On the Way

Yesterday, I received a large shipment of my new book on the Cocktail Party rivalry, I Love Georgia/I Hate Florida.  So, if you've already ordered the book from me, kind of like the football Robert Edwards carried against the Gators in '97 on a toss sweep, it's on the way...  You should be receiving a package from me by this time next week.

If you'd like to order a copy of the book, send me an email, expressing your interest.  The book retails for about $16 after tax; however, for just $14, I'll send you a copy signed, sealed, and shipped free of charge.  And, if you've already ordered a copy but would like another, or two, by all means, there are plenty to go around...  

Regardless, please visit the book's Facebook page (and "Like" the page!), where I'll continuously post updates regarding the book, signing dates, and Georgia-Florida photos and videos throughout the upcoming season.

Notably, when asked to write the book nearly a year ago in mid-September, one of the first possible "snags" my editor and I discussed was what if Coach Richt got the axe and was replaced by the manuscript's deadline.  After the 0-2 start, it certainly appeared like a possibility; how things quickly changed.  Nonetheless, something that did not change during last football season was the constant support from the readers of this blog.

When I asked back on September 28th for anti-Gator stories, tidbits, jokes, etc., that I could use in the book, I was hoping to receive two or three from readers.  Instead, from that day through the Christmas holidays, I was sent more than two dozen Gator-hating anecdotes from you guys, and I want to thank each of you again for your assistance in writing the book.

I tried to either directly use, or at least somehow incorporate, every single story/joke sent my way.  So, if you sent me an anti-Gator email, it is most likely included in some form within the book's 300+ pages.

Of my five books on UGA football, this one is honestly and undoubtedly my favorite.  I interviewed more former players and coaches than for my previous four books combined.  In addition, I tried to include as many never-before-published Bulldog football facts and stories, including a real entertaining account from Barbara Dooley on her experience and encounters while the Belue-to-Scott miracle of '80 transpired.

More importantly, and unlike my previous books, where the writing is primarily objective and reporting-like in nature, I made an attempt at being rather creative (and I stress attempt), tried to be irreverent towards all things Gator-related, while writing the book from one collective voice – that of the Bulldog Nation's.  Thanks again!

One-Play Wonders



Against Ole Miss in '71, Pie Face scored from 39 yards
out on what was later dubbed the Pie Face Pitch. 

A fellow Bulldog history buff recently sent me video of Georgia's win over Arkansas in the 1987 Liberty Bowl.  Towards the end of the Bulldogs' thrilling 20-17 victory, I witnessed a Georgia football player I hadn't thought of in, well, 25 years, since the instant he made one of the biggest plays in Bulldog bowl history.

Those that remember the '87 Liberty Bowl usually recall freshman John Kasay's 39-yard game-winning field goal as time expired.  However, there was another first-year Dog that was just as responsible for the victory, but forgotten by most (and for good reason) – cornerback Carver Russaw.

Roughly 2½ years ago, I posted my opinion of Georgia football's all-time one-hit wonders, or Bulldogs that made quite an impact in their one and only (more or less) season at the school.  Seeing the obscure Russaw's game-saving play, which would set up Kasay's winning field goal, prompted me to establish my One-Play Wonders, or those Bulldogs that played very little, but had a memorable Georgia career because of a single play.

Beginning with my honorable mention selection, a couple of my one-play wonders might be somewhat of a stretch, so to speak. Take John Jennings, for example, who was a starting offensive guard in 1970 and 1971, and obviously involved in many plays; however, he is best remembered for making one play, and only one, in particular. 

HM: JOHN JENNINGS (1971- Ole Miss)

Against Ole Miss in Jackson, Georgia tailback Ricky Lake broke off a first-quarter, 5-yard run from the Rebel 44-yard line, but was suddenly blindsided by a defender as he attempted to break a tackle.  The ball popped in the air and into the awaiting arms of Jennings, who was nicknamed "Pie Face" by animated teammate Bobby Poss (Aaron Bonding, where it's always springtime... I heard 'dat!).  In the modern era of UGA football, by my count, five offensive linemen have "rushed" for touchdowns, four of them by falling on a fumble in the end zone – Mike Wilson vs. Kentucky in 1975, Peter Anderson vs. Clemson in 1985, Jon Stinchcomb vs. Auburn in 2002, and Nick Jones vs. Georgia Tech in 2003.  However, standing alone is Pie Face, who scored his touchdown by not falling on the ball, but by grabbing it in mid-air and rumbling for a 39-yard touchdown.

No. 5: ROY SMITH (1913- Clemson)

Freshman Roy Smith from
Georgia's 1913 team photo 

During his lone year at UGA, freshman John "Roy" Smith contributed little during the Red and Black's eight-game 1913 campaign until the Clemson contest at Augusta's Georgia-Carolina Fair.  With Georgia trailing 15-6 in the final quarter, the 150-pound end became more like a two-play wonder, catching first a 30-yard touchdown pass from Bob McWhorter and then later snaring a 45-yard game-winner from the All-American halfback.  Not long after scoring his two momentous touchdowns in Georgia's 18-15 comeback victory, by all accounts, Smith departed the school for reasons unknown.

