Counting the Days – Day 79

Dave McMahon by Patrick Garbin

Welcome to our countdown!Three weeks ago, this countdown began and we hope you are enjoying it.In 79 days, Georgia will be facing North Carolina at the Georgia Dome.Each day leading up to the season opener, Patrick Garbin and I will show three unique and creative ways why that number is special to the Dawgs.I am not a huge fan of singing shows on TV these days.I have worked on some, and have not liked the work.One show I definitely did not work on was the Belgium version of The Voice.Apparently, one of the show’s hosts at one time was Swiss singer Bastian Baker.In 2013, he had a song called “79 Clinton Street,” which peaked at No. 14 on the Swiss charts.I do not know what that address means in the song, but I do know that 79 Clinton Street is the address of a BBQ restaurant in New York.Speaking of BBQ, I do enjoy some when I watch Georgia football, and I do enjoy some good Georgia football memories.Let’s hope these are good memories for you, as well, as we look back at No. 79.

3 – The 1994 season was a tough one for the Dawgs.They finished 6-4-1, which was actually an improvement from their 5-6 record the season before.Played at Jordan-Hare Stadium, the Auburn game that season had the Tiger faithful more than excited.Head coach Terry Bowden was in his second year on the Plains, and his team had won 20 in a row with him in charge.Georgia was very tough early and led 6-3 after one quarter on two Kanon Parkman field goals, but the Tigers scored 20 consecutive points to lead 23-9 in the third quarter.Late in that stanza, the Bulldogs started a drive at the own nine-yard line and, with just over four minutes left until the final quarter, quarterback Eric Zeier and receiver Juan Daniels teamed up for a 79-yard touchdown.The pass play gave Zeier over 11,000 yards passing in his collegiate career. Later, Zeier found Brice Hunter in the fourth quarter with a short touchdown pass, tying the game at 23-23.With only 13 seconds left, Auburn attempted to win the game with a 44-yard field goal, but missed to the right.

2 – The other 79-yard touchdown pass in UGA football history occurred a little earlier—like, more than 60 years beforehand—when Homer Key connected with Cy Grant for 79 yards and a touchdown against Georgia Tech in Atlanta in 1933. The touchdown and the ensuing extra point were all the points the Bulldogs needed to defeat the Yellow Jackets, 7-6. In addition, they were the only points scored by Georgia in the rivalry in two years since the season before the game had ended in a 0-0 tie.

1 – Wearing No. 79 from 1995 to 1998, Matt Stinchcomb was a two-time All-American and, as a senior, team captain and finalist for the Lombardi Award (lineman). He graduated UGA with a 3.96 grade point average majoring in Business, and was the Campbell Award winner in 1998, awarded by the National Football Foundation to the nation’s best college football player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance. Stinchcomb is also part of Georgia’s Circle of Honor. In 1999, he was drafted in the first round by Oakland, whereby he played seven seasons in the NFL with the Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Stinchcomb currently broadcasts for the ESPN family of networks, primarily with ESPN U and the SEC Network. Along with his brother, Jon, and David Greene, the trio runs the annual “Countdown to Kickoff,” benefitting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. As explained by Anthony Dasher earlier this week, the upcoming event is going to be a little different than in years past.

By Patrick Garbin

1 – Against Oregon State in the 1971 season opener, BUZY ROSENBURG broke a first-quarter scoreless tie by returning a Beavers’ punt 79 yards for a touchdown. On the return, the junior cornerback/returner wove through and leaped over defenders while leaving part of his jersey behind on the Sanford Stadium field. Later in the game, Rosenburg returned a punt 66 yards for another score, and eventually added a 37-yard return in Georgia’s 56-25 victory. For the game, he finished with what remain single-game school records of 202 punt return yards (on five returns) and a 40.4 return average, which currently rank as the third-most and sixth-highest, respectively, all time in the SEC. Also in the history of the conference, Rosenburg is one of only eight players to return two punts for touchdowns in a game.

2 – Having already rushed for three short touchdown runs, averaging from just two yards out, halfback HORACE KING broke off a 79-yard jaunt for a score against Ole Miss in 1974. Finishing with 129 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 13 carries, the UPI Southeastern Back of the Week led the Bulldogs’ to a 49-0 rout—at the time, the worst loss endured by the Rebels in 44 years. King’s four touchdowns tied a single-game modern-day school record set approximately 30 years before (Johnny Cook in 1943 and Rabbit Smith in 1945), which would not be broken until more than 20 years later (Robert Edwards, 1995).

1 – A 205-pound, highly-touted defensive end from LaGrange, Ga., No. 79 WILBUR STROZIER was part of Georgia’s celebrated but ill-fated signing class of 1982, whereby less than half the group (14 of 30) would reach their senior years at Georgia (before one could declare early for the NFL). Switching from defense to offensive line to tight end while routinely battling injuries, his Bulldog career got off to an unstable start. Finally, towards the end of Strozier’s redshirt sophomore season of 1984, he was moved back to the offensive line where he settled in as the team’s starting right tackle. By 1986, the 265-pound tackle was regarded as the Bulldogs’ “most consistent lineman,” elected offensive team captain, and chosen First Team All-American. Strozier, who was said to be the foundation of Georgia’s offensive line in ‘86, was one of only two Bulldogs selected in the 1987 NFL Draft, whereupon he played for Seattle and San Diego as a—wait for it—tight end.