Ray Goff: Best option quarterback ever?
Ray Goff is entering Georgia's Sports Hall of Fame. (University of Georgia)
Generally speaking, Ray Goff doesn’t come in for many accolades these days from Georgia fandom. It still hurts too much to recall the depths to which the UGA football program sank during his time as head coach.
But with James Rayford Goff being inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame tonight at the Macon City Auditorium, I think we ought to take a few moments to acknowledge some of the high points in the Moultrie native’s career before he was tagged as “Ray Goof.”
Goff’s playing career at Georgia is interesting because during all three of his years on the varsity (this was still when freshmen couldn’t play), he shared snaps with Matt Robinson and was known mainly as the “runner” while Robinson was the “passer.” For many fans, the memory of that time is as my brother Tim put it: “If it was third and long they would bring in Matt Robinson to throw it.”
As Vince Dooley recalled in his 2005 memoir, “When Ray came to Georgia … he had a reputation for being a great high school passer who couldn’t run very much. As it turned out, the opposite was true.”
And yet Goff was all-SEC and finished seventh in the Heisman voting his senior year.
Actually, operating in the veer, an option running attack, Georgia didn’t have to pass that much in those days. In fact, in the 1976 game against Auburn that clinched the SEC title, Goff played injured, couldn’t even lift his throwing arm and didn’t complete a pass, yet the Dogs won 28-0.
Goff was known primarily as a running quarterback but could throw. (University of Georgia)
Dooley was pretty much spot-on in his estimation of Goff as “a great option quarterback.” My friend Rusty, who’s been watching the Dogs all his life, agrees. Goff, he says, “was the best option quarterback I ever saw. Perfect timing/decision making on pitch outs.” And, Rusty added, “he could actually throw the ball when least expected,” as during the 1976 season when his passes included touchdown strikes of 75 and 87 yards.
(At a Macon Bulldog Club meeting one year, Rusty recalls, fellow UGA QB Kirby Moore of flea-flicker fame was kidding Goff about his passing and Ray replied, “Well, at least I didn’t have to relay mine.” Not bad.)
With Goff and Robinson alternating at quarterback, the Dogs won the SEC championship in 1976 and had a shot at the national championship before falling to the Tony Dorsett-led Pitt Panthers in the Sugar Bowl.
I asked several longtime UGA fans for their favorite memory from Goff’s playing days and most of them cited the game in Jacksonville against the Gators, where the Dogs rallied from a 27-13 halftime deficit to score 28 unanswered second half points for a 41-27 win in the game immortalized for Florida coach Doug Dickey’s “fourth and dumb” call.
Goff was absolutely terrific in that game, accounting for five touchdowns as he passed for two and ran for three. He rushed for 124 yards on 17 carries and completed all five of his passes.
As my friend Scott recalls, “I still remember him going around end and some Gator grabbing his jersey, only to have Ray keep going in the days of tear-away jerseys.”
Goff was a superb option quarterback. (University of Georgia)
Other Goff highlights from that 1976 season include his 73-yard touchdown run in the Dogs’ 41-0 nationally televised rout of the Clemson Tigers, a 70-yard touchdown run in the lone regular season loss to Ole Miss, and a 63-yard scoring run against Vandy. Goff was named SEC Offensive Player of the Year.
We also should note that while Goff’s time as head coach at Georgia definitely was disappointing, it wasn’t without its moments. He lost his first two to Tech but then reeled off five straight against the Jackets. Goff was known as a great recruiter whose talent tended to underperform and it’s true that his talent-loaded 1992 team — with the likes of Eric Zeier, Garrison Hearst, Mack Strong, Andre Hastings and Randall Godfrey — probably should have won the national championship but lost close games to Tennessee and Florida. Still, they finished 10-2 and No. 8 in both national polls after beating Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl.