No. 4: ADRIAN REESE (1995- New Mexico State)

After being one of the most highly-touted recruits in the state of Alabama, running back Adrian Reese rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown as a freshman at Auburn in 1992.  After that, he would not see the field again until transferring and walking on at Georgia three years later.  In three games for the Bulldogs in 1995, Reese rushed only 6 times for 23 yards with the bulk of his work coming in his first game – a 40-13 win over New Mexico State.  Early in the third quarter against the Aggies, Reese scored on a short touchdown run; however, he would later join the rash of Bulldog injuries that season by pulling a hamstring.  To date, of the more than 400 different Georgia players to have scored a touchdown in the modern era (1940s to the present), Reese is the only one who did not earn a letter as a Bulldog.   

No. 3: BILLY CLOER (1965- North Carolina)

In one of Vince Dooley's biggest comebacks of his coaching career, the head coach's favorite one-play wonder resulted.  Trailing 35-21 in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs rallied to score 26 points at Chapel Hill to defeat North Carolina, 47-35.  The most decisive of these four unanswered touchdowns came with Georgia trailing 35-34 in the closing minutes.  Junior Bill Cloer was listed at 5-10 and 157 pounds – measurements said to be slightly exaggerated – and positioned at safety-man, although he really only saw playing time on special teams.  On an onside-kick attempt, Georgia's kick went directly to UNC tackle Chuck Alexander, who "was looking into the sun and didn't see the ball until it was on him," according to Tar Heel head coach Jim Hickey after the game.  Alexander fumbled the ball, and there was "Little Billy" for the Bulldog recovery.  Soon afterwards, Preston Ridlehuber scored on a 31-yard run, and Georgia took a lead it would not relinquish.

No. 2: CARVER RUSSAW (1987- Arkansas)

Despite what the announcer states, Russaw was not from Los Angeles, Louisiana, but the other, more well-known Los Angeles.  After attending California's Glendale Community College, Russaw transferred to UGA in 1986 and was redshirted.  In 1987, the junior third-string cornerback recorded only one tackle the entire regular season.  In the postseason against Arkansas, Russaw was inserted with less than a minute remaining of a tied game and with the Hogs looking to pass.  Georgia's "Cover 8" defense was designed to funnel all pass receivers into the middle of the field and force quarterback Greg Thomas to throw into traffic.  Russaw jammed receiver Tim Horton toward linebacker Terrie Webster, who tipped a Thomas pass towards the little-known defensive back.  Later declared academically ineligible prior to his senior season of 1988, Russaw set up the Bulldogs' winning score with a 14-yard interception return on what would turn out to be his final play at Georgia.

No. 1: DAVID ARCHER (1978- Georgia Tech)

For three football seasons from 1978 through 1980, defensive back David Archer hardly played on Georgia's varsity team before finally deciding to transfer out of the school.  However, of the handful of snaps he did appear in a Bulldog uniform, Archer would become UGA football's all-time one-hit wonder, resulting against arguably the team's biggest rival.  Overshadowed by Buck Belue's "game-winning" touchdown pass to Amp Arnold with more than two minutes remaining against Georgia Tech in 1978, and Arnold's two-point conversion to give the Bulldogs a one-point lead, freshman Archer was sent in the game to solely cover the Jackets' tight end on the ensuing possession.  Appearing in his first play of the contest in just his second game as a Bulldog, Archer's diving interception of a Mike Kelley pass clinched a 29-28 victory.  Like Russaw, Archer's interception would be his final play on Georgia's varsity before leading another school – one in rather close proximity – to a national championship.

Significance of "Returning Experience"

How significant is it that Georgia evidently
ranks in the top one-fourth in the SEC
and country in returning experience?

If you've been reading my blog for most any length of time, you're likely aware of my interest in, although some may consider it more like my infatuation with, Phil Steele's rankings, statistics, formulas, etc.  So, please excuse the following rambling regarding another college football formula of Phil's which recently caught my attention – returning experience.

For several years, Steele has calculated each FBS team's "experience" entering the season.  With the Bulldogs returning 9 starters on defense and 7 on offense, one would believe Georgia is rather experienced; nevertheless, Steele's complicated formula considers much more than merely starters coming back.  His returning experience is calculated by a team's number of senior starters, seniors in the two deep, % of lettermen returning, % of offensive yards returning, % of tackles made returning, and the career starts returning in the offensive line.

For the Bulldogs, Steele determines that there are 10 senior starters, 1 other senior in the two deep, 73% of lettermen returning, 89% of offensive yards returning, 88% of tackles returning, and 31 career offensive line starts, yielding 68.4 total experience points for 2012 (don't ask how that total was actually calculated), ranking 3rd in the SEC and 30th in the nation.  

Entering the 2012 season, the conference rankings according to experience points:

Tennessee (78.8)

Ole Miss (70.3)

GEORGIA (68.4)

Missouri (65.1)

Vanderbilt (64.6)

Florida (63.6)

Arkansas (63.6)

South Carolina (59.4)

LSU (58.9)

Alabama (58.5)

Texas A&M (55.3)

Kentucky (54.1)

Auburn (53.7)

Miss. State (52.0)

On the determination of a team's returning experience, my initial thought was that it matters more what specific players are returning rather than what number of players are returning.  However, Steele seems to have this covered – to some degree – by factoring in returning yardage, tackles, and offensive line starts. 

