GT Football Who is the GOAT

forensicbuzz

21st Century Throwback Dad
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IIRC Believe Bell's departure was a "Hill" disciplinary issue.... possibly something with the GT Bookstore, or maybe selling his "free books and supplies." He played in the '91 Spring Game, then was gone in the fall. Hope I'm wrong and apologies if I am, but he wasn't a "3 years and to the league" guy like they do now.
He had to sit out a year for selling stolen textbooks back to the bookstore is what I remember. He came back and played 2 more years after sitting out a year.

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Link to an article

I think he and the others learned a valuable lesson from this experience and their futures were not devastated. I think a situation where the right decision was made.
 
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Techster

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Shawn Jones is up there for me. He would have been amazing in this era of spread offenses and read options. Way before his time.

Josh Nesbitt didn't put up crazy numbers, but he was a "playa"...he was also a Heisman candidate. There's a reason he started the whole "f" in the initials...JfN!

Jonathan Dwyer his sophomore year, and in CPJ's first year, was as dominant of a RB as I've ever seen. He followed it up with a special JR season as well. When JD was healthy, he was the perfect combination of size and speed for a RB.

Looking outside of the skill positions, let's give some OLs and defenders some love.

I wasn't around for the John Davis era, but I've heard stories of how dominant he was.

Shaq Mason and Omoregie Uzzie were BEASTS in CPJ's offense. Multiple all conferences for them both. I believe they also made All American teams.

Ken Swilling was as good as there was in the defensive backfield when he was healthy.

Morgan Burnett was also VERY good. He was one of the top safeties for his time in college and had a very long NFL career.

Derrick Morgan would single handedly collapse his side of the LOS. Watch the Clemson games during his time here...Dabo wanted nothing to do with running plays to Morgan's side.

At the end, IMO, Calvin and Little Joe are probably the leaders in the clubhouse for any GOAT talk. Obviously on talent alone Calvin stands above almost everyone, but Joe Hamilton's impact and dominance against high level teams is why he was Heisman finalist.

This is a fun discussion because GT has had a LOT of really good players since I've been a fan.
 

Silk3

Ramblin' Wreck
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925
Shawn Jones is up there for me. He would have been amazing in this era of spread offenses and read options. Way before his time.

Josh Nesbitt didn't put up crazy numbers, but he was a "playa"...he was also a Heisman candidate. There's a reason he started the whole "f" in the initials...JfN!

Jonathan Dwyer his sophomore year, and in CPJ's first year, was as dominant of a RB as I've ever seen. He followed it up with a special JR season as well. When JD was healthy, he was the perfect combination of size and speed for a RB.

Looking outside of the skill positions, let's give some OLs and defenders some love.

I wasn't around for the John Davis era, but I've heard stories of how dominant he was.

Shaq Mason and Omoregie Uzzie were BEASTS in CPJ's offense. Multiple all conferences for them both. I believe they also made All American teams.

Ken Swilling was as good as there was in the defensive backfield when he was healthy.

Morgan Burnett was also VERY good. He was one of the top safeties for his time in college and had a very long NFL career.

Derrick Morgan would single handedly collapse his side of the LOS. Watch the Clemson games during his time here...Dabo wanted nothing to do with running plays to Morgan's side.

At the end, IMO, Calvin and Little Joe are probably the leaders in the clubhouse for any GOAT talk. Obviously on talent alone Calvin stands above almost everyone, but Joe Hamilton's impact and dominance against high level teams is why he was Heisman finalist.

This is a fun discussion because GT has had a LOT of really good players since I've been a fan.
Shaq>Uzzie
 

Techster

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Shaq>Uzzie

Uzzie was really good...he just had bad knees. He was medically disqualified off draft boards due to those knees. It's a shame because he was so good. Mason of course was very good. Just hard to compare because Uzzie was playing on bad wheels but still was dominant on the college level.
 

Heisman's Ghost

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Shawn Jones is up there for me. He would have been amazing in this era of spread offenses and read options. Way before his time.

Josh Nesbitt didn't put up crazy numbers, but he was a "playa"...he was also a Heisman candidate. There's a reason he started the whole "f" in the initials...JfN!

