Top QB's in GT History

[Skeptic]

Well, this about the list. Pepper Rodgers lettered three years at QB for Bobby Dodd -- '51, '52' 53 -- had a 32-2-2 record, three major bowl wins when bowls were scarce, like six of them total, the Sugar Bowl passing record and the 1952 national championship. In addition he booted a late field goal to beat Baylor in the '52 Orange Bowl, I think it was. As Walter Hagen is alleged to have said to his playing partners, all wealthy hangers-on, after making an ace, "Anybody beat a one?"

 

[Skeptic]

So many people left Justin Thomas off their list w/o mention that I thought I must have misunderstood the criteria. Certainly long-term effectiveness rating has to go to the other candidates, JT n/a. But it's also true that by reliable metrics, Justin Thomas did run the best offense in the history of CFB last year. Everyone says the Flexbone is all about the QB no matter what the stats are, if that's true then it was quietly one of the greatest seasons by a QB ever. Gotta have at least honorable mention on that basis.

"In the history of college football"? As in ever? That's a lot of football games, and Oregon was out there every year putting up pinball scores and Baylor was in the mix. . Did you mean in the history of GT?

 

[Buzzbomb]

I always thought it was weird that on Playmakers, there were all those smart moody characters on the team, but the star QB was an ill-mannered chauvinist who was very flaky and lame when dating women.

Furthermore giving a punt, pass and kick lesson to a kid is one of the rare pleasures in life, and should not be skipped under any circumstances.

G.G.-
You are on the mark with QB's and promises made to impressionable children. I never forgot that about Billy. All he had to do was call. I waited all day with my GT uniform on from The Tech Shoppe across from the Var****y. My brand new #34 jersey, hoping to be the next Brent Cunningham. Put my pads, cleats on the next day...in case he might show late?

Funny, my step-dad felt the same way about Pepper Rodgers. He brought Franklin(Pepper's Daddy)to all the GT road, bowl games, gave the family all he could give....but the QB/Kicker turned coach was different after returning to Atlanta from L.A. and Hollywood. He would not return calls or hardly shake his hand in person. Saying he might get a cold from people. Might be like Howie Mandel, as a germ-a-phobe.

 

[SidewalkJacket]

I believe that in two years this list will look like:

1. Li'l Joe
2. Justin Thomas
3. Shaun Jones
4. Billy Lothridge

Hard to leave Goose off the list because he was just so surgical in the way he picked apart a defense. I think JT will leapfrog Jones even without a MNC if he continues this trend, simply due to having three great seasons as opposed to one or two.

Now, if you wanna have a cage fight to determine this list, there would be only one choice:

 

[bke1984]

Well, this about the list. Pepper Rodgers lettered three years at QB for Bobby Dodd -- '51, '52' 53 -- had a 32-2-2 record, three major bowl wins when bowls were scarce, like six of them total, the Sugar Bowl passing record and the 1952 national championship. In addition he booted a late field goal to beat Baylor in the '52 Orange Bowl, I think it was. As Walter Hagen is alleged to have said to his playing partners, all wealthy hangers-on, after making an ace, "Anybody beat a one?"

Bill Brigman was the QB in 1952, not Peppper. Pepper took on kicking duties that season before starting at QB in '53 and '54

 

[Northeast Stinger]

G.G.-
You are on the mark with QB's and promises made to impressionable children. I never forgot that about Billy. All he had to do was call. I waited all day with my GT uniform on from The Tech Shoppe across from the Var****y. My brand new #34 jersey, hoping to be the next Brent Cunningham. Put my pads, cleats on the next day...in case he might show late?

Funny, my step-dad felt the same way about Pepper Rodgers. He brought Franklin(Pepper's Daddy)to all the GT road, bowl games, gave the family all he could give....but the QB/Kicker turned coach was different after returning to Atlanta from L.A. and Hollywood. He would not return calls or hardly shake his hand in person. Saying he might get a cold from people. Might be like Howie Mandel, as a germ-a-phobe.

Somehow all of this reminds me of the time when as a kid I ran into Hank Aaron at Atlanta stadium and asked for his autograph. He literally said, "Go away kid, I don't have time for that."

 

[TheGridironGeek]

"In the history of college football"? As in ever? That's a lot of football games, and Oregon was out there every year putting up pinball scores and Baylor was in the mix. . Did you mean in the history of GT?

No I mean in the history of football. The 2014's offense killed every other offense in the last 5 years statistically per-drive. It's only because the teams you mentioned were so wide-open and have so many more possessions that they scored more points than GT. And, this is the most offensively prolific era there has been.

