All Time GT Team

[4shotB]

1977 was top heavy with talent more than any team I recall . Drew Hill, All Pro Kent Hill, Al Richardson with several years with the Falcons, the best LB I’ve seen in my 63 years ((Lucius Sanford) an unbelievable athlete Mackle Harris at outside LB (9.6 100 yd state champion) Reggie Wilkes with multi year pro career and Don Bessillou also a multi year Miami Dolphin. Any of these guys could match up well and deserve strong consideration. And did I mention the best RB in Tech history (ELI).

I have to add Sugar Bear (Roy) Simmons to your list who also made it in the league as a starter. I got to now him while at GT and he was just a super friendly and nice guy off the field. Pepper's top 8-10 guys were perhaps better than any other Tech coach that I have seen.

 

[Gtswifty81]

Sorry, In my opinion Calvin was mostly wasted at Tech, unlike Drew Hill, Del White and Kelly Cambell, who were used superbly at Tech.

Calvin definitely could have done more with his talent with a different supporting cast but he’s still the all time leader in receiving yards and receiving TDs. Drew Hill played in a different era so I won’t compare his stats but Kelly and Dez played in a similar era to Calvin. Dez didn’t see much action his freshman year and kelly played 4 years, so if we just look at their best Receiving years, below is the comparison:

calvin - 76 receptions, 1202 yards, 15 TDs
Kelly - 69 receptions, 1105 yds, 10 TDS
Dez - 46 reception, 973 yds, 9 TDs

Considering Dez and Kelly were playing with Hamilton and Godsey, I’d say it’s even more impressive what Calvin accomplished.

 

[croberts]

I have to add Sugar Bear (Roy) Simmons to your list who also made it in the league as a starter. I got to now him while at GT and he was just a super friendly and nice guy off the field. Pepper's top 8-10 guys were perhaps better than any other Tech coach that I have seen.

I agree. The 52 team was very talented as well. Often people forget that in 52 we are still several years prior to the advent of the two platoon system. You would play a game with less than 20 players seeing the field. You could play with anyone with 10 future nfl players on your roster.

 

[Techster]

Calvin under Fridge with Joe Hamilton throwing to him would have been absolutely insane. INSANE. He was close to insane with Reggie Ball...and that's no slight to Ball.

Calvin was blessed with ridiculous physical gifts and talents...but cursed when it came to his OC and QBs.

Calvin could probably return to the NFL today, play for a QB like Mahomes/Watson/Wilson/pretty much the top half of the starting QBs in the NFL and would be a top 3 WR.

I would LOVE for Calvin to sign with the Falcons. Julio and Calvin with Ryan throwing to them would be uncoverable.

 

[slugboy]

Calvin under Fridge with Joe Hamilton throwing to him would have been absolutely insane. INSANE. He was close to insane with Reggie Ball...and that's no slight to Ball.

Calvin was blessed with ridiculous physical gifts and talents...but cursed when it came to his OC and QBs.

Calvin could probably return to the NFL today, play for a QB like Mahomes/Watson/Wilson/pretty much the top half of the starting QBs in the NFL and would be a top 3 WR.

I would LOVE for Calvin to sign with the Falcons. Julio and Calvin with Ryan throwing to them would be uncoverable.

I’d have liked him even better under Bobby Ross, since we had a stronger defense then


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[DeepSnap]

Big John Davis (The Refrigerator Mover) made two all-American teams in his junior and senior seasons, '85 and '86 at OG.
Eight years in the pros, played in a few Super Bowls. He might make the team.

And few remember Pete Brown, but he made all-American at center in either '51 or '52.

As long as we're talking centers, Don Stephenson & Jim Breland, both A-A's, deserve some mention. Toss in Leo Tierney for good measure. Maxie Baughan deserves some mention on either side of the LOS.

And no, I didn't see Peter Pund play.

 

[TechBurn]

I would think the 1970 defense, with Rock Perdoni, Smiley Gebhart, Rick Lewis, etc., could play against anyone!!!

 

[bobongo]

As long as we're talking centers, Don Stephenson & Jim Breland, both A-A's, deserve some mention. Toss in Leo Tierney for good measure. Maxie Baughan deserves some mention on either side of the LOS.

