Your Favorite Underrated GT player?

[Heisman's Ghost]

GT needs a Walk on award named after PJ Daniels or Sean Bedford.

Maybe the award is already named after someone?

It is hard to believe that PJ Daniels was a walk on but Sean was actually an undersized defensive tackle from Gainesville, Florida who became the first of a long line of excellent centers for Coach Johnson. Both of them deserve all the accolades that came their way during their time on the Flats.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

It’s a good thing with the new staff we won’t have anymore under the radar guys!!!

There are always under the radar types but recruiting has become such a science with the far reaching tentacles of the internet that it is getting progressively harder to sweep into the dark corners and find blue chips anymore. The one thing that still cannot be measured is how much better a player gets from the moment he steps on campus. There is still no way to quantify the intangibles of desire, want to, willingness to work, being coachable etc. There are still plenty of 5 star "can't miss" types that for one reason or another just do not pan out and plenty of 3 stars that get better and better with each year. It remains an inexact science that will be driving coaches and fans crazy for a long time to come.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

There are always under the radar types but recruiting has become such a science with the far reaching tentacles of the internet that it is getting progressively harder to sweep into the dark corners and find blue chips anymore. The one thing that still cannot be measured is how much better a player gets from the moment he steps on campus. There is still no way to quantify the intangibles of desire, want to, willingness to work, being coachable etc. There are still plenty of 5 star "can't miss" types that for one reason or another just do not pan out and plenty of 3 stars that get better and better with each year. It remains an inexact science that will be driving coaches and fans crazy for a long time to come.

I still can’t believe Shaq Mason was a 2*.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

I still can’t believe Shaq Mason was a 2*.

Yep. The best guard in the Paul Johnson era which is saying a lot. Excellent guards and centers we had in abundance throughout much of the time. Tackles? were another matter.

 

[BurdellJacket]

Mike Kelly, Malcom King, Jerry Mays, and Mike Wysong.

Hey @GoldZ, you’re showing our age. Mike Wysong was in several of my classes and was a great guy and a heck of a baller at about 138 Lbs.

I’ll never forget one game we had with TCU who had a very good team that year they had a big strong 220 lb All American fullback named Norm Bulaich who later went on to play 10 years in the pros. Bulaich broke free and was out in space with needing only about 3 yards for a big first down. Wysong hit him head on and stopped him cold at the line of scrimmage. You could hear it high in the top stands. Does anyone know what ever happened with Mike?

 

[DeepSnap]

Unfortunately, Wy passed away at the waaaaay too early age of 26 about 1975 from stomach cancer. His wife still comes to GT FB games & gets included when we have various get-togethers. He was a fearless DB, Punt Returner, then did some great things as a WR & (TINS) lined up at TE, usually for an inside trap the other way. Made a helluva catch for a 37 yd TD from Jack Williams in the 1970 UGag game.

Mike was the first of several from our era to go in the 1970s..... BeesBall 2B Larry Elliot (Unknown cause), QB (Dr.) Jack O'Neill (Cancer), Randy Duckworth & Randy Campbell just to name a few others who didn't see the 1980s.

Little known fact about Mike: He & Randy Rhino were brothers-in-law.

 

[TheSilasSonRising]

Unfortunately, Wy passed away at the waaaaay too early age of 26 about 1975 from stomach cancer. His wife still comes to GT FB games & gets included when we have various get-togethers. He was a fearless DB, Punt Returner, then did some great things as a WR & (TINS) lined up at TE, usually for an inside trap the other way. Made a helluva catch for a 37 yd TD from Jack Williams in the 1970 UGag game.

Mike was the first of several from our era to go in the 1970s..... BeesBall 2B Larry Elliot (Unknown cause), QB (Dr.) Jack O'Neill (Cancer), Randy Duckworth & Randy Campbell just to name a few others who didn't see the 1980s.

Little known fact about Mike: He & Randy Rhino were brothers-in-law.

Yep, so sad when good people do not grow old.

Randy Duckworth was a truly humble, gentle and considerate human being.

 

[BurdellJacket]

Unfortunately, Wy passed away at the waaaaay too early age of 26 about 1975 from stomach cancer. His wife still comes to GT FB games & gets included when we have various get-togethers. He was a fearless DB, Punt Returner, then did some great things as a WR & (TINS) lined up at TE, usually for an inside trap the other way. Made a helluva catch for a 37 yd TD from Jack Williams in the 1970 UGag game.

