all UGA players and coaches the following week in an effort to find the culprit.

"It had been rumored that the FBI would be coming to campus to give the players polygraph tests, and performing handwriting analysis," said Davis, "but the FBI never came."

"Whoever did it, they did nothing real damaging. However, the bomb threat was just another distraction—one of the number of hiccups—we encountered that kept that '74 team from reaching its full potential," said King, referring to Georgia's disappointing 6-6 campaign that year.

"Whoever did it, I think they misspelled 'airplane' on purpose," added Harris.

It has been nearly 40 years and the culprit has yet to be found, but his identity often remains the talk amongst his old teammates. Personally, I experienced this first hand when attending the Lettermen's Club annual BBQ this past September. I spoke with three different players from the '74 team (apart from the three quoted in this post) who all thought they knew the wrongdoer's identity, and each gave me a different name.

The mystery continues...

Seventy years ago, Bill Rutland (center) and Johnny
Cook (No. 10) tackle a Yellow Jacket ballcarrier...
Looks likes a real Georgia-Georgia Tech game to me.

During every Thanksgiving week for the last five years, it's a tradition, so to speak, here at the About Them Dawgs! Blawg, where the post is annually updated, but its message always remains the same. It's an opinion that I'm not proud of, nor does most of the Bulldog Nation support, but one I've argued for quite some time. It's a stance giving our hated rival to the southwest some credit–an intrastate adversary, despite my opinion, that I hate with a passion:

I do not like The Georgia Institute of Technology, and especially hate its football program. I cherish the fact that after winning 20 combined games in 2008 and 2009, Coach Paul Johnson and his high school offense will soon lose five games or more for the fourth consecutive year. However, when I started rooting for the Bulldogs in the early 1980s, I felt more sorry for Tech than actually disliking the Wramblin' Wreck. "Hate" is a strong word, and it was more reserved for the likes of Clemson, Auburn, and maybe Florida.

In 1984, my feelings of pity were instantly altered when I witnessed an underdog Georgia Tech team come into Athens, soundly defeat my Bulldogs, and tear up Sanford Stadium's beautiful hedges afterwards. The next day, on the cover of the sports section of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Tech coach Bill Curry was pictured loving on John Dewberry, a transfer from Georgia two years earlier. Worse, Dewberry, the winning quarterback of the Yellow Jackets, had torn off a piece of our beloved hedges.

This exhibition of disrespect will not be accepted, I decided then, nearly 30 years ago. No longer did I feel sorry for our in-state rival; I felt absolute hatred.

However, there is one, and only one, single issue I do side with our bitter rival. Most Tech and Georgia football fans are familiar with this controversy and the pair of asterisks that have made it renowned. If you're NOT familiar with the dispute, I'm sure you'll hear about it this Saturday when watching the 108th, or 106th meeting between Georgia and Georgia Tech; the game's television broadcast mentions it annually without fail.

The Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets cannot agree on how many times they've faced one another in football. Georgia defends a 63-37-5 advantage; Georgia Tech claims a 39-63-5 disadvantage.

The disagreement lies with the games played between the teams in 1943 and 1944–both blowout wins for the Yellow Jackets by a combined 92-0 score. Georgia Tech counts the two games, while Georgia does not recognize them in the series results.

By the start of the 1943 football season, World War II was raging. Because of the war, graduation, and injuries, every one of the Bulldogs' lettermen from the 1942 national championship squad was lost. Of the 38 "men" on Georgia's 1943 roster, 30 were only 16 or 17 years old and too young for the war's draft. The few remaining players of 18 years and older were only members of the team because they had not met the military's physical standards.

Many of the teams around the country were in the same predicament as Georgia and a good number of schools cancelled their '43 football campaigns. Only a day before the Bulldogs' season opener, Coach Wally Butts asked his boys if they too wanted to cancel their season. They refused, joining only three other SEC schools of the conference's 12 members, who decided to field a football team in 1943.

"So we'll play football as long as 11 men are available to put a team on the field," said Butts.

Like Georgia, rival Georgia Tech was one of the four participating schools in the SEC. However, unlike the Bulldogs, the Yellow Jackets were prospering from the war.