Jonathan Dwyer his sophomore year, and in CPJ's first year, was as dominant of a RB as I've ever seen. He followed it up with a special JR season as well. When JD was healthy, he was the perfect combination of size and speed for a RB.

Looking outside of the skill positions, let's give some OLs and defenders some love.

I wasn't around for the John Davis era, but I've heard stories of how dominant he was.

Shaq Mason and Omoregie Uzzie were BEASTS in CPJ's offense. Multiple all conferences for them both. I believe they also made All American teams.

Ken Swilling was as good as there was in the defensive backfield when he was healthy.

Morgan Burnett was also VERY good. He was one of the top safeties for his time in college and had a very long NFL career.

Derrick Morgan would single handedly collapse his side of the LOS. Watch the Clemson games during his time here...Dabo wanted nothing to do with running plays to Morgan's side.

At the end, IMO, Calvin and Little Joe are probably the leaders in the clubhouse for any GOAT talk. Obviously on talent alone Calvin stands above almost everyone, but Joe Hamilton's impact and dominance against high level teams is why he was Heisman finalist.

This is a fun discussion because GT has had a LOT of really good players since I've been a fan.
GOAT? In the modern era, I would go with Calvin, Joe Ham, and ELI
Old Timers, I will say the Billy Lothridge, (spelling?), Joe Guyon, and Clint Castleberry. Billy was runner up in the Heisman, like Joe, to Roger Staubach. Castleberry, likewise received Heisman notice I believe. Castleberry disappeared on a flight in World War II. All of them were great players. Also have to include Everette Strupper as both he and Guyon were All Americans on the 1917 National Championship team.
 
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RabidJacket

Georgia Tech Fan
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IMHO, Clint Castleberry would have been the GOAT if only he had survived and returned to play--so sad! That being said, I would vote for CO- GOAT's --Joe Ham and Calvin. Man, I would have LOVED seeing them playing together. Just imagine-----!
 

GaTech4ever

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Uzzie was really good...he just had bad knees. He was medically disqualified off draft boards due to those knees. It's a shame because he was so good. Mason of course was very good. Just hard to compare because Uzzie was playing on bad wheels but still was dominant on the college level.
FWIW, Uzzi blames GT’s medical staff for their “old school” methods in his knee recovery/rehab.
 

Skeptic

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Clint Castleberry needs a nod. Great running back (for his time) who gave his life in WW II.

GOAT is kind of general. Need to go to specific positions and talents ...... Nesbitt and Megatron were some of my favorites. But only since I watched them.
This isn't a knock on Castleberry, but it strikes me that never has so much been made by so many about a player that not on of us ever saw play.
 

takethepoints

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I believe the best running back we ever had. His injury was a tragic mistake, in part due to his substitute not having his helmet when he was supposed to go in for him.

But Tony could reverse field, make people miss and hit fourth gear faster than any back we ever had.
I once compared Tony to OJ. Same size (Tony was an inch shorter, but about 10 lbs heavier), same speed, same style of running. Same tempo too: 4 yards, 3 yards, 30 yards, 5 yards, etc, He would have won the Heisman that year if he hadn't been so badly injured; he was way ahead of other RBs in YPG and total yards at the time. I particularly remember him in the Clemson game that year. The field was a sea of mud. Tony came around end, planted his foot and slipped. I've seldom seen a more disappointed RB; if he had kept his feet, he would have scored easily. Btw, I saw a picture of him in an OJ jersey later that year; I think he read my post.

I used to really like PJ as well. He would get in the second level and absolutely look for a DB to run over. I'd sit in the stands and get the occasional laugh by yelling, "Run away from them, PJ!" He almost never did.
 

Heisman's Ghost

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This isn't a knock on Castleberry, but it strikes me that never has so much been made by so many about a player that not on of us ever saw play.
Dodd in his autobiography labeled him, "potentially" the greatest he ever coached. According to Dodd, who has seen way more football players than any of us, Castleberry was blessed with speed, quick feet, and uncanny vision. He compared him to Hawks basketball player "Spud" Webb.
 
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