Mike was the first of several from our era to go in the 1970s..... BeesBall 2B Larry Elliot (Unknown cause), QB (Dr.) Jack O'Neill (Cancer), Randy Duckworth & Randy Campbell just to name a few others who didn't see the 1980s.

Little known fact about Mike: He & Randy Rhino were brothers-in-law.

So sorry to hear that. He was a fine young man and with a big heart. The 1968 stats shows he was 5-9 and 159. I’m sure they added 2” and 15 pounds but he didn’t back down from anybody.

Thanks for letting us know. I had seen something in the athletic office that seemed to speak of him in the past tense but it was ambiguous.

 

[alagold]

I still can’t believe Shaq Mason was a 2*.

There were guys who said coming in that Shaq was better on DEF. (needed 2 of him)

 

[alagold]

So sorry to hear that. He was a fine young man and with a big heart. The 1968 stats shows he was 5-9 and 159. I’m sure they added 2” and 15 pounds but he didn’t back down from anybody.

Thanks for letting us know. I had seen something in the athletic office that seemed to speak of him in the past tense but it was ambiguous.

Wow, did not know about Larry Elliot--lost track of him but he was on my Tag football team that won the ATl City Championship .(in '74 I believe).Heckava athlete.

 

[hwdgeplague]

Calvin Tiggle remains to me the reason we beat UVA in 1990. Unsung. Hero.

 

[majungatholus1]

Tony Daykin, David Tedder (at least in that n.d. game), Gary Lanier, Adrian Rucker, K Rhino, Johnny Gresham, David Beavin,

Tash Van Dora - name alone qualifies him.

I remember how hard the defensive linemen played in that game, especially Mr. Tedder.

 

[Vespidae]

Eddie Lee Ivery ... still holds the single game D1 rushing record of 356 yds.

 

[VintageWreck]

Gary Lee. Whenever we needed a big play, he stepped up. Best known for the kickoff return to help beat UGA in '85, but he did so much more, with surprisingly little fanfare.

Toe meets leather and we're underway at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Lee makes the catch near the goal line, hits the first wave of defenders and into the fog he goes (. . . . silence . . . . ), now out of the fog and ten, five, touchdown Gary Lee!!!!

 

[Yoda]

Jerry mays, bobby Rodriguez, dez white, Smelter, however I do think JT was underrated too

 

[91Wreck]

Jemea Thomas - wasn't the best cover guy ever, but he was a baller. Still the best open field tackler I have seen at GT. We have some really good athletes in the secondary right now, but we need to hire Jemea to teach them how to tackle.

Sedric Griffin - He is one of my favorite linebackers at GT ever - and I have been a fan since the early 80's. When my son was growing up and playing linebacker in rec ball, I used to make him watch how Sedric played on defense. I told him if he wanted to be a linebacker, then do what Sedric does. Hard nosed, constant motor, high football IQ. Nuff said.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Jemea Thomas - wasn't the best cover guy ever, but he was a baller. Still the best open field tackler I have seen at GT. We have some really good athletes in the secondary right now, but we need to hire Jemea to teach them how to tackle.

Sedric Griffin - He is one of my favorite linebackers at GT ever - and I have been a fan since the early 80's. When my son was growing up and playing linebacker in rec ball, I used to make him watch how Sedric played on defense. I told him if he wanted to be a linebacker, then do what Sedric does. Hard nosed, constant motor, high football IQ. Nuff said.

3:27 mark for some cover skills



What I loved about Jemea was that he had outstanding instincts and he loved to mix it up. He was the best GT player I ever saw play the swing pass in the flats. He diagnosed quickly, made a bee line to the receiver and almost always made the unassisted open field tackle, something we haven't seen out of a GT db in a long, long time. He was outstanding in run support as well.

 

[GTG768B]

Gordon Clinkscale

 

[gt13]

Jemea Thomas - wasn't the best cover guy ever, but he was a baller. Still the best open field tackler I have seen at GT. We have some really good athletes in the secondary right now, but we need to hire Jemea to teach them how to tackle.

Sedric Griffin - He is one of my favorite linebackers at GT ever - and I have been a fan since the early 80's. When my son was growing up and playing linebacker in rec ball, I used to make him watch how Sedric played on defense. I told him if he wanted to be a linebacker, then do what Sedric does. Hard nosed, constant motor, high football IQ. Nuff said.

Sedric and Jemea were two of the highest motor players we've had. Playmakers all over the field. Cant imagine having both of them on the field at the same time - they didn't play together right?

 

[4shotB]

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but Ted Roof. That guy was a real difference maker on the field. He, along with Marco Colman, just impacted games in a way that very few defensive players ever have at GT.