Therefore, I decided to find out if the amount of team "experience," according to Steele, entering a season was indicative of the team's success by season's end.  In other words, based on past results, should Tennessee, whose 78.8 total experience points not only rank 1st in the SEC but also 1st in the entire FBS, expect to improve upon its 5-7 record from a year ago in 2012?  Likewise, will Miss. State's overall record likely worsen from 7-6 in 2011 because of its paltry 52 experience points?

Of the 36 different squads in the SEC from 2009 through 2011, the most experienced entering a season was Arkansas in 2010 with 80 points; the Hogs improved two games with a 10-3 overall record from 8-5 in 2009.  The least experienced team, by far, was Auburn entering last year (just 25 points), and sure enough, the Tigers were 5½ games worse at 8-5 from their 14-0 campaign in 2010.

In accordance to their specific range in experience points, below is what SEC teams averaged from 2009 to 2011 in terms of increase/decrease of overall record from the year before:   

72 and higher:  1.64-game increase

66 to 71:          1.07-game increase

60 to 65:          0.71-game increase

52 to 59:          0.25-game decrease

51 and lower:   2.36-game decrease

Makes sense...  the higher the experience points, the more likely an improved record will result from the year before.  While the lower the returning experience, SEC teams, on average, have a greater chance of enduring a decline in overall record.

There certainly have been exceptions.  In 2009, Alabama returned just 58 experience points from its 12-2 team from '08; however, the Crimson Tide would finish a perfect 14-0 and capture a national championship.  In 2010, Georgia's experience was 68 – the same number of points as this year – but instead of improving upon an 8-5 record from the year before, the Bulldogs' overall record actually decreased two games to 6-7.

Speaking of the 2010 Bulldogs, fourteen conference teams entered their seasons from 2009 to 2011 with 67 experience points or higher, and only TWO – Miss. State last year and Georgia in 2010 – actually had a decrease in overall record. 

Obviously there are many other factors besides returning experience which may determine if a team will improve its overall mark or have a decline in record, including schedule difficulty, emerging freshmen, injuries, while some teams – like Alabama and LSU – are seemingly always outstanding regardless of their experience.  However, based on the results over the last three seasons, there seems to be a correlation between a substantial amount of returning experience and an improved record by season's end, and vice versa.

Based on Georgia's relatively high experience of 68, should the Bulldog Nation expect an improvement from a 10-4 record a year ago? 

In my opinion, likely yes – that is, if Georgia was like most programs in the conference.  However, over the last several years – take 2010 for example – the unpredictable Bulldogs have been like a box of chocolates, and we all know what Forrest Gump said about it... 

Flashback to UGA's "Four Horsemen"

Georgia's Four Horsemen: No. 33 Ellis, No. 38 
Worley, No. 30 Henderson, and No. 7 Hampton.

Tim Worley and I are trying to coordinate a book signing together for this fall.  For those of you who don't remember Worley, he was a first-team All-American in 1988, the 7th overall selection of the 1989 NFL Draft, and still remains one of the most talented tailbacks ever at Georgia, despite appearing in just 26 regular-season games. 

Tim was kind enough to write the foreword for my upcoming book on the Georgia-Florida rivalry.  In two games against the Gators, he rushed for 239 combined yards, averaged 8.2 yards per carry, and scored three touchdowns.  In 2007,  Worley's success against Florida in 1985 and 1988 propelled him into the Georgia-Florida Hall of Fame.

Notably, Worley also belonged to another exclusive group as a Bulldog; one formed around this time 24 years ago and not quite as celebrated as Notre Dame's version from 64 years beforehand – UGA's Four Horsemen.

Despite the loss of the school's second leading all-time career rusher, Lars Tate, Georgia entered its 1988 season still very much loaded at its running back positions.  As mere freshmen the year before, tailback Rodney Hampton and fullback Alphonso Ellis had rushed for nearly a combined 1,200 yards.  Juniors fullback Keith Henderson and tailback Worley, who ranked first and second respectively on the team in rushing as freshmen in 1985, spent a year at an Oklahoma junior college following academic troubles at UGA.  The two returned to Georgia in 1988, and along with Hampton and Ellis, plus sophomore Brian Cleveland and freshman Larry Ware, the Bulldogs exhibited a stable of backs likely never showcased by a previous Georgia team.

With all of this depth in the backfield, some wondered how often Bulldog quarterbacks senior Wayne Johnson and freshman Greg Talley would need to pass the football during the '88 campaign, if at all. 

With the 2012 opening game looming, I thought it would be appropriate to mention when my friend, Tim, and his trio of teammates made their grand debut as Horsemen in a season opener on national TV against 18th-ranked Tennessee in Athens.  It was certainly a night to remember... (...and no, not only since it would be another 12 years before the Dogs would topple the Vols again).

In the 28-17 victory over Tennessee, the Bulldogs might have had a difficult time stopping the Vols' passing game, allowing quarterback Jeff Francis to throw for 354 yards.  However, Georgia more than made up for its defensive deficiency by gaining a whopping 414 yards on the ground, 400 of which were totaled by the Four Horsemen: 

HAMPTON:     23 carries, 196 yards, 2 TDs

WORLEY:       23 carries, 144 yards, 2 TDs

HENDERSON: 11 carries, 60 yards

ELLIS:            1 carry, 0 yards (but NINE knockdown blocks) 

"That [team rushing performance] let people know that we have the horses in the backfield (no pun intended?) and some horses on the line and that we're going to come at you," said Worley after game. "That's what we did tonight. The holes were wide open."

