Counting the Days – Day 89

Dave McMahon and Patrick Garbin

Welcome to our countdown! We went through all the days in the 90s, and now we are getting ready to countdown the 80s. In 89 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 of why that number is special to the Dawgs. Athens legendary band R.E.M. had a song called “Pop Song 89,” which mentions the lyrics “Should we talk about the government?” Although it is probably important, right now, I am scared to, so I rather talk about the Bulldogs... If you are the same way, you can talk about it at The Dawgvent, mentioning your memories about these 89 memories, or those that you come up with on your own.

3 – Yesterday, I wrote about Robert Geathers and how he was a good player for the Dawgs, and even better NFL player. I can say the same thing about number 89 from 1992 to 1995: Phillip Daniels, a starting defensive tackle, linebacker and defensive end at Georgia. He had 244 career tackles, including 12 sacks throughout his college career, and either led or tied for the team lead in sacks in 1994 and 1995. He had a lot more sacks in the NFL, totaling 62 sacks from 1996 to 2010 for the Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins. This offseason he has joined the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff as the team’s defensive quality control/assistant defensive line coach.

2 – Last season, Georgia averaged just over 37 rushes a game with a high of 52 rushes against Kentucky. In the 2000s, the most rushes Georgia rushed for in a game were 58 in 2014 against Missouri. Back in 1967 in another game against Kentucky, the Georgia rushing attack ran 89 times (they threw the ball 16 times), which remains the SEC record. Against the Wildcats in '67, Georgia’s ground game was led by of Ronnie Jenkins, Kent Lawrence and quarterback Kirby Moore.

1 – Many Bulldogs are surprised that the longest touchdown rush in school history is not by Herschel Walker. Heck, he doesn’t even have a touchdown run ranking in the top-20 in Georgia history. The longest touchdown rush by a Bulldog is 89 yards, and is held by two players: Johnny Griffith, who Patrick discusses below, and freshman Tim Worley in 1985. That season, Worley was part of a star-studded backfield which included Lars Tate and Keith Henderson. For the Cocktail Party, the Florida Gators came into the game ranked number one for the first time in school history. Obviously, Georgia did not care, outrushing Florida 344 to 28, and winning by the score of 24-3. Early in the game, Keith Henderson was the star with 76 and 32-yard touchdown runs. But, in the fourth quarter and with about five minutes left, it was Worley’s turn. On second down from the 11-yard line, he got a pitch and followed his blockers to the right, then turned inside and outran the Gator defenders for the 89-yard score. Worley would end his Georgia career with 2,038 yards rushing, but these 89 might have been his biggest:

89 – by Patrick Garbin

3 – 89 represents the school career record held by JOHN LASTINGER (1979, 1981-1983) for overall winning percentage by a starting quarterback. Starting all but one game during the 1982 and 1983 seasons, Lastinger’s record was 20-2-1, or a record winning percentage of 89.1, slightly edging his predecessor Buck Belue’s (27-4 from 1979-1981) 87.1 percentage. Now, only quarterbacks with at least 20 starts are considered. As for the Bulldogs’ all-time winningest quarterback with, let’s say, at least only four starts, and in regards to Georgia’s “drop-back quarterback era” (since 1944), the record-holder would be Brian Smith, who was a perfect 4-0 in starts in 1995 and 1996.

2 – 89 was the number of yards JOHNNY GRIFFTH rushed for resulting in a touchdown against Furman on October 26, 1946, marking the longest rush (since tied) from scrimmage by a Bulldog during the modern era. Say what you will about Griffith as Georgia’s head coach from 1961-1963. Still, as a player, he was a fast-maneuvering and quick back out of the old Boys High School (now, Grady High School) in Atlanta, who was talented enough to see time at Georgia as a true freshman—albeit, for a single carry. That’s right, not only was Griffith’s 89-yard rush his only carry in 1946 (and the second-longest rush in all of NCAA football that year), but it would be the only time he touched the football his entire Bulldog career. The ultimate “one-play wonder” in UGA football history played behind the likes of Charley Trippi, John Donaldson, Charles “Rabbit” Smith, Eli Maricich, Joe Geri, and must I keep going? Therefore, the newcomer was fortunate to see any playing time at all. And, following his freshman campaign, whereby Griffth reportedly moved down the field skillfully for the 89-yard touchdown with a bad knee, he transferred to South Georgia College in Douglas. There, he starred as a running back for the Tigers with the notion that he would eventually leave the junior college and return to UGA—which indeed he would do in 1949 but, of all things, when he became the Bulldogs’ head freshman track and field coach.

1 – 89 is for No. 89 CHARLEY WHITTEMORE who, in 1968, became UGA varsity football’s first “pure” receiver, lining up almost exclusively split out from the offensive line. Before then, all Georgia receivers were like today’s tight ends, predominantly lining up tight near the line. In being recognized as an SEC All-Sophomore selection in 1968, and an honorable mention All-SEC honoree in 1969 and 1970, Whittemore amassed 114 receptions for 1,680 yards and 11 touchdowns—career numbers which, by today’s standards, might be considered a moderate achievement. But, as far as percentage of his teams’ totals, and when compared to, for example, Georgia’s all-time leading receiver, Terrence Edwards: Whittemore tallied 33 percent of Georgia’s receptions from 1968-1970, 35 percent of his teams’ receiving yardage, and 46 percent of their touchdown receptions; whereas Edwards’ receiving percentages are respectively 24, 27, and 33 percent. More so, whether as a player, assistant coach, or administrative staff member, Whittemore spent 45 years associated with the UGA athletic department until his recent retirement in 2015.