Counting the Days – Day 76

Dave McMahon and Patrick Garbin

Welcome to our countdown! Over three weeks ago, this countdown began and we hope you are enjoying it. In 76 days, Georgia will be facing North Carolina at the Georgia Dome. Each day leading up to the season opener, Patrick Garbin and I will each show three unique and creative ways why we feel that number is special to the Dawgs. “76 Trombones” was the signature song in the play, and the movie, The Music Man. I never saw the play, but I remember watching the movie as a little kid, and seeing Buddy Hackett playing a tuba. I thought it was funny. Good memories are always fun, and we hope these memories about “76” regarding Georgia football are fun for you, as well:

By Dave McMahon

3 – Occurring up in Knoxville in 1980, seemingly everyone knows about Herschel Walker’s first game of his collegiate career. But, what about the second one? Towards the end of the Texas A&M game at Sanford Stadium, which was also the first contest since 1963 Georgia wore “silver britches” (at least fans don’t talk about uniform changes anymore, right???), Walker put an exclamation point on a blowout victory by rushing for a 76-yard touchdown. He had 21 rushing attempts for 145 yards that day versus the Aggies, and his 76-yard touchdown would be the longest run of his career. Actually, Walker would equal his long with another 76-yard run, coming against South Carolina a few games later. That afternoon, it was a battle of great running backs (Herschel Walker vs. George Rogers). Rogers would win the Heisman Trophy that year, but Herschel essentially won the Georgia-South Carolina game, and eventually the National Championship. On the 76-yarder against the Gamecocks, he simply outraced the entire defense. And, just in case you missed it, here it is at the 52:50 mark as called by Keith Jackson:

2 – Yesterday, I mentioned the great Bill Stanfill as one of the Georgia defenders that wreaked havoc in the backfield, destroying Steve Spurrier and the Florida Gators in 1966. Stanfill was not alone that afternoon in Jacksonville as “The General” was also responsible for the chaos. No. 76 George Patton was an All-SEC honoree for three years at defensive tackle, and an All-American in 1965 and 1966. A native of Tuscumbia, Alabama (yet Georgia lured him, and not Bear Bryant nor Shug Jordan), Patton came to Georgia as a quarterback but, on his first varsity play as a defender, he knocked Alabama’s Joe Namath down for an 8-yard loss. In his final game at Georgia, he finally got to play quarterback for a series during a 24-9 win over SMU in the 1966 Cotton Bowl.

1 – After making three receptions during his freshman season of 1992, Brice Hunter had 76 catches the following year. The 76 receptions in 1993 broke the Georgia single-season record, and still remains tops in school history. Second place in a season at Georgia is 59 receptions held by two individuals (one being Hunter and the other, Terrence Edwards). Of the 76 catches, Hunter made 10 against both Southern Miss and Auburn. Including nine touchdowns, the 76 receptions went for 970 receiving yards.

By Patrick Garbin

3—76 was the staggering number of points Georgia scored in its next-to-last game of 1958 vs. THE CITADEL with a 76-0 victory in Athens. After enduring three consecutive losses, the Bulldogs limited the visiting Dogs to minus-20 rushing yards, which remains the fifth-lowest number of rushing yards yielded by Georgia in the modern era. The Citadel had a difficult time passing, as well, completing 7 of 26 passes for only 59 yards. Their 39 total yards still ranks as the lowest single-game amount allowed by Georgia since statistics began being officially kept. As for the home Bulldogs’ offense, whereby five different quarterbacks attempted passes and 17 different ball-carriers ran the ball, it rolled up 520 total yards. Coming off the bench in reserve, sophomore quarterback Fran Tarkenton was responsible for 26 of Georgia’s 76 points, completing all three of his passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns (and throwing for a two-point conversion), while rushing four times for 58 yards and two touchdowns.

2—76 was the number of yards covered by halfback BOBBY DELLINGER on a “sterling” run for a touchdown against Miami (Fla.) in the Orange Bowl on a Friday night in early December of 1952. After he had recently made a 32-yard reception for a touchdown, and the Hurricanes then turned the ball over on downs giving Georgia possession at its own 24-yard line, Dellinger was handed the ball on the first play of the second quarter, whereupon he broke over tackle, ran through defenders, and then shot down the sidelines. Around Miami’s 10-yard line, it appeared the long jaunt would be stopped short of the goal line until end John Carson made what was called the “block of the year,” allowing Dellinger to complete the 76-yard score, giving the Bulldogs a 14-0 lead in an eventual 35-13 victory. For the young halfback, who essentially just played the ’52 season for the Bulldogs, it would be the highlight of his Georgia career as Dellinger’s career rushing minus the 76-yarder was 277 yards and 3.7 yards per carry.

1—76 is for No. 76 offensive tackle-guard TIM MORRISON who, by God, was part of a No. 1-ranked team. The Live Oak, Fla. native immediately contended for a starting job along Georgia’s offensive line as a mere true freshman in 1977, but couldn’t get past part-time starting status because of repeated injuries. Finally, as a junior in 1979, Morrison starred at right tackle and, then for 1980, was moved to right guard, whereupon he earned unanimous First Team All-SEC honors and was selected Second Team All-American, along with freshman Herschel Walker, by the Football News (and, yes, you read that right: in 1980, a media outlet actually put Herschel on its All-America second team, choosing Nebraska’s Jarvis Redwine instead for its first team). Nevertheless, and above any personal accolades, Morrison was approached following Georgia’s win over Notre Dame in the 1981 Sugar Bowl, which completed a perfect 12-0 campaign—an unscathed season, but one whereby the Bulldogs had often been chastised for facing what appeared to be an undemanding schedule. Morrison was asked if there were any doubt that Georgia, despite its apparently light schedule, was not the best team in the nation: “Hell, no,” he replied. “We’re going to get respect now. We’re the only 12-0 team in the country, and by God, we’re No. 1.”