Nesbitt vs Lothridge

bob4gt

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In the ajc someone picked the best all-time Tech QBs. No QB before Lothridge was mentioned.
The order was Hamilton, Godsey, Jones, JET, Nesbitt and Billy the Kid. Personally I think Godsey is too high and Billy too low. I can't see ranking a QB who was very close the Heisman race 2 years behind Nesbitt. I know BL did not look great, but he got the job done. Your thoughts on the rankings?

Bob
 

Essobee

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I watched both of them. Nesbitt vs. Lothridge has to be considered in the context of the times, coaches, and game rules. One on one today, it would be lopsided in favor of Nesbitt. But you can say that about just about any player from the 1960s compared to today's players.
 

alagold

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I watched both of them. Nesbitt vs. Lothridge has to be taken in the context of the times, coaches, and game rules. One on one today, it would be lopsided in favor of Nesbitt. But you can say that about just about any player from the 1960s compared to today's players.

E,
I agree.I saw both but I would give the edge to BL for his excellence in every QB skill--ball handling,running,passing, field direction--Nesbitt was better in one. (and that doesn't even count the punting AND FGs by BL)
 

Sideways

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In the ajc someone picked the best all-time Tech QBs. No QB before Lothridge was mentioned.
The order was Hamilton, Godsey, Jones, JET, Nesbitt and Billy the Kid. Personally I think Godsey is too high and Billy too low. I can't see ranking a QB who was very close the Heisman race 2 years behind Nesbitt. I know BL did not look great, but he got the job done. Your thoughts on the rankings?

Bob

It is a fool's errand to compare players from different eras. That said, all of the players on that list were excellent football players for Georgia Tech. As one poster said, I personally would put Dewberry in there somewhere. Joe Ham would be the best at 1A and everybody else at 1B in alphabetical order. All three years that Lothridge played at Tech, we beat Georgia. That is pretty convincing right there. I will say this about Nesbitt, the man's courage and willingness to embrace an entirely different offense was pivotal in getting the Johnson era off to a good start. He took hits in his day that no one else on that list had to deal with. All of them had highlights that have stood the test of time.
 

GSOJacket

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Darrell Crawford deserves to be in this discussion. You could argue that he played a big part in putting Bobby Dodd and Tech on the college football map in the early fifties. I saw him play as a kid and was at Tech with Lotheridge. Crawford played in the two-platoon era. Lotheridge was a great all around player. He played during the one platoon era and was our punter/kicker in addition to playing QB.

http://www.georgiatrend.com/August-2002/The-Man-With-The-Golden-Arm/
 

Skeptic

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No doubt eras in football can't be easily compared as say, baseball might be. But anybody who puts Lothridge anywhere but No. 1 is smoking something he ought not be on. The guy was 21-10 or so in an era when 10 game seasons were the norm vs. 12 today, and defense actually was often the major component of the game plan; was an outstanding runner, very good passer (not NFL cannon type, but deadly accurate), played defense, punted and -- I believe, anyway -- placekicked, and was the Heisman runnerup to a fellow named Staubach his senior year. Anybody else on that list come even close to those accomplishments? Anybody even mentioned, save for Nesbitt before he broke his arm, a Heisman nominee even briefly? I didn't see him but in talking to a couple of people who did, they thought he would be an ideal Johnson QB and in today's game would have blown he doors off offensive records. But, that is what ESPN does for you.
 

Skeptic

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Lothridge and Nesbitt are somewhat similar, but I think for his day, a better modern comparison for BL would be Tim Tebow. Not perfect on the mechanics, but great all-around player/athlete.

I enjoyed that. Thanks. I can see the arm strength that was a knock on Lothridge.
 

wrmathis

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No doubt eras in football can't be easily compared as say, baseball might be. But anybody who puts Lothridge anywhere but No. 1 is smoking something he ought not be on. The guy was 21-10 or so in an era when 10 game seasons were the norm vs. 12 today, and defense actually was often the major component of the game plan; was an outstanding runner, very good passer (not NFL cannon type, but deadly accurate), played defense, punted and -- I believe, anyway -- placekicked, and was the Heisman runnerup to a fellow named Staubach his senior year. Anybody else on that list come even close to those accomplishments? Anybody even mentioned, save for Nesbitt before he broke his arm, a Heisman nominee even briefly? I didn't see him but in talking to a couple of people who did, they thought he would be an ideal Johnson QB and in today's game would have blown he doors off offensive records. But, that is what ESPN does for you.


Hamilton should have won the Heisman and not Dayne. Dayne only won it because of his "career" and being the all time leading rusher for a little bit.
 
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No doubt eras in football can't be easily compared as say, baseball might be. But anybody who puts Lothridge anywhere but No. 1 is smoking something he ought not be on. The guy was 21-10 or so in an era when 10 game seasons were the norm vs. 12 today, and defense actually was often the major component of the game plan; was an outstanding runner, very good passer (not NFL cannon type, but deadly accurate), played defense, punted and -- I believe, anyway -- placekicked, and was the Heisman runnerup to a fellow named Staubach his senior year. Anybody else on that list come even close to those accomplishments? Anybody even mentioned, save for Nesbitt before he broke his arm, a Heisman nominee even briefly? I didn't see him but in talking to a couple of people who did, they thought he would be an ideal Johnson QB and in today's game would have blown he doors off offensive records. But, that is what ESPN does for you.
Did you not see Joe Hamilton play? He was heisma runner up. Should have been heisman winner.
 