Clean Old-Fashioned Jackasses

As did a few other schools, Georgia Tech benefited from its on-campus Navy V-12 Program, whereas any student who signed up for the program could remain in school and continue playing athletics. In addition, Tech had a Navy flight school which drew students, including football players, from other universities.

In 1943, not only did the Yellow Jackets return most of their team from the year before but, according to Dan Magill–a long-time member of UGA's athletics department–Tech's squad was also joined by the captains of Alabama and Vanderbilt and other players from various schools. This gave the Jackets an overwhelming advantage over Georgia and it was evident on the gridiron with a 48-0 victory in 1943 and a 44-0 win in 1944.

Soon after his hiring as publicity director of UGA athletics in 1948, Magill told Coach Butts he would no longer count the 1943 and 1944 games in the series record between Tech and Georgia. In the school's football records, Magill placed asterisks next to the two Bulldog losses because "those were not true Georgia Tech teams," Magill has personally told me before and countless others for decades.

"There's no question about it, there's no way they are true Georgia-Georgia Tech games," Magill said. "There's no question about that. [Georgia] had a freshman team."

Unfortunately, this is where I am in disagreement with one of the greatest Bulldogs of all time, and admittedly side with the enemy.

First off, that freshman team for Georgia in 1943 reached as high as No. 20 nationally in the AP Poll during the season. Entering the Georgia Tech game the following year, the Bulldogs were actually recognized as only a slight underdog; some local bookies even placed even odds on the game. More significantly, I have a feeling if Georgia would have been victorious in one or both of the '43 and '44 contests, the games would be recognized today in the series results and there would be no asterisks.

Both the NCAA and SEC acknowledges the two games as losses for the Bulldogs. And, actually Georgia also recognizes the losses in its yearly results and all-time record (just not in the series results).

Soon after the beginning of the controversy, few stood by Magill on his stance or took his asterisks seriously. Three years following Magill's debatable decision, the Athens Banner-Herald recognized the '43 and '44 games, announcing the 1951 Georgia-Georgia Tech contest as the "46th Annual Battle," not the 44th. Magill's statement during the late-50s of "Henceforth our records will refer to those 1943 and 1944 games as Georgia versus the Georgia Tech Navy" was countered by sportswriter Furman Bisher with the following:

That being the case, Louisiana State, Wake Forest and Daniel Field, three other teams that defeated Georgia those two years, are expected to be notified in due time that their victories have been revoked.

Let me add, although Georgia basically had an all-freshman team during those two seasons, while Georgia Tech was supported by a Navy program and a few players from other schools, remember, Coach Butts had asked his young team if they wanted to participate, and they agreed to play the '43 season, which included a game against Georgia Tech. They consented to do so with knowledge of the circumstances and what the consequences might be.

"I asked [the 1943 team] frankly if they wanted to pay the price in defeats they'll have to take," said Butts.

Considering there were actually very few "bona fide" college football squads from the 1943 and 1944 campaigns, should all of the remaining "non-true" programs revoke their results from the two seasons? If the Bulldogs were not a "true" team in '43 and '44, should they discount the 13 combined victories they achieved those years?

In its early years, Georgia played several athletic clubs featuring former college players and even a preparatory school or two; all of these games are recognized in UGA football's yearly and series results, although they do not seem to be "true" opposition.

In 1907, Georgia played against Georgia Tech with at least four "ringers," or former collegiate or professional players from the North, who were paid for their services. Because of this illegal action, Georgia's head coach would eventually be banned from coaching in the South forever. The result of the game, a 10-6 Georgia loss, is acknowledged in UGA's yearly and series results.

In the first Georgia-Georgia Tech football game of 1893, the Red and Black played a professionally paid trainer at halfback, while three of Tech's five touchdowns were scored by a 28-year-old doctor in the U.S. Army. In addition, the umpire of the game, who made several controversial calls in favor of Georgia Tech, was the brother of Tech's trainer. This 28-6 Georgia Tech victory is also recognized by Georgia.

In more support of identifying the 1943 and 1944 as true games, I believe author Bill Cromartie might have put it best in his book on the Georgia-Georgia Tech football rivalry, Clean Old-Fashioned Hate:

If the games are not official, then the University [of Georgia] boys who got their teeth kicked in (so to speak), played the games for nothing. They would, most likely, want them to count.