There have been historically-great passing teams from mid-major programs in other eras, like Houston for instance, but they were not playing teams at the modern ACC level. You can only compare last year's GT offense to great seasons by legends of the past from Oklahoma, Nebraska, Florida etc. If that sounds swell-headed it's not, because imagine those teams with average-or-worse defenses and you've got what Tech had last year. Offense is only one unit.

And if we're judging actual greatness and not just stats/effectiveness then the historic teams are still A1 because they dominated relative to the era. Player management and the rule book has "juiced the football" more and more over time. So there's no realistic comparison to be made to any team from the 00's backward, but yes, counting since 2009, the 2014 Jackets team had statistically the most effective O in the recent era (if I understand the stats) by a WIDE margin.

I do hope in 2040 we're not watching Vanderbilt beat visiting Clavius Academy 95-64 in a "great defensive struggle," but...different strokes.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Somehow all of this reminds me of the time when as a kid I ran into Hank Aaron at Atlanta stadium and asked for his autograph. He literally said, "Go away kid, I don't have time for that."

Wow, you too?

I came in second at a Lego building contest at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and when they brought the three winners out to get our ribbons it was with Hank Aaron as the celebrity giving the awards out. My grandparents had been at the game where he broke the Babe's record and they gave me the ticket stubs. I had them in my pocket and was determined to win the contest so I could meet Aaron and ask him to sign one for me. He said "if I sign for you kid I would have to sign for everyone here." That was on the field where only the photographer/press, organizer and three winners were. Even my dad had to wait in the stands during the awards ceremony. It was total b.s. So even when he was being shown to handle the Bonds situation in a gracious and classy manner I kept remembering his ridiculous refusal to give me an autograph, and on the ticket stub to the most important game of his life. Just my preparation for teh chance to meet him should have moved the guy to sign! This was well before Ebay anyway and I had just come in second at an event he was already being paid to present awards at. I know he was treated terribly back in the day as well and seems to have handled all the racism and mularkey with grace, but it still ticks me off to recall his refusal to give a measly autograph. I had planned to get the autograph and then buy a picture of him or take some of his cards and frame it all together as a keepsake.

Btw, I came in second at that Lego contest to a GT underclassmen . . . I was annoyed at him as well. I mean, it was a Lego building contest for kids. I think I was kind of borderline as I was about 13 or maybe just turned 14 when I took part but to come in second to a 19-20 year old Tech mechanical engineering student? Talk about a ringer! Odd mix of a fun childhood memory with some annoying aspects as well.

 

[Skeptic]

Wow, you too?

I came in second at a Lego building contest at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and when they brought the three winners out to get our ribbons it was with Hank Aaron as the celebrity giving the awards out. My grandparents had been at the game where he broke the Babe's record and they gave me the ticket stubs. I had them in my pocket and was determined to win the contest so I could meet Aaron and ask him to sign one for me. He said "if I sign for you kid I would have to sign for everyone here." That was on the field where only the photographer/press, organizer and three winners were. Even my dad had to wait in the stands during the awards ceremony. It was total b.s. So even when he was being shown to handle the Bonds situation in a gracious and classy manner I kept remembering his ridiculous refusal to give me an autograph, and on the ticket stub to the most important game of his life. Just my preparation for teh chance to meet him should have moved the guy to sign! This was well before Ebay anyway and I had just come in second at an event he was already being paid to present awards at. I know he was treated terribly back in the day as well and seems to have handled all the racism and mularkey with grace, but it still ticks me off to recall his refusal to give a measly autograph. I had planned to get the autograph and then buy a picture of him or take some of his cards and frame it all together as a keepsake.

Btw, I came in second at that Lego contest to a GT underclassmen . . . I was annoyed at him as well. I mean, it was a Lego building contest for kids. I think I was kind of borderline as I was about 13 or maybe just turned 14 when I took part but to come in second to a 19-20 year old Tech mechanical engineering student? Talk about a ringer! Odd mix of a fun childhood memory with some annoying aspects as well.

You got to lego .... naw, too easy. But in a book about Sandy Koufax Jane Leavy quotes a guy with a complaint similar to your's, except against Whitey Ford, whom Koufax had a great but friendly rivalry with, including one of the great World Series games ever. Ford had been drafted and blew the guy off too. He told Koufax at some point, and Koufax told him that Ford really was a nice guy. Didn't help, but at least he was defended. I don't know how these guys draw a line and it has to be arbitrary, but sometimes you wonder if it is more for convenience.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Wow, you too?