As for quarterbacks Johnson and Talley, they were indeed hardly needed, passing for a combined 25 yards.

For the season, with Worley carrying the bulk of the load, the Four Horsemen combined to rush for 2,453 yards (6.0 yards per rush!), gain 3,541 in all-purpose yardage, and were responsible for 32 touchdowns.  Individually, a Heisman Trophy campaign was started for Worley in early October while he was still a backup at tailback to Hampton; it was believed to be the first time ever a reserve was touted for the coveted trophy. 

At the conclusion of the 1988 season, Worley and Henderson turned pro a year early, while Ellis' role would greatly diminish over his final two years, leaving the Bulldogs with just one Horsemen, Hampton, in 1989. 

While for four years, Notre Dame's Four Horsemen "rode again...outlined against a blue-gray October sky," according to famed sportswriter Grantland Rice, Georgia's version rode away after just a single season.

Rare Northeastern Exposure

Over the weekend, my young nephew and I were discussing the Bulldogs' upcoming season opener.  "Where is Buffalo at anyway, Pat?" he asked.  Admittedly, Uncle Pat had to think for a moment before my answer of it being located in New York State, near Canada.  "Man, Buffalo is going to have to travel from way up there to get to Athens!" my nephew declared.

Way up there is the northeastern portion of the United States – a section of our country where few schools have traveled south to face Georgia in Sanford Stadium.  The Bulldogs' first encounter with a northeastern team in Athens was the very first game ever played at Sanford Stadium and one of the most celebrated affairs in Georgia history – the 15-0 victory over visiting Yale in 1929.  Given to me by Coach Dooley, I once had video from this momentous game posted here at my blog before the "powers that be" took it down, along with more than 40 other of my videos.  But don't get me started...

Here's a second attempt to post, and not lose, more than 8 minutes of rather rare video:

The Buffalo game one month from tomorrow will mark only the second occasion a visitor from New York and just the 12th time a team from the Northeast has played the Bulldogs in Athens.  If you exclude schools from Pennsylvania –  and it's personally difficult for me to think of Pennsylvania as a northeastern state, but it is, according to the Census Bureau – Buffalo is just the sixth college football program from the Northeast to venture to UGA.

The losers of the first five Georgia-Northeast meetings in Athens were all held scoreless.  However, in the Bulldogs' sixth game ever at home against a northeastern squad, the host and Boston College squared off in 1951 in what would result in an intersectional shootout.  The Eagles, who entered with a 14-game winless streak, found themselves trailing 14-0 early on.  Nevertheless, freshman quarterback Jim Kane directed BC to three consecutive touchdowns against Georgia, who had been ranked 13th in the nation just three weeks beforehand.

The Bulldogs had their own young standout under center – sophomore Zeke Bratkowski.  "The Brat" would rally the team to a thrilling 35-28 come-from-behind victory, throwing for 245 yards on 14-of-27 passing, including two scoring bombs of 76 and 54 yards to Harry Babcock, occurring within three minutes of one another.

In 1970, the NCAA voted to increase most teams' regular-season schedules from facing 10 foes to 11 beginning the following year.  In a scramble to find extra opposition, Georgia scheduled a lowly Pittsburgh program for the 1973 season opener and again two years later.  However, by the time the Panthers came to town, they were on the verge of more than a decade of prosperity, and their successful era all began by tying the Bulldogs in a 7-7 shocker as a 17-point underdog.  In 1975, Pittsburgh pulled another upset in Athens, defeating Georgia 19-9 in Sanford Stadium.

During the decade of the 1980s, the Bulldogs got their revenge against schools from the Northeast, specifically those from Pennsylvania, by beating Temple three times in a nine-season span by a scoring margin of 30 points.  Since the rout of the Owls in 1989, it will have been nearly a quarter-century entering the 2012 campaign that Georgia hosted an opponent from way up there.

Prior to Buffalo, the Bulldogs are 8-2-1 all time versus northeastern teams at home:

Defenders (L to R) Jimmy Payne, Landy Ewings,
Tommy Thurson, and Will Forts celebrate during
one of Georgia's three routs of Temple in the '80s.

1989- Temple (Won, 37-10)
1983- Temple (Won, 31-14)

1981- Temple (Won, 49-3)

1975- Pittsburgh (Lost, 19-9)

1973- Pittsburgh (Tied, 7-7)

1951- Boston College (Won, 35-28)

1949- Duquesne (Won, 40-0)

1941- Dartmouth (Won, 35-0)

1939- Holy Cross (Lost, 13-0)

1933- New York Univ. (Won, 25-0)

1929- Yale (Won, 15-0)

Come September 1st, Buffalo will travel to Athens, collect a fat check, and depart like nine of the previous 11 northeastern squads that have entered Sanford Stadium –  without a win.  The Bulls are no Beast of the East like Pitt of the '70s, but more like Temple from a decade later.  Following the probable victory, the Bulldogs will most likely wait another 20+ years until another northeastern football foe comes calling for a rare visit to the Classic City. 