Goff’s 1994 team was a mediocre 6-4-1, losing to Vanderbilt and getting blown out by Florida, but that one tie (in the days before overtime) was a memorable one, ending Terry Bowden’s 20-game winning streak at Auburn. As one headline blared: “UGA beats Auburn 23-23.”
And then there was probably the biggest win of Goff’s coaching career in 1991, when the No. 6-ranked Clemson Tigers came to Athens for a nationally televised night game and were upset 27-12. It was quite a day. The Braves had wrapped up the National League West title earlier that day, setting the Sanford Stadium crowd off into a frenzy of tomahawk chopping, and then the Dogs took down the Tigers.
“It’s a great day,” Goff said after the game. “The Braves won and we won.”
It doesn’t get any better than that, and unfortunately for Goff there weren’t enough of those days in Athens during his time as coach.
But that shouldn’t overshadow the success Goff had has a player at Georgia. He was, and remains, one damn good Dawg.
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164 comments Add your comment
VA DAWG
February 26th, 2011
3:29 pm
cantondawg the reason Goff ended up as coach was because Dooley as AD insisted that all of his assistants be retained. We were in final negotiations with Sheridan at NC State who was the hot coach of that season but he wanted to bring all of his assistants with him. That was the sticking point and he broke off negotiations.Of course we all know the controversy about why Irk wasn’t the next coach. I think Ray knew he wasn’t ready as he wasn’t one of the initial candidates and had never been a coordinator. But as I recall he said he was urged to apply after Sheridan withdrew and did and I guess he was willing to accept Dooley’s demand that he keep all of his assistants.
Tide Roll
February 26th, 2011
3:32 pm
If you’d like to check the record, the Tide has signed the TOP TEN players from the great state of Ala-dam-bama each of the past 4 years!
Mean wile uga has missed on FOUR instate quarterbacks since 1977! That’s more than one quarterback per decade!
AltamahaDawg
February 26th, 2011
3:45 pm
You forgot to mention that only a classless jerk calls a beloved former player and dedicated coach some childish name because he had some bad years. That’s says more about the jerk, than the coach.
Worth noting that you could carve out periods of Dooley’s record that weren’t much better.
AltamahaDawg
February 26th, 2011
3:54 pm
I remember being at that Clemson game. It was a memorable time. Had tickets to see the braves that weekend too. Sunday unfortunately. Saw plenty of reserves.
AltamahaDawg
February 26th, 2011
3:58 pm
BTW, was not saying B.King is a jerk for repeating that. He has never used it (except to make the point that some have) that I have ever seen in his writing.
@Orson
February 26th, 2011
4:22 pm
Richt is only behind LSU in SEC tilels since he’s been at Georgia, LSu 3, uga 2, Floirda 2, auburn 2, bama 1. I guess the rest of the SEC barely won a title too.Ray Goff was a very good Qb in his day, he was in over his head as a head coach.
Sam
February 26th, 2011
4:27 pm
I think there is a need to separate Goff as a player and as a coach. His play at UGA should be far above reproach. Also, he should never have been named HC. He had not had a lot of experience as a coach. Maybe if he had been developed, he would have turned into a good coach.
I cannot recall him ever saying negative about UGA.
Goff is a great dawg.
THE CORK
February 26th, 2011
4:31 pm
To TIDE ROLL, Just enjoy your piece of work at TIMOR’S KORNER.
Big Al
February 26th, 2011
4:36 pm
He was saying that Goff was the best UGA option qb ever….. I hope
Tide Roll
February 26th, 2011
5:11 pm
Real cute “Cork”. Fortunately, I have an ironclad alibi for that weekend.
Tide Roll
February 26th, 2011
5:11 pm
I was briefly incarcerated in Gulf Shores on a charge of Mopery.
bosshawg
February 26th, 2011
5:51 pm
always a goff fan an supporter sorry he had bad times in coaching not all his fault go dawgs no his blood runs red&black
He did defeat Ohio State
February 26th, 2011
5:55 pm
Ohio State was QB’d by loud mouth Kirk Herstreet and UGA routed them pretty easily.