I personally know Dan Magill well. Among other things, he is the greatest NCAA tennis coach of all time, the foremost knowledgeable historian of UGA sports, probably has done more for UGA athletics than anyone ever, and is a wonderful and kind individual. However, and I say this with the utmost respect, I totally disagree with his decision from more than six decades ago regarding the 1943-1944 Georgia-Georgia Tech games–a decision he still vehemently stands behind today.

During the time of Magill's 1948 ruling, unlike when I was growing up, no Georgia football fan felt sympathy for Georgia Tech, just hate. I suspect part of the decision by "Dangerous Dan," as Bisher tagged him in 1957, was because of this hatred for Georgia's chief rival of the time.

Nevertheless, Magill's judgement and asterisks will remain in the UGA football record books forever, whether I, the Yellow Jacket faithful, or anyone else likes it or not. Personally, I have and can certainly continue to live with the Bulldogs having two less losses to the Jackets, especially if (and God forbid), as was the case when Magill made his determination, Georgia football was to ever falter, while the Eternal Enemy prospered...

Of course, I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Led by Gurley and Mason, Georgia's comeback
Saturday ranks as the 5th largest in UGA history.

...from Saturday night—Georgia's ill-prepared team, lacking leadership, with a defense that couldn't make stops—the Bulldogs instantly appeared able, led by a quarterback and tailback who seemingly wouldn't be denied, with a defense that, well, started to make some stops.

Immediately following Georgia's 41-34 comeback, double-overtime victory over Tech, where the Bulldogs found themselves trailing by 20 points midway through the second quarter, I received an email from a reader asking where Georgia's historic rally at "Historic" Grant Field ranked as far as all-time comebacks in UGA football history.

And, with that email, I instantly had something else to blog about—games where, at some point, a Georgia victory seemed as probable as Missouri and Auburn playing in the SEC title game back in September, but somehow the Bulldogs fought back to overcome one of the largest deficits in their history:

1. 25 points- Purdue, 2000 Outback Bowl (trailed 25-0 in 2Q)

After Drew Brees poured it on the Bulldogs early, Georgia struck for 28 unanswered points, including a long Terrence Edwards TD run before halftime and a Quincy Carter TD run and pass in the second half. Hap Hines' second field goal broke a 25-25 tie in overtime, resulting in Georgia's biggest comeback in its history.

2. 21 points- Auburn, 1996 (trailed 28-7 with less than one minute remaining in 2Q)

Trailing by three touchdowns, Mike Bobo came off the bench, and later Robert Edwards, to spark a stagnant Georgia offense. Bobo passed for 360 yards after missing the first 1½ quarters of play, while Edwards was responsible for 134 rushing and receiving yards, including gaining 98 of Georgia’s 100 total yards in four overtime periods. After the four overtimes, the Bulldogs had captured an unlikely 56-49 victory.

3. 21 points- Virginia, 1998 Peach Bowl (trailed 21-0 with just over one minute remaining in 2Q)

After completing just 3 of 13 passes with 3 interceptions and having a hand in all of Virginia's first three touchdowns, freshman Quincy Carter completed 15 of 20 passes for 205 yards and two TDs, while adding a TD run to overcome an early three-touchdown deficit. Down 35-27 late, Virginia scored a touchdown, missed the two-point conversion, but recovered an onside kick, only to miss a last-second game-winning field goal try to lose, 35-33.

4. 20 points- Georgia Tech, 1978 (trailed 20-0 with 38 seconds remaining in 2Q)

After completing just 7 of 19 passes with three interceptions through 10 games of his freshman campaign, Buck Belue came off the bench to complete 7 of 9 passes, including one of the greatest touchdown passes in UGA history—a 42-yarder to Amp Arnold on fourth down that defeated Georgia Tech. Arnold's two-point conversion run provided the winning margin in Georgia's 29-28 comeback victory.