Take Your Shirt Off!

Video of Ray Goff in 1976 with a torn jersey?  Perhaps you'd file this away with the there-is-obviously-little-going-on-if-I'm-posting-this posts:

Regardless, I was recently reading Willie Morris' The Courting of Marcus Dupree (I mentioned my fascination with Dupree a couple of years ago) and read where an actual "game plan" against Dupree by an opposing high school coach in the early-80s was for his defenders to purposely tug at Dupree's tear-away jersey.  A tattered Dupree jersey would mean the extraordinary running back would be forced out of the game for a play or two in order to don a new jersey, and one or two plays without Marcus Dupree on the field was a good thing for the opposition.

After reading this fascinating fact, I recalled Georgia's days of wearing the old tear-aways.  Apparently, the Bulldogs began sporting the tear-away jerseys  in the mid-70s, but I personally only remember Herschel racing around in 1980 with his shirt flapping in the breeze.  Less than a year ago, Derek Dooley remembered Herschel's tear-away jersey as well, and less than three months ago, someone actually paid more than $2,000 for one of the Goal Line Stalker's tattered tops.

Whether in 1975 (photo) or a year later 
vs. GA Tech, Ray Goff had a tough time
keeping his top intact against the Jackets. 

But ask the little older Bulldog fans and many will tell you they associate the old tear-away jerseys with Ray Goff.  While quarterbacking Georgia from 1974 to 1976, Goff was known for his devotion to the Lord, his love of professional wrestling (a former teammate of the quarterback's recently told me that Goff loved going to the "wrastling" matches in college at Athens' J&J Center), and a football jersey that would seemingly be shredded by opposing defenses at least a couple times each game. 

Alas, the NFL would eventually establish the "Greg Pruitt Rule," banning the use of tear-away jerseys and named after the Cleveland Brown back, who evidently would bring dozens of these mesh jerseys to games, leaving would-be tacklers with just a handful of fabric.  In 1982, the NCAA followed suit, citing besides giving players an advantage and safety concerns, the torn tops were simply an eye-sore.  As one college football official remarked, "It just looked bad.  Guys were running around on the field in rags."

Still, the tear-aways apparently have a place in UGA football history.  On Goff's 3-yard touchdown run in a 13-10 victory over Georgia Tech in 1976 (the middle clip of the video), it's clear he likely would not have scored if not for his tear-away jersey.  And, as at least the Yellow Jacket faithful contend, if Goff doesn't score, the Bulldogs would not have, and a 13-10 Bulldog win would've been a loss instead.

An Historical Opening Act

As I've indicated before, the opening game of the 2012 season versus Buffalo is significant in the annals of UGA football as the contest will mark the 40th anniversary of the first African Americans – Horace King, Larry West, and Chuck Kinnebrew – to appear in a varsity football game for the Bulldogs.  But in addition, the 1972 season opener against Baylor was somewhat of an historical event for other reasons, as well.

Georgia's 24-14 affair with Baylor in 1972 was significant for
reasons other than a victory over the presumed-lowly Bears. 

Before we know it, this year's freshman class will report to campus for its initial collegiate football practice.  It wasn't too terribly long ago that this annual event simply signified the formation of UGA's freshman Bullpups squad, little more.  However, this all changed in early January of 1972 when the NCAA voted to allow true freshmen to participate in varsity football and basketball going forward; Bullpups could now also be Bulldogs. 

At the time, the Southeastern Conference opposed the ruling, as did UGA athletic director Joel Eaves and head football coach Vince Dooley. 

"Freshmen just aren't ready [to play football]," said Dooley in April 1972.  "It's a poor rule."

Nevertheless, two days prior to the Baylor game on September 16, 1972, eight of Georgia's more than 40 incoming freshmen were told they would dress out as varsity members against the Bears.

The Bulldogs were coming off an 11-1 campaign in 1971, were preseason ranked 17th in the nation, and considered a darkhorse contender for the national title.  On the other hand, 28-point underdog Baylor had slumped to a 1-9 record the year before and was led by a first-year young Bear coach in his 30s, who had just spent three seasons at Angelo State – Grant Teaff.

There was no doubt Dooley would get  to play all eight freshmen; in fact, some questioned why the coach didn't dress out all 40+ in what was assumed to be a blowout victory. 

Speaking of blowout, notably, the 1972 Baylor game is also significant as it represents one of the biggest failed pranks in UGA football history.  Around 4:30 AM the morning of the game, or more than nine hours prior to kickoff, as the Bears players slept, their Athens motel received an early-morning phone call in attempt to disrupt their sleep. 

"There's a bomb due to go off in your hotel in a few minutes," said the caller.

Come to find out, and as one would expect, there was no bomb planted in the motel.  But not nearly as obvious was who was more senseless: the prank caller, who phoned the motel wing where the Bears were not staying, or the police, who would later tell the press that the bomb threat "apparently came from a Georgia fan."

A Georgia fan?  You're kidding...  Anyway, the Bears apparently got plenty of sleep that night as they trailed the four-touchdown-favored Bulldogs by only four points late in the third quarter, 10-6. 

What about the eight dressed-out freshmen?  According to frosh quarterback Ralph Page, "all of us got to play." 