Ohio State is a joke when they face the men of the SEC.
GO Dogs.
Hey VA Dawg
February 26th, 2011
5:57 pm
You are 150% correct in your recollection of the UGA/Goff hiring. That is my memory to the T.
Go Dogs.
Gerald
February 26th, 2011
6:09 pm
Orson:
The only reason why no other school has far outdistanced Richt’s 2 SEC titles is because Richt is by far the longest tenured head coach in the SEC. As a matter of fact, only Richt and Spurrier have been at their current jobs for more than 5 years. In the time that Richt has been at UGA, Nick Saban has won a national title at LSU, spent three years with the Dolphins, and then won another national title at Alabama. Also, since that time, Steve Spurrier won the Orange Bowl at Florida, then went to the Redskins, and has returned to be South Carolina’s best coach ever.
Even better: Gene Chizik came into the SEC as a defensive coordinator in 2002, helped Auburn go undefeated in 2004, went to Texas and helped them win a national title in 2005 as a DC, then went to Iowa State as head coach for two years, and then came back to Auburn to lead them to a national title in 2010.
Richt did win SEC titles in 2002 and 2005, but both came in down years in the SEC. 2002 was in the “down period” between the late 90s when Florida and Tennessee were title contenders and the streak of SEC national title worthy teams that began in 2003 (yes, I include Auburn in 2004 as part of that streak). Look at the SEC in 2002 … it was a mess. UGA was the only team anywhere near the top 10. Florida was the #2 team in the SEC East, and they were 8-5, and in the east Alabama couldn’t play in the SEC title game because they were on probation, so Arkansas had to instead. (Granted, UGA did beat ‘Bama by 2 during the season.) And 2005 was the only year since 2003 that the SEC hasn’t produced a team worthy of contending for a national title, and one of the few years in decades where the SEC champ had 3 losses. So, it can basically be said that Richt won the 2002 and 2005 titles by default, especially when you consider that the 2005 title came only because UGA knocked JaMarcus Russell out of the game on the first drive.
Richt has proven that he can win the SEC in a down year, but not that he can win a national title, or even be a factor in the SEC race during one of its stronger years. In 2003, UGA lost to LSU twice, and it was the Gators who beat LSU. In 2004, UGA wasn’t even competitive against Auburn. And since the title run began in 2006, UGA hasn’t logged a single victory against a team that went on to win the SEC East or the SEC West. Even in 2007, they lost to SEC East champ Tennessee, and none of LSU’s 2 conference losses were to UGA. In 2006, Florida lost to Auburn, not UGA. In 2008, Florida lost to Ole Miss, not UGA. And even in the years that UGA won the SEC title, they lost to Florida both times, and in 2005 they also lost to Auburn.
Keep defending Richt if you want. But it is difficult to remember a coach who has accomplished so little when given so much for so long. Georgia gets top 5 recruiting classes now … imagine if they were winning as many BCS games and sending as many players to the NFL as Ohio State does. They’d get the #1 recruiting class every year, or at least every other year, like Saban does, and like Mack Brown, Bobby Bowden, Pete Carroll and Phil Fulmer used to.
TDone
February 26th, 2011
6:35 pm
What about Joe Hamilton?
GTDog
February 26th, 2011
6:38 pm
And your point is what Harold? Are you saying that UGA is the most stable program in the SEC?
Are you agreeing that the Bulldogs have won more SEC titles than anyone in the SEC except LSU over the past decade?
Saban? Great coach, but he HAS lost 3 or more games in 2 of his 3 years at AL. That’s with #1 ranked recruiting classes.
Mack Brown? Has to have the highest composite recruiting classes over the past 2, 3, 5 and 10 years. 1 NC, 5-7 record last year.
Bobby Bowden? Coaching where, I thought he was retired? Great coach, run out of Tallahassee by clowns like you.
Pete Carroll? Pleeeeease. The only