Georgia Bulldogs: Herschel Walker
When 2015 defensive tackle T.D. Moton (Shreveport, La./Calvary Baptist Academy) picked up an offer from Georgia on Thursday, he thought about of a lot of things. He thought about the program’s five national championships and 12 SEC titles. He thought about quarterback Aaron Murray and defensive lineman John Jenkins, two figureheads for the Bulldogs.
Those are names of the present. What first caught Moton’s mind upon getting the offer was a Bulldog of the past -- a player some consider the greatest to put on a Georgia uniform.
Those are names of the present. What first caught Moton’s mind upon getting the offer was a Bulldog of the past -- a player some consider the greatest to put on a Georgia uniform.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
ATHENS, Ga. -- By this point we know what Todd Gurley can do. So if there is untapped potential between the 2012 freshman backfield duo of Gurley and Keith Marshall -- the pair Georgia fans affectionately dubbed “Gurshall” last fall -- we will likely see that progress from Marshall.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
If the world ends, what is Georgia's legacy?
December, 21, 2012
12/21/12
7:30
AM ET
By
David Ching | ESPN.com
You’ve no doubt been flooded with online stories, social media jokes and commentary about the Mayan doomsday scenario that supposedly arrives today, 12/21/12.
Let’s hope it’s not the end of the world as we know it. But just for conversation’s sake, let’s imagine that it is.
Caring about Georgia football would seem fairly trivial at that point, wouldn’t it? But that subject is why we gather here at DawgNation. So if the clock stopped on the Bulldogs program tomorrow, what would have been its legacy?
Although there is no shortage of notable achievements in program history, I’d think any discussion of Georgia football would have to begin with the Herschel Walker era of the early 1980s. The three seasons when Walker -- arguably the best running back in college football history and the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner -- was on campus represent Georgia’s all-time high-water mark.
Let’s hope it’s not the end of the world as we know it. But just for conversation’s sake, let’s imagine that it is.
Caring about Georgia football would seem fairly trivial at that point, wouldn’t it? But that subject is why we gather here at DawgNation. So if the clock stopped on the Bulldogs program tomorrow, what would have been its legacy?
Although there is no shortage of notable achievements in program history, I’d think any discussion of Georgia football would have to begin with the Herschel Walker era of the early 1980s. The three seasons when Walker -- arguably the best running back in college football history and the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner -- was on campus represent Georgia’s all-time high-water mark.
ATHENS, Ga. -- Following its 45-14 win against Georgia Southern on Saturday and a major shakeup atop the BCS rankings, No. 3 Georgia has the ability to play for a BCS championship.
Thanks to big contributions from several players who remain atop this week’s UGA Power Rankings, the Bulldogs (10-1) continued their ascent in the polls by blowing past Georgia Southern (8-3) in the third quarter on Saturday. Now they must handle rival Georgia Tech (6-5) this weekend and the SEC West champion -- most likely No. 2 Alabama (10-1) -- in the SEC championship game to play for a national title for the first time since the early 1980s.
Let’s review the Georgia 10 through 11 games (last week’s rank in parentheses):
Thanks to big contributions from several players who remain atop this week’s UGA Power Rankings, the Bulldogs (10-1) continued their ascent in the polls by blowing past Georgia Southern (8-3) in the third quarter on Saturday. Now they must handle rival Georgia Tech (6-5) this weekend and the SEC West champion -- most likely No. 2 Alabama (10-1) -- in the SEC championship game to play for a national title for the first time since the early 1980s.
Let’s review the Georgia 10 through 11 games (last week’s rank in parentheses):
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Game breakdown: Ga. Southern vs. UGA
November, 16, 2012
11/16/12
12:20
PM ET
By
David Ching | ESPN.com
NO. 6 (FCS) GEORGIA SOUTHERN AT NO. 5 (FBS) GEORGIA
Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
Sanford Stadium, Athens, Ga.
WSB-TV (Atlanta)/ESPN3
Records: Georgia 9-1 (7-1 SEC), Georgia Southern 8-2 (6-2 SoCon)
Last week: Georgia beat Auburn 38-0, Georgia Southern beat Howard 69-26
What’s the Story?: After clinching the SEC East title last week for the second straight season, Georgia has a pair of out-of-division games against untraditional offensive teams -- Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech, both of which feature run-heavy option attacks -- to complete the regular season. Containing those offenses will be a headache for the Bulldogs, who only recently started to peak on defense after struggling for most of the first half of the season.
Five headlines: Check out our recap of this week’s biggest storylines from Thursday.