After the Bulldogs added two quick touchdowns for an 18-point lead, Dooley began inserting the freshmen in an eventual 24-14 victory.  After the win, Page added that his upperclass teammates "were a lot nicer in the game than they are around [McWhorter Hall]." 

In '72 vs. Baylor, Harrison became the
first Bulldog true frosh since 1953 to run the
ball in a varsity game – an achievement
currently not acknowledged by UGA.  

The following are the eight freshmen of '72, who each saw action in their first game as a Bulldog.  You may recognize some of the names: Joe T. continues to this day to work within the program, Steve Wilson would play 10 years in the NFL, while Glynn Harrison's 2,031 career rushing yards ranked 2nd in UGA history (only behind Frank Sinkwich) upon his departure from the school in 1975.

DG- Jim Baker (Columbus, GA)

DT- Cooper Gunby (Thomson, GA)

RB- Glynn Harrison (Decatur, GA)

  C- Will Legg (Athens, GA)

QB- Ralph Page (Mobile, AL)

LB- Stan Tedder (Lawrenceville, GA)    

TE- Joe Tereshinski (Washington, D.C.)

OT- Steve Wilson (Macon, GA) 

Speaking of "Gliding" Glynn, Georgia credits him with 2,026 career rushing yards, mistakenly omitting the five yards he gained on two rushes as a true freshman in 1972; both carries coming against Baylor. 

In its record-keeping, UGA apparently had a difficult time in recognizing the efforts of its true freshmen.  Its head football coach, on the other hand, did not.

"The best two hits I saw all day were by freshmen [Stan Tedder and Jim Baker]," Dooley said after the game. 

Whether by the end of the '72 Baylor game or eight years later when an 18-year-old named Herschel arrived on campus, Dooley most certainly had a change of heart regarding freshman eligibility as a "poor rule," but rather believed that some freshmen are indeed ready to play football.  

If Murray's NOT a "Gamer," what Dawg was?

Georgia's loss to MSU in the Outback Bowl dropped
Aaron Murray's "Big Game" record to 0 and 9.

"Aaron Murray makes me nervous," a friend of mine said the other day.  He then went further, stating that of all the Georgia quarterbacks that started for at least two seasons, the last one that made him more nervous – the one he trusted the least when he lined up under center for the Bulldogs – was, in his words, "well... probably Greg Talley."  (By the way, I think two seasons was his benchmark so Joe Cox couldn't be considered.)

For those of you who remember Greg Talley from the late-1980s/early-1990s, that was a strong statement, and presumably a slight exaggeration, by my friend.

"Murray is not a gamer," my friend continued, "he hasn't won a single big game."

His opinion is certainly nothing new; Murray's production against formidable competition has often been criticized.  There has been much discussion on how Murray lights it up against the cupcake opposition, but crumbles in the big games.

But, this leads me to ask, what exactly is a "big game"?  And, after defining it, does Murray's performances in such contests differ much from the Bulldog signal callers that came before him?

So, after some thought and discussion, my friend and I finally decided on our opinion of what exactly is a BIG GAME: any bowl opponent, an SEC title foe, a team ranked in the AP's top 15 entering the game, and/or a meeting where the Bulldogs entered as underdogs.

Under such conditions, I discovered Georgia had played in NINE "big games" in 2010 and 2011 combined, all under the direction of Murray: South Carolina (underdog), Arkansas (top 15), Miss. State (underdog), Auburn (top 15, underdog), and Central Florida (bowl) in 2010, and Boise State (top 15, underdog), South Carolina (top 15, underdog), LSU (SECC, top 15, underdog), and Michigan State (bowl, top 15) in 2011.

And, under these conditions, my friend was correct in his assessment – Murray has indeed yet to win a big game, going 0-9 thus far in his career, while he is 16-2 against other opponents.  Perhaps as telling, Murray has a remarkable passer rating of 161.20 versus the weaker competition, but 131.16, or a decrease of nearly 20 percent, in big games:

BIG GAMES: 131.16 rating (154 of 275, 56%, 2125 yards, 14 TD, 9 int)

OTHERS:      161.20 rating (447 of 745, 60%, 6198 yards, 59 TD, 22 int)

Based on my friend's comments, I decided to go back when the Bulldogs first began to really open up their passing game, which started ironically right after Talley, beginning with Eric Zeier in 1991.  Of the six Georgia quarterbacks from then to the present, who were considered starters for at least two seasons, I discovered their career starting records in "big games":

Of Zeier's five "big" wins at UGA,
FOUR resulted as a freshman in '91.

MATTHEW STAFFORD, 7-3 (.700)

DAVID GREENE, 11-6 (.647)

*MIKE BOBO, 4-4 (.500)

QUINCY CARTER, 4-6 (.400)

*ERIC ZEIER, 5-9-1 (.367)

AARON MURRAY, 0-9 (.000)

*Considered are two big games of Zeier's (Alabama and Clemson in '91) and one of Bobo (Auburn in '96), where the two quarterbacks didn't actually start the games; however, in each case, they played for nearly the entire contest.