5. 20 points- Georgia Tech, 2013 (trailed 20-0 midway through 2Q)

Down 20-0, Georgia struck quickly to score five touchdowns and two field goals in a 41-34 double-overtime win over Georgia Tech. After slow starts, freshman Todd Gurley rushed for 122 yards and scored four touchdowns, while quarterback Hutson Mason, making his first career start, passed for 299 yards and two scores. The comeback marked the first Georgia game in more than six seasons where the Bulldogs rallied to win after trailing by double digits in the second half (and, after six losses in five years where Georgia was defeated after having a double-digit second-half lead).

On Homecoming of 1970 vs. South Carolina,
backup Gilbert led the Dogs in a fury to a
comeback over the 'Cocks.

6. 18 points- Virginia Tech, 2006 Chick-fil-A Bowl (trailed 21-3 early in 3Q)
After mustering a mere field goal through the first half and first possession of the third quarter, Georgia's offense tallied three touchdowns and two field goals on its next five possessions. The Bulldogs’ 28 second-half points all came in a span of only 13:40 while four of Georgia’s five scores were set up with an onside kick, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery. In the 31-24 victory, the Bulldog offense gained just 200 total yards, however, the defense allowed a paltry 189 to the Hokies.

7. 18 points- South Carolina, 1970 (trailed 21-3 with 8 minutes left in 2Q)

Senior backup quarterback Paul Gilbert, an Athens native, replaced an injured Mike Cavan midway through the second quarter and as Georgia trailed by 18 points. Gilbert jump-started a sputtering offense, completing 13 of 20 passes for 243 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown bomb to tight end Billy Brice, giving the Bulldogs a 32-31 second-half lead of an eventual 52-34 victory. At the time, the 86 combined points were the most ever scored in Sanford Stadium, while the 18-point deficit Georgia overcame would rank as the biggest comeback in team history through the program's first 85 seasons.

"When you let Worley go upstream, I'd hate
to tackle him," said Vandy head coach Watson
Brown. "He'd be playing noseguard for us."

I want to salute my friend, Tim Worley, who will be celebrated as Georgia's 2013 SEC Football Legend at tomorrow's conference title game. Tim is only the 20th Bulldog to be bestowed the honor of a football legend in the conference, while becoming just the program's fourth recognized running back, joining greats Charley Trippi, Herschel Walker, and Garrison Hearst.

Besides the combination of speed and power he displayed from 1985 to 1988, likely only exceeded by Herschel of all Bulldog backs in history, what perhaps most intrigues me about Tim's Georgia career is the impact he made at the school and in the SEC in such a short period of time. He played in just 26 career regular-season games, starting only 14. Regardless, Tim's relatively short duration at Georgia was nearly no duration at all. Initially, the Bulldogs were actually the blue-chip recruit's fourth choice.

Florida State was attractive to the native of Lumberton, North Carolina, until Sammie Smith, the nation's most-heralded back, signed with the Seminoles. Clemson was eliminated when Tim realized he wanted to compete at the highest level, which didn't include ACC competition in his mind. Tennessee was ruled out when it snowed twenty inches in Knoxville on Tim's official visit.

"I was stuck in the [Tennessee] dorm the entire time," Tim informed me during an interview this week. "First impressions matter."

And finally, there was Oklahoma, his first choice, and what was considered the greatest rushing attack in all of football at the time. But, in the end, the Sooners were disregarded with a little help from someone who always knows best.

"Oklahoma was eliminated because [head coach] Barry Switzer put his boots on my Mom's coffee table [during a recruiting visit]," Tim says. "She told me right then and there that I couldn't go to Norman."

Once at Georgia, Tim would become "one of the greatest SEC tailbacks of the modern era," I stated when recently asked for a press release regarding Tim's career from a historical standpoint. "And that’s considering the fact that he only played two-and-a-half seasons at Georgia, yet he made a permanent impact on the school and the league."

Three weeks later, now that I think about it, I should have also mentioned in the release the stiff competition Tim faced—not only from opposing defenses, but on his very own team.

Consider that while at Georgia, Tim shared the backfield, and its number of carries, with running backs Lars Tate, Rodney Hampton, Keith Henderson, David McCluskey, and quarterback James Jackson, all of which rushed for more than 1,300 yards while at Georgia. There was also Tron Jackson (877 career rushing yards) and Alphonso Ellis (599). One of the greatest SEC tailbacks of the modern era could have been even greater if not for being part of arguably the greatest stable of backs in conference history.