Players to watch:
Georgia
1. John Jenkins: The massive defensive lineman and his cohorts up front -- throw in Kwame Geathers, Garrison Smith, Cornelius Washington and Ray Drew -- handle their business against Eagles offensive linemen who are consistently diving at their knees, that will make it much easier for the defensive playmakers to tackle Georgia Southern’s ballcarriers. This will be a game built for a quick and powerful lineman like Jenkins.
Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
Sanford Stadium, Athens, Ga.
WSB-TV (Atlanta)/ESPN3
Records: Georgia 9-1 (7-1 SEC), Georgia Southern 8-2 (6-2 SoCon)
Last week: Georgia beat Auburn 38-0, Georgia Southern beat Howard 69-26
[+] Enlarge
Joe Robbins/Getty ImagesJohn Jenkins will be key for UGA this weekend.
Five headlines: Check out our recap of this week’s biggest storylines from Thursday.
Players to watch:
Georgia
1. John Jenkins: The massive defensive lineman and his cohorts up front -- throw in Kwame Geathers, Garrison Smith, Cornelius Washington and Ray Drew -- handle their business against Eagles offensive linemen who are consistently diving at their knees, that will make it much easier for the defensive playmakers to tackle Georgia Southern’s ballcarriers. This will be a game built for a quick and powerful lineman like Jenkins.
ATHENS, Ga. -- Rare is the instance where a 38-0 victory is deceptive, but that is accurate where Georgia’s win at Auburn on Saturday is concerned.
Auburn (2-8, 0-7 SEC) provided almost no resistance as No. 5 Georgia (9-1, 7-1) rolled to a win that clinched the SEC East title -- with the Bulldogs’ usual suspects leading the way.
That allowed for only minor movement within this week’s Georgia Power Rankings, although this week’s big mover, senior safety Bacarri Rambo, jumped all the way to No. 5 after ranking second on the team in tackles and intercepting a pass against the Tigers.
Auburn (2-8, 0-7 SEC) provided almost no resistance as No. 5 Georgia (9-1, 7-1) rolled to a win that clinched the SEC East title -- with the Bulldogs’ usual suspects leading the way.
That allowed for only minor movement within this week’s Georgia Power Rankings, although this week’s big mover, senior safety Bacarri Rambo, jumped all the way to No. 5 after ranking second on the team in tackles and intercepting a pass against the Tigers.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
GatorNation links: Top 5 rivalry players
October, 22, 2012
10/22/12
3:35
PM ET
By Recruiting Nation staff | ESPN.com
Note: During this rivalry week, DawgNation will offer you a peek behind enemy lines with links to GatorNation stories.
Michael DiRocco writes: Georgia's Herschel Walker and Florida's Danny Wuerffel are two of the top-five performers in the Florida-Georgia rivalry all-time.
DiRocco: Florida's offense is suspect this season, but the Gators' excellense on special teams has helped with field position.
DiRocco
: Florida 10: Week 8 power rankings
DiRocco: Scouting report: Georgia
Michael DiRocco writes: Georgia's Herschel Walker and Florida's Danny Wuerffel are two of the top-five performers in the Florida-Georgia rivalry all-time.
DiRocco: Florida's offense is suspect this season, but the Gators' excellense on special teams has helped with field position.
DiRocco
: Florida 10: Week 8 power rankings
DiRocco
: Scouting report: GeorgiaTop 5 players in Florida-Georgia history
October, 22, 2012
10/22/12
8:00
AM ET
By
Michael DiRocco | ESPN.com
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- It’s Florida-Georgia week, which means it’s time to take a look back at the annual series between the two Southeastern Conference rivals.
Each day this week, GatorNation will have a top five list that captures the colorful history of the series.
Today’s list:
Top 5 Players in Florida-Georgia history
1. Georgia RB Herschel Walker: Walker rushed for 649 yards and six touchdowns from 1980-82. He had 53 touches in the 1981 game (47 rushes, four catches, two kick returns) and averaged 39 carries in his three games against the Gators.
2. Georgia RB/QB Charlie Trippi: Trippi rushed for 412 yards, threw for 198, and accounted for 10 touchdowns in three games against the Gators. He threw for two touchdowns (on only three pass attempts) and ran for two more in the 1942 game. He also ran for 239 yards in the 1945 game, which at the time was the SEC single-game record.
3. Florida QB Shane Matthews: Matthews threw for 948 yards and nine touchdowns in three games against the Bulldogs. He didn’t throw an interception.
4. Florida QB Danny Wuerffel: Wuerffel threw for 730 yards and a series-record 11 touchdowns in four games (three starts) against Georgia. Wuerffel threw five of those TD passes in UF’s 52-17 victory in 1995.