I came in second at a Lego building contest at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and when they brought the three winners out to get our ribbons it was with Hank Aaron as the celebrity giving the awards out. My grandparents had been at the game where he broke the Babe's record and they gave me the ticket stubs. I had them in my pocket and was determined to win the contest so I could meet Aaron and ask him to sign one for me. He said "if I sign for you kid I would have to sign for everyone here." That was on the field where only the photographer/press, organizer and three winners were. Even my dad had to wait in the stands during the awards ceremony. It was total b.s. So even when he was being shown to handle the Bonds situation in a gracious and classy manner I kept remembering his ridiculous refusal to give me an autograph, and on the ticket stub to the most important game of his life. Just my preparation for teh chance to meet him should have moved the guy to sign! This was well before Ebay anyway and I had just come in second at an event he was already being paid to present awards at. I know he was treated terribly back in the day as well and seems to have handled all the racism and mularkey with grace, but it still ticks me off to recall his refusal to give a measly autograph. I had planned to get the autograph and then buy a picture of him or take some of his cards and frame it all together as a keepsake.

Btw, I came in second at that Lego contest to a GT underclassmen . . . I was annoyed at him as well. I mean, it was a Lego building contest for kids. I think I was kind of borderline as I was about 13 or maybe just turned 14 when I took part but to come in second to a 19-20 year old Tech mechanical engineering student? Talk about a ringer! Odd mix of a fun childhood memory with some annoying aspects as well.

Well, at least I don't feel like it was just me. It was disheartening as a kid but later as an adult I chalked it up to the fact that he probably had a little lingering animosity at the way "whitey" had treated him all those years. In my case he was strolling leisurely with his entourage and I met him in a hall with no other people around (or kids in sight) and asked him to sign my program. If I recall he was going to be the half time guest at an East-West All Star football game. The look in his eye was clearly one of "why do I have to suffer these fools."

 

[GT 33]

1) Jimmy Southard - ( Dad) - Thanks for the Posts & Prayers Group !
2) Joe Hamilton
3) Shawn Jones
4) Mike Kelley

 

[chewybaka]

Gary Lanier was one tough fellow...a Joe pollooka doll...running the option

 

[AE 87]

1) Jimmy Southard - ( Dad) - Thanks for the Posts & Prayers Group !
2) Joe Hamilton
3) Shawn Jones
4) Mike Kelley

God's peace, brother!

 

[Stinger90]

1)Shawn Jones.
2)Little Joe Hamilton.
3)Mike Kelley.
4)George Goose Godsey.

HM to Rick Strom and Joshua Nesbitt.
No to Lothridge(He dated my Mom, stood me up for a "punt, pass and kick" lesson)!

Good thing you didn't post that on another GT site. I can just see the "Rated: R" comments now.

 

[DaddyBill]

I am surprised no one has mentioned GT hall of famer Kim King fr0m Atlanta's Brown High School who played '65-67. Could I get an HM for him?

 

[orientalnc]

Bill Brigman was the QB in 1952, not Peppper. Pepper took on kicking duties that season before starting at QB in '53 and '54

Pepper started his senior season. His previous role was as a placekicker.

 

[JorgeJonas]

#14 was okay.

 

[Essobee]

I am surprised no one has mentioned GT hall of famer Kim King fr0m Atlanta's Brown High School who played '65-67. Could I get an HM for him?

Kim was a great one...before, during, and most certainly after.

 

[chewybaka]

Froggie Morrison!...222-0...well done!

 

[orange14]

Houston, during the run and shoot era, did not play a mid majors schedule!
They played the old SWC slate every year: Texas, TAMU, Arkansas, Texas Tech, Baylor and the rest of the then SWC. Those first three were consistently good those years. They went over 50 on every single member of the old SWC except A&M during the height of the run and shoot era.
They had some OOC games against patsies, sure, but not quite the patsies everyone has on their schedules now.
They beat the crap out of UNLV one year and Wyoming another. But that year Wyoming was ranked 10th when they played and beat them. They also beat the crap out of Arizona State in that game that was held in Japan. I think they went over 70. They lost to Miami when Miami was still good in an OOC game during that era.
Other OOC games included Illinois and Michigan. (beat Illinois, lost to Michigan but those years were past their best run and shoot teams) Now granted, they played TCU, Baylor and Texas Tech when they were mediocre and Rice when they were pretty bad (and SMU those years was really bad), but the old SWC schedule was pretty good at the top.
Yes, we play a harder schedule - but we have a few patsies in the ACC too - and Houston did not play any Elons, SC States, Jacksonville States or Samfords those years.