I then felt it would be interesting to figure the other five Bulldogs' passer ratings in only big games compared to Murray's 131.16 big-game rating, and was somewhat shocked to see our current signal caller go from the bottom of a list to the top:

AARON MURRAY, 131.16

MIKE BOBO, 129.96

MATTHEW STAFFORD, 129.56

DAVID GREENE, 125.36

ERIC ZEIER, 121.28

QUINCY CARTER, 116.50

So, I thought, our beloved Murray is 0-9 in big games, yet he has the best Bulldog big-game passer rating over the last 20+ years???  Maybe our boy has gotten a bad rap; perhaps Murray's winless record in big games over the past two seasons has been little fault of his own, but rather that of his teammates and coaches.

On the contrary, the typical football stat geek, like myself, will tell you that passer ratings nowadays are a tad inflated from those of yesteryear; Murray's rating shouldn't be compared to those from a decade or so ago, especially Zeier's from the early-90s.  Also, what does a quarterback's passer rating exactly show besides how "efficient" one is at passing?  And, some would argue it really isn't much indicative of that...

However, in comparing quarterbacks' passing performances against big-game foes and non-big game opposition, what might be indicative of big-game production is any drop-off in passing efficiency –  the six quarterbacks' passer-rating decrease in non-big games to big games:

MATTHEW STAFFORD, -3.9 percent

MIKE BOBO, -10.7 percent

DAVID GREENE, -13.3 percent

QUINCY CARTER, -13.7 percent

ERIC ZEIER, -17.1 percent

AARON MURRAY, -18.6 percent

If you're confused by all of this statistical mumbo jumbo, I'm sure you're not alone.  Even I got a little lost just now reading over what I had typed.  Regardless, what's clear from the third set of rankings is that Stafford, for example, was a steady passing performer, whether playing in big games or against weaker competition.  Throw in the fact that he won 70 percent of his big games – the first set of rankings – and there is little doubt Stafford was a "gamer" during his Bulldog career.  Based on this analysis, the same could be said for Greene, and even Bobo to some degree.

As far as Murray, so far, not so much.

The junior quarterback's 0-9 record in big games is obviously not his entire fault.  Some of the blame can certainly fall on the others surrounding him.  However, what's revealing is Murray's drop in performance when facing tougher competition; he can be mostly to blame for this unfortunate trend.

Perhaps fortunately for the Bulldogs and Murray, their next "big game" might not come until the sixth game of the year at South Carolina, and maybe not until a possible early-December date in the Georgia Dome.  Unfortunately for Aaron Murray, until he finally wins a big game, there are some in the Bulldog Nation, like my friend, who will continue to group him with those former quarterbacks, like Greg Talley, who may have made some of us "nervous."

But say what you will about Talley, although he was the loser of five, he did win TWO "big games" as a Bulldog...

A True Classic in Pictures

Georgia, 10 to 7, but as the marvelous Munson
proclaimed, There's alotta time!

Recently, I was at my parents house just outside of Athens when my mother handed me a historic UGA football treasure – the 1975 Georgia-Florida radio broadcast.  In anticipation of my upcoming book release on the Bulldogs-Gators rivalry, my former dentist, and a reader of this blog, handed my parents the 10-7 Georgia momentous victory in Jacksonville to pass along to me.

You're kidding...  For a Georgia football history nerd like myself, it was instantly Christmas in July!

For most of us Bulldog enthusiasts, the lone moment we've heard from the broadcast is the great Richard Appleby-to-Gene Washington 80-yard touchdown pass, which "won" Georgia the game.  However, as I've mentioned here a couple of times before, there was a ton of time remaining after the memorable end-around touchdown play.  The Gators would have possession of the ball TWICE more and even made a game-tying field-goal attempt with nearly one minute left.

I've cut the final 5+ minutes of the '75 Georgia-Florida meeting, which is just over 26 minutes of broadcast, and arranged it with about a dozen photos – all but the final two taken from the actual game.  Warning: Albeit some of my comments might be a tad lame and/or not positioned properly with the broadcast (please excuse my first attempt using Windows Movie Maker), I've added a little commentary to help you follow one of the great upsets for the Bulldogs in recent memory.

Most significantly, you'll hear the electrifying play by play of the legendary Larry Munson, who was in only his tenth year as "Voice of the Bulldogs."  Included is a classic request by Munson, which I would guess few remember or have even heard before, but has to be one of the greatest lines ever declared on any football radio broadcast...

On another note, I was introduced to the GATA News Net for UGA blogs over the weekend.  Admittedly, I almost disregarded their email before deciding to read it and visiting their site.  I recommend checking out the site and registering, after which I would appreciate you placing my blog in your top-10 listing.

Also, I will be receiving my Georgia-Florida book copies within the next two-to-three weeks.  In bookstores, the 320-page "handy manual as to why we love the Georgia Bulldogs and why we hate the Florida Gators" will cost you around $16 after taxes.  But, by visiting my site and emailing, I will send you a copy for $14 with free shipping (and, if you can bear it, my free signature).  Although my book is not quite the Georgia-Florida treasure as the video above, it will make a great Get-Ready-For-Football-Season gift for the Bulldog, or two, or ten, in your life!  

Easy, Peasy... Is Georgia's schedule really THAT Measly?

Although Georgia's schedule appears to be
only this difficult, there seemingly have recently
been others in the SEC even easier. 

Even more so than Georgia returning maybe one of its best defenses in history, Aaron Murray as a darkhorse Heisman Trophy candidate, or the Bulldogs possibly being in the running for a national title by season's end, the chatter about the team's upcoming and supposedly simple schedule has mostly been the talk of the preseason by the pundits.