5. Georgia RB/DB Frank Sinkwich: Sinkwich ran for 142 yards and two touchdowns and kicked a 20-yard field goal in a 19-3 victory in 1941. Modest stats, right? Well, he'd played with a broken jaw.
Each day this week, GatorNation will have a top five list that captures the colorful history of the series.
Today’s list:
Top 5 Players in Florida-Georgia history
1. Georgia RB Herschel Walker: Walker rushed for 649 yards and six touchdowns from 1980-82. He had 53 touches in the 1981 game (47 rushes, four catches, two kick returns) and averaged 39 carries in his three games against the Gators.
2. Georgia RB/QB Charlie Trippi: Trippi rushed for 412 yards, threw for 198, and accounted for 10 touchdowns in three games against the Gators. He threw for two touchdowns (on only three pass attempts) and ran for two more in the 1942 game. He also ran for 239 yards in the 1945 game, which at the time was the SEC single-game record.
3. Florida QB Shane Matthews: Matthews threw for 948 yards and nine touchdowns in three games against the Bulldogs. He didn’t throw an interception.
4. Florida QB Danny Wuerffel: Wuerffel threw for 730 yards and a series-record 11 touchdowns in four games (three starts) against Georgia. Wuerffel threw five of those TD passes in UF’s 52-17 victory in 1995.
5. Georgia RB/DB Frank Sinkwich: Sinkwich ran for 142 yards and two touchdowns and kicked a 20-yard field goal in a 19-3 victory in 1941. Modest stats, right? Well, he'd played with a broken jaw.
By the numbers: UGA at South Carolina 
October, 5, 2012
10/05/12
7:00
AM ET
By
David Ching | ESPN.com
Editor’s note: Each week, the good folks at ESPN Stats and Information will help us take a look inside the numbers that matter prior to Georgia’s games -- and they really knocked it out of the park for this week’s showdown between No. 5 Georgia and No. 6 South Carolina. We’ll share some of their data here on the blog every Friday this fall.
NO. 5 GEORGIA AT NO. 6 SOUTH CAROLINA
Saturday, 7 p.m. ET
Williams-Brice Stadium/Columbia, S.C.
Marshall and Gurley in 2012:
Rush yards: 964
Yards per carry: 8.0
Rush TDs: 14
100-yard games: 6
Walker in 1980:
Rush yards: 463
Yards per carry: 5.3
Rush TDs: 5
100-yard games: 2
NO. 5 GEORGIA AT NO. 6 SOUTH CAROLINA
Saturday, 7 p.m. ET
Williams-Brice Stadium/Columbia, S.C.
- It would be reasonable to say this is the biggest Georgia-South Carolina game ever. This is the first time that both teams are ranked in the Associated Press top 10 at the time of their meeting -- a major step in a series that started in 1894 and includes 64 meetings. The closest challenger came in 1980, when No. 4 Georgia beat No. 14 South Carolina 13-10 in Athens.
- Georgia fans’ nickname for freshman tailbacks Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall -- “Gurshall,” a reference to famed Bulldogs back Herschel Walker -- is quickly catching on. Walker wore jersey No. 34 and led Georgia to a national championship as a freshman in 1980. Gurley wears No. 3 and Marshall wears No. 4 and the Bulldogs have similar championship aspirations this season.
Marshall and Gurley in 2012:
Rush yards: 964
Yards per carry: 8.0
Rush TDs: 14
100-yard games: 6
Walker in 1980:
Rush yards: 463
Yards per carry: 5.3
Rush TDs: 5
100-yard games: 2
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Barking Dawgs: UGA quotes of the week
October, 5, 2012
10/05/12
7:00
AM ET
By
David Ching | ESPN.com
ATHENS, Ga. -- As the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs (5-0, 3-0 SEC) prepare for a key SEC East game at No. 6 South Carolina (5-0, 3-0) on Saturday, here is a selection of quotes from the Bulldogs’ coaches and players from throughout the week:
“We just try to come out there and play our game. We’re not trying to be like nobody else. But it’s a cool thing.” -- Tailback Todd Gurley, on the nickname ‘Gurshall’ that Georgia fans have bestowed on Gurley and freshman backfield mate Keith Marshall, a reference to legendary Bulldogs running back Herschel Walker
“Keith does a great job of pressing the hole on the zone plays and then his cuts are not two or three steps. They’re one-step cuts and he’s going vertical. Sometimes he’s moving so fast I feel like he’s almost going to fall down. It’s hard for a defender to stop when he’s pressing and his step is so fast and so vertical, I think that’s what makes him so dangerous.” -- Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, on Marshall, who broke touchdown runs of 75 and 72 yards last week against Tennessee
“We just try to come out there and play our game. We’re not trying to be like nobody else. But it’s a cool thing.” -- Tailback Todd Gurley, on the nickname ‘Gurshall’ that Georgia fans have bestowed on Gurley and freshman backfield mate Keith Marshall, a reference to legendary Bulldogs running back Herschel Walker
“Keith does a great job of pressing the hole on the zone plays and then his cuts are not two or three steps. They’re one-step cuts and he’s going vertical. Sometimes he’s moving so fast I feel like he’s almost going to fall down. It’s hard for a defender to stop when he’s pressing and his step is so fast and so vertical, I think that’s what makes him so dangerous.” -- Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, on Marshall, who broke touchdown runs of 75 and 72 yards last week against Tennessee
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
ATHENS, Ga. -- Georgia fans no doubt came away from Saturday’s 51-44 win against Tennessee breathing a sigh of relief -- and perhaps questioning what they thought they knew about the fifth-ranked Bulldogs.