"I would have definitely been happy to carry the ball 35-40 times a game for four years," Tim says, "but Coach Dooley's brilliance enabled Hamp, Keith, Tate, McCluskey, Alphonso Ellis, Tron and me to be our best while sharing the ball. One of the best compliments about Coach Dooley's strategy was when the football analysts calling the games would say, 'You can't tell one of these UGA running backs from the other.'"

As a junior in 1988, and what would be his final season at Georgia, Tim was again sharing the load for the Bulldogs, and this time with Hampton, backing up his teammate at tailback for the first seven games of the campaign. However, halfway through the year, Tim remarkably ranked 7th in the nation in rushing and 4th in scoring despite not having started a single game. Regardless, UGA began hyping the backup as a Heisman Trophy candidate in what was believed to be the first time, and likely the last, a reserve had ever been promoted by a school for the trophy.

"After I had my "hat trick"—a kickoff return for a touchdown, passing for a touchdown, and a run from the line of scrimmage for a touchdown in the same game [against Ole Miss]—that's when I started hearing 'Heisman' all the time," Tim says. "But, I was just so grateful to be back on the field playing after missing almost two years with a knee injury."

In the fourth game of the 1986 season, Worley had been lost for the year with a knee injury. In 1987, he played JUCO ball while rehabbing his knee and getting his grades up.

Following the "hat trick" in 1988, "Here Comes Worley" Heisman media fliers were promptly distributed, including a quote from Ole Miss head coach Billy Brewer: "Tim Worley is the most physical and abusing runner we've seen in a long time. ... We need two weeks off just to get over Tim Worley." A week later, Vanderbilt head coach Watson Brown declared, "When you let Worley go upstream, I'd hate to tackle him. He'd be playing noseguard for us."

Besides winners Frank Sinkwich and Walker, along with Trippi in 1946 and Hearst in 1992, to date, no other Bulldog running back has made a run for the Heisman Trophy as late in a season as Worley did in 1988. However, the quest for the award ended during the regular season's next-to-last game at Auburn when Tim was held to 63 rushing yards and no touchdowns in a 20-10 loss. Regardless, individual accolades have always mattered little to one of the greatest to ever put on a Bulldog uniform.

"It really was all about the team – not me," Tim says. "I contributed as much as I could for my coaches and teammates. I remember we had t-shirts made with the word "TEAM" in all capital letters, and right below it, the word "me" in all lower case letters. Big TEAM, little me—that was my mindset. My wife, Dee, still has that shirt today."

What was once Worley's fourth choice
would fortunately become
his No. 1.

Dee, an SEC legend in her own right at Alabama as the NCAA Gymnastics All-Around Champion in 1990 and the national gymnast of the year in 1993, and Tim are co-founders of Worley Global Enterprises, a consulting firm. Tim manages the Motivational Speaking and Life Skills Consulting division, helping leaders and leaders-in-the-making "develop their character to be above the standard of their talent."

And, speaking of above the standard—way above—Tim is truly honored to be chosen among such an outstanding class of college football players, representing the strongest conference in the nation.

“When I first got the call [regarding the selection], I was literally stunned,” Tim says. "I'm humbled and grateful."

When it comes to his career at Georgia, Tim is most grateful for the Bulldog Nation, all the past Georgia "SEC Legends," Coach Dooley, his position coaches, the trainers. "And, every teammate I ever played with at UGA," Tim adds. "It's times like this that really make me treasure the memories I have with teammates like Scott Adams and Keith Johnson who have gone home to be with the Lord." Adams and Johnson, Georgia offensive lineman during the 1980s, both passed away in September. "They blocked for me, and this honor belongs to them, too."

To be a "football legend" is most certainly just that—a tremendous honor that can be shared with many, and according to Tim, "the greatest honor of my entire football career." And, just think, if not for the brash Switzer putting his feet up on mom's coffee table, Georgia's representative for tomorrow would be no SEC Football Legend at all.

Top Dawg #75

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Just when I thought I had something to blog about...

Feet On Mom's Table Delivered a Legend to UGA