We've all heard the same ole babble: the Dogs face lowly non-conference foes Buffalo, Florida Atlantic, and Georgia Southern.  They avoid having to play LSU, Alabama, and Arkansas out of the SEC West, while the East division appears to be "down" for another season.  Recently, ESPN's and UGA alum Mark Schlabach went as far as declaring he was "on record" for asserting the Bulldogs had the "easiest schedule in the history of the SEC."

Wow!  The "easiest schedule" ever, while having to face Missouri on the road in the Tigers' first SEC game in history, South Carolina at Columbia, and Auburn on the Plains.  Tennessee and Florida aren't the Vols and Gators of the 1990s, but they are both evidently going to be better than they were a year ago.  While Georgia Tech is one opponent Georgia should certainly defeat but, as has been the case of late, is a reputable foe.

Beginning with last season and going back, I decided to go on an SEC schedule search, of sorts, to discover if Georgia was indeed about to play the easiest opposition in the history of a conference that will be celebrating its 80th year.  In reality, I only had to go back a handful of seasons before uncovering several schedules of SEC members which appeared as manageable as the Bulldogs' upcoming slate, if not easier:

(Only regular-season opponents are considered and, when ranked teams are mentioned, recognized are AP-ranked opponents at the end of the season.)

   

2010- Kentucky: Albeit top-ranked Auburn, the Wildcats faced just one team ranked higher than 15th, and that was at home...The non-conference schedule was made up of Louisville, Akron, Western Kentucky, and I-AA Charleston Southern...Eight of Kentucky's 12 regular-season opponents finished their respective regular seasons with non-winning records.

2008- Alabama: The Crimson Tide opened with an overrated Clemson team, who would finish the year with six losses, while Tulane, Western Kentucky, and Arkansas State rounded out its non-conference slate...Faced just two ranked opponents – No. 13 Georgia and No. 14 Ole Miss...Like Kentucky two years later, eight of Alabama's 12 regular-season opponents finished their respective regular seasons with non-winning records.

2007- Arkansas:  Arkansas faced only three ranked opponents, including No. 15 Auburn at home and a No. 1, but an eventual two-loss, LSU squad, which was looking ahead to the SEC title game and was upset by the Hogs...The Razorbacks' meetings with Troy, North Texas, Chattanooga, and Florida International might be the all-timer of light non-conference schedules.

2005- Auburn:  The Tigers did play three top-10 teams – #6 LSU, #10 Georgia, and #8 Alabama; however, besides those three ranked foes, none of Auburn's eight other regular-season opponents finished the year with better than a 7-5 overall record...Rather weak non-conference schedule of Georgia Tech, Ball State, and Western Kentucky.

2004- Auburn:  Of Auburn's three ranked opponents – #7 Georgia, #13 Tennessee, #16 LSU – two were played at home...Similarly to the following year's Tigers, besides the three ranked foes, none of other eight opponents in 2004 finished their respective regular seasons with a winning record...Besides being downright soft, the non-conference slate of Louisiana-Monroe, The Citadel, and Louisiana Tech would eventually cost undefeated Auburn a chance to play for a national championship.

2004- Alabama:  The Crimson Tide did face second-ranked Auburn (at home), but played no other team ranked higher than 13th nationally...Non-conference schedule consisted of Utah State, Western Carolina, and Southern Mississippi...None of the first seven opponents on the schedule – Utah State, Ole Miss, Western Carolina, Arkansas, South Carolina, Kentucky, and So. Miss –  would finish better than a 6-5 regular-season.

Therefore, in my opinion, Georgia's upcoming schedule for the 2012 season, comparatively speaking, might not be as easy as many make it out to be.  And, for what it's worth, it is certainly not Georgia's easiest schedule since the school has been a member of the SEC.  That distinction may be reserved for another celebrated Dogs team.

Even the simplest of easy schedules
couldn't keep Coach Dooley and his
Dogs from a national title in 1980.

By the end of Georgia's 1980 national championship season, the Bulldogs' schedule, in earning little respect, had been laughed at and ridiculed.  Not having to face Alabama, Miss. State, or LSU, the six SEC foes Georgia did play were the bottom six teams in the conference standings.  Its five regular-season non-conference opponents averaged only four victories each for the year.  No regular-season Bulldog opponent ended with a record better than 8-4, while not a single foe finished ranked in the final AP Poll. 

Even the Bulldogs' Sugar Bowl opponent for the national title, Notre Dame, had received a premature invite prior to an early-December defeat, and slumped into New Orleans ranked only 7th in the nation.

Still, after the victory over the Fighting Irish, there was little debate on who was the best team in the country.  Following the win, standout offensive guard Tim Morrison was asked by a media member if there was any doubt Georgia was not the best team in the nation; he so eloquently responded:

"Hell, no.  We’re going to get respect now. We’re the only 12-0 team in the country, and by God, we’re No. 1."

Point is, whether in 2012 or more than 30 years before, it really doesn't matter the schedule difficulty of a team from the SEC.  As long as you take care of business by winning all of your regular-season games, come the postseason, any SEC member will find itself with a shot at the number-one ranking.

That is, by God, unless you're Auburn from several years ago.