Georgia (5-0, 3-0 SEC) scored 40-plus points for the fifth straight game, but huge errors allowed what was shaping up as a blowout win to turn into a nail-biter. And the Bulldogs know they’re fortunate to have survived those errors against an offensive team as explosive as Tennessee (3-2, 0-2). They might not be so lucky next time if such errors occur again.
Let’s review some of the highlights and low-lights of the game from a Georgia perspective:
Georgia (5-0, 3-0 SEC) scored 40-plus points for the fifth straight game, but huge errors allowed what was shaping up as a blowout win to turn into a nail-biter. And the Bulldogs know they’re fortunate to have survived those errors against an offensive team as explosive as Tennessee (3-2, 0-2). They might not be so lucky next time if such errors occur again.
Let’s review some of the highlights and low-lights of the game from a Georgia perspective:
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Notebook: Jarvis Jones for Heisman?
September, 11, 2012
9/11/12
10:32
PM ET
By
David Ching | ESPN.com
ATHENS, Ga. -- Georgia’s administration hasn’t decided whether to mount a full-fledged campaign to promote outside linebacker Jarvis Jones for the Heisman Trophy, but if Jones keeps performing like he did in last Saturday’s win against Missouri, he might not need much help.
“It is a little early,” admitted Georgia’s longtime sports information director Claude Felton. “A lot of times your ‘campaign’ sometimes can almost be conducted by someone other than the school. ESPN GameDay, Fox or CBS studio shows -- I think those types of things have significant impact, what those people’s opinions are who are on TV every week.
“I don’t know if they’ve started it yet, but pretty soon they’re going to start where every week it’s ‘Who’s in the Heisman race?’ So I think those kinds of things can be just as significant as anything the school might do.”
And the highlights don’t lie. Jones has won multiple SEC and national weekly awards after leading Georgia to a 41-20 win against Missouri with nine tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, an interception and five quarterback pressures.
“It is a little early,” admitted Georgia’s longtime sports information director Claude Felton. “A lot of times your ‘campaign’ sometimes can almost be conducted by someone other than the school. ESPN GameDay, Fox or CBS studio shows -- I think those types of things have significant impact, what those people’s opinions are who are on TV every week.
“I don’t know if they’ve started it yet, but pretty soon they’re going to start where every week it’s ‘Who’s in the Heisman race?’ So I think those kinds of things can be just as significant as anything the school might do.”
And the highlights don’t lie. Jones has won multiple SEC and national weekly awards after leading Georgia to a 41-20 win against Missouri with nine tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, an interception and five quarterback pressures.
Gurley's debut among best under Richt
September, 3, 2012
9/03/12
7:00
AM ET
By
David Ching | ESPN.com
ATHENS, Ga. -- If Saturday was Todd Gurley’s Herschel Walker moment, Witney Sherry was Gurley’s Bill Bates.
Walker famously burst onto the college football scene in 1980 when he flattened Tennessee’s Bates on the way to the end zone, sparking Georgia’s comeback win against the Volunteers. Three decades later, Gurley tossed Sherry aside like a ragdoll on both of his touchdown runs as he constructed one of Georgia’s all-time most impressive debuts by a true freshman in Saturday’s 45-23 win against Buffalo.
“I didn’t really think about, ‘Yeah I’m going to score,’ or ‘Yeah I’m going to do this,’ my goal was really to come into the game and play my best without the ball, because if I get the ball, then that’s just going to come natural,” said Gurley, who rushed eight times for 100 yards and two touchdowns and returned his first college kickoff 100 yards for another score.