GTFLETCH

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I would rank the QBs
1. J. Hamilton
2. S. Jones (Natty)
3. J. Thomas (OB)
4. Billy Lothridge
5. John Dewberry
 

Essobee

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Lothridge and Nesbitt are somewhat similar, but I think for his day, a better modern comparison for BL would be Tim Tebow. Not perfect on the mechanics, but great all-around player/athlete.


Comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges except that Nesbitt and Lothridge were both outstanding warriors. They both simply did not like losing and refused to do so. Therein lied each one's greatest strength.

Lothridge, as Dodd said, gave Tech two extra scholarships to award because he didn't need to recruit an outstanding punter or kicker. "Billy the Kid" did it all. (BTW, Furman Bisher gave him that moniker, IIRC.) Furman also said that Billy ran like he was always looking for a place to fall down (a backhanded compliment that we didn't appreciate). Also, Lothridge did not play QB in the Georgia North vs. South annual high school football game. Larry Rakestraw (UGA commit) was the north team's QB while Billy played linebacker for the north. Dodd later said Lothridge was the best QB he ever coached, while Rakestraw...meh. Billy's high school teammate go-to (Gainesville High) was receiver/blocker Billy Martin, also a first team AA End at Tech, and formidable Ted Davis at the other End . Tech had many other outstanding athletes that earned honors during Billy's tenure along with a number of outstanding assistant coaches under Dodd.

Fast forward to Nesbitt. He stepped into a tough and unfamiliar situation after Gailey departed, but elected to stay and adjust to CPJs system. Other outstanding Tech recruits had departed after Gailey left, but several remained...well, everyone knows the Nesbitt story from that time on. Billy would have likely played linebacker, punter, and kicker for CPJ, but probably not QB if he had been on Nesbitt's team. Nesbitt had a tank for a body and a cannon for an arm, but unfortunately could not develop a comfortable feel or rhythm throwing the ball under the CPJ system...especially since CPJ felt that there were three things that could happen when you passed the ball and two of them aren't good. IOW, CPJ preferred not to pass (we all knew that). Nevertheless, Nesbitt inherited an outstanding receiver/blocker who had been recruited by Gailey, and thus reaped the reward. CPJ prefers athletes who would fit his system. Billy could run the option under Dodd, but when Kim King ran it a few years later the difference really showed. Same with passing. King was quicker, faster and smoother. Billy went on to the pros and punted. He even played some in the defensive backfield and perhaps some kickoffs (not certain) before he was injured, IIRC.

Different competition, different coaches, different schemes, different rules, different training, different everything except both had a tremendous desire to win. Comparisons are as difficult as they are pointless.
 

Skeptic

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Comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges except that Nesbitt and Lothridge were both outstanding warriors. They both simply did not like losing and refused to do so. Therein lied each one's greatest strength.

Lothridge, as Dodd said, gave Tech two extra scholarships to award because he didn't need to recruit an outstanding punter or kicker. "Billy the Kid" did it all. (BTW, Furman Bisher gave him that moniker, IIRC.) Furman also said that Billy ran like he was always looking for a place to fall down (a backhanded compliment that we didn't appreciate). Also, Lothridge did not play QB in the Georgia North vs. South annual high school football game. Larry Rakestraw (UGA commit) was the north team's QB while Billy played linebacker for the north. Dodd later said Lothridge was the best QB he ever coached, while Rakestraw...meh. Billy's high school teammate go-to (Gainesville High) was receiver/blocker Billy Martin, also a first team AA End at Tech, and formidable Ted Davis at the other End . Tech had many other outstanding athletes that earned honors during Billy's tenure along with a number of outstanding assistant coaches under Dodd.

Fast forward to Nesbitt. He stepped into a tough and unfamiliar situation after Gailey departed, but elected to stay and adjust to CPJs system. Other outstanding Tech recruits had departed after Gailey left, but several remained...well, everyone knows the Nesbitt story from that time on. Billy would have likely played linebacker, punter, and kicker for CPJ, but probably not QB if he had been on Nesbitt's team. Nesbitt had a tank for a body and a cannon for an arm, but unfortunately could not develop a comfortable feel or rhythm throwing the ball under the CPJ system...especially since CPJ felt that there were three things that could happen when you passed the ball and two of them aren't good. IOW, CPJ preferred not to pass (we all knew that). Nevertheless, Nesbitt inherited an outstanding receiver/blocker who had been recruited by Gailey, and thus reaped the reward. CPJ prefers athletes who would fit his system. Billy could run the option under Dodd, but when Kim King ran it a few years later the difference really showed. Same with passing. King was quicker, faster and smoother. Billy went on to the pros and punted. He even played some in the defensive backfield and perhaps some kickoffs (not certain) before he was injured, IIRC.

Different competition, different coaches, different schemes, different rules, different training, different everything except both had a tremendous desire to win. Comparisons are as difficult as they are pointless.
Good piece. The outstanding difference in now vs. then in my mind is the overwhelming size difference with no appreciable dropoff in speed. OG at 230 in those days, now 300+; WBs routinely 225-230 pounds, linebackers out of sight big. (Geez. When you read of a LB at 220 as maybe being "too small" ....?) It is more than diet or training; I just don't know what. Might be something to this evolution "theory", but that is a whole lot over maybe 50 years.
 
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