And no, I didn't see Peter Pund play.

Thanks for mentioning these names. Had to look up Peter Pund. Played on the '28 team. In the College Football Hall of Fame & AA in '28.
Man, we've had some great football players around here. Every time I read one of your posts I learn a little more Tech history.

 

[GT_EE78]

Well I will go ahead and put Billy Lothridge's name in.

As it says on his tombstone up in Gainsville -
"A Hero in everyone's eyes except his own"

Ha , look upward in the posts, I didn;t forget him.

 

[DeepSnap]

I would think the 1970 defense, with Rock Perdoni, Smylie Gebhart, Rick Lewis, etc., could play against anyone!!!

If we have a season, that 1970 Sun Bowl team is to be recognized at the Friday night UCF game in September. It was a fun bunch to play with & they had just enough of a collective warped sense of humor - hey they had Leachman, Glanville, Alford, and Williamson for coaches - but they played with a mean streak or an edge. They also turned out to be very successful lawyers, doctors, veterinarians, and businessmen. Exactly what you'd expect.

BTW, FIFY on the spelling of "Smylie" - it was his mother's maiden name, not a description of his photos or personality, though it must be said Smylie never saw a camera he didn't like.

 

[takethepoints]

I would have named J.P. Foschi as the TE and tied him with Billy Martin.

On the OL I would have included Rufus Guthrie and Billy Shields.

On D, I would have gone with the Rock and Ted Davis.

 

[DeepSnap]

On the OL I would have included Rufus Guthrie and Billy Shields.

What? No Billy Shaw?

Though Shaw is in the NFL HoF, he's isn't in the CHoF. He is, however, the only member of the NFL HoF to have played his entire career in the AFL.

 

[1979jacket]

qb
1st jones dynamic when at his best
2nd hamilton more talented than jones but not as shifty running
rb
1st dwyer speed and toughness was better than all
1st elivery very good but not as fast as dwyer
2nd choice tough
2nd lavette good in many ways
ol
1st shaqmason
1st bigjohn davis
1st david lutz
1st braun
1st mooney
2nd dorsey
2nd k hill
2nd key
2nd darryl jenkins
2nd andrew gardner
te
1st heller
2nd covington
wr
1st johnson smooth
baybay speed and blocking - what a stiff arm
2nd campbell fast and shifty but not at level of above two
gary lee solid despite lesser numbers
dline
1st mcoleman
1st attaochu
1st k battle
1st m johnson
2nd rudolph
2nd anoai
2nd vance walker
2nd derrick morgan
lbs
1st pswilling
1st t roof
1st k brooking
2nd daryl smith
2nd lucius sanford
2nd p wheeler
dbs
1st willie clay
1st burnett
1st k swilling
1st travares tillman
2nd landry
2nd Bessillou
2nd k scott
2nd ricardo ingram

 

[Gtbowhunter90]

Thanks for mentioning these names. Had to look up Peter Pund. Played on the '28 team. In the College Football Hall of Fame & AA in '28.
Man, we've had some great football players around here. Every time I read one of your posts I learn a little more Tech history.

No lie. Deepsnap is a national treasure. We must protect him at all cost lol

 

[DeepSnap]

No lie. Deepsnap is a national treasure. We must protect him at all cost lol

Yep, a legend in my own mind, or at least to my 10 YO grandson.

 

[redmule]

Would Tech's all time team beat uga's all time team? What would you give to see Lucius hit Herschel? Calvin standing over Champ in the end zone?

 

[takethepoints]

Would Tech's all time team beat uga's all time team?

Yes, by at least 14 points.

 

[DeepSnap]

Absolutely amazing!

Three pages in and no one has mentioned "Three Time," AKA Randy Rhino. SMH.

 

[Gtbowhunter90]

Absolutely amazing!

Three pages in and no one has mentioned "Three Time," AKA Randy Rhino. SMH.

Kind of speaks volumes about the amount of insanely talented ball players that have come through the institute.

 

[BleedGoldNWhite21]

I’m surprised at the lack of Billy Lothridge talk in this thread.

QB: Hamilton, Lothridge
RB: Ivery, Lavette
WR: Johnson, Thomas

Not sure the other positions, but those are definitely my guys for the position players.