Walker famously burst onto the college football scene in 1980 when he flattened Tennessee’s Bates on the way to the end zone, sparking Georgia’s comeback win against the Volunteers. Three decades later, Gurley tossed Sherry aside like a ragdoll on both of his touchdown runs as he constructed one of Georgia’s all-time most impressive debuts by a true freshman in Saturday’s 45-23 win against Buffalo.
“I didn’t really think about, ‘Yeah I’m going to score,’ or ‘Yeah I’m going to do this,’ my goal was really to come into the game and play my best without the ball, because if I get the ball, then that’s just going to come natural,” said Gurley, who rushed eight times for 100 yards and two touchdowns and returned his first college kickoff 100 yards for another score.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Mark Richt Camp: Top performers
June, 17, 2012
6/17/12
10:52
AM ET
By
Radi Nabulsi and
Kipp Adams | ESPN.com
ATHENS, Ga. -- Saturday's one-day Mark Richt Camp at the University of Georgia showcased an abundance of the region’s top athletes. The prospects were put through drills and testing by the Georgia coaches for more than five hours. The Bulldogs’ director of on-campus recruiting, Daryl Jones, told the campers that Saturday’s events were equivalent to a job interview. Here are 10 players (in alphabetical order) who made the best case for being hired.
2013 TE Jordan Davis (Thomson, Ga./Thomson): The long and lanky Davis came into the camp looking for an offer from the Bulldogs. He left with his mission completed. After seeing Davis beat several linebackers off the line of scrimmage, Richt offered Davis before the second session. Davis created separation in his routes and was open all day.
2014 QB Cole Garvin (Tyrone, Ga./Sandy Creek): Although a bit undersized, Garvin has a big arm and passing accuracy. He threw a series of bullets that had receivers wanting to join his repetition during the pass skeleton drill. Garvin was recently invited to the Rising Seniors program's Georgia Junior Bowl, and he demonstrated Saturday why Sandy Creek will be force in the upcoming season.
2013 TE Jordan Davis (Thomson, Ga./Thomson): The long and lanky Davis came into the camp looking for an offer from the Bulldogs. He left with his mission completed. After seeing Davis beat several linebackers off the line of scrimmage, Richt offered Davis before the second session. Davis created separation in his routes and was open all day.
2014 QB Cole Garvin (Tyrone, Ga./Sandy Creek): Although a bit undersized, Garvin has a big arm and passing accuracy. He threw a series of bullets that had receivers wanting to join his repetition during the pass skeleton drill. Garvin was recently invited to the Rising Seniors program's Georgia Junior Bowl, and he demonstrated Saturday why Sandy Creek will be force in the upcoming season.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
When I start searching my memory bank for the best individual seasons of the past 50 years in the SEC, I don't have to go back very far to come up with at least two that rank up there with any in college football history.
But like any other ranking in the SEC, coming up with the top five individual seasons is one tough chore.
Here goes:
1. Cam Newton, QB, Auburn, 2010: Granted, it was only one season. But what a season it was on the Plains for Newton and the Tigers. Newton, who came over from junior college after starting his career at Florida, guided Auburn to a 14-0 record and the school's first national championship in 53 years. He was unstoppable as a runner and equally dynamic as a passer, accounting for 51 touchdowns. The runaway winner of the 2010 Heisman Trophy, Newton was second nationally in passing efficiency (182.05) and led all SEC players in rushing with 1,473 yards. In short, it was about as close as it gets to being a perfect season.
But like any other ranking in the SEC, coming up with the top five individual seasons is one tough chore.
Here goes:
1. Cam Newton, QB, Auburn, 2010: Granted, it was only one season. But what a season it was on the Plains for Newton and the Tigers. Newton, who came over from junior college after starting his career at Florida, guided Auburn to a 14-0 record and the school's first national championship in 53 years. He was unstoppable as a runner and equally dynamic as a passer, accounting for 51 touchdowns. The runaway winner of the 2010 Heisman Trophy, Newton was second nationally in passing efficiency (182.05) and led all SEC players in rushing with 1,473 yards. In short, it was about as close as it gets to being a perfect season.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
David Ching
David Ching came to ESPN.com in 2011 after six years covering UGA for the Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer and Athens (Ga.) Banner-Herald. He lives in Athens. Email him at davidchingespn@gmail.com.
Radi Nabulsi
Radi Nabulsi joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering the University of Georgia for Rivals.com for four years and for the UGA Athletic Association since 1993. Nabulsi is a graduate of the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and lives in Athens. He can be reached at radinabulsiespn@gmail.com.
Kipp Adams
Kipp Adams joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering University of Georgia football and basketball recruiting for five years at Rivals.com. He lives in Sandy Springs, Ga., and enjoys spending time with his two sons. He can be reached at kippadamsespn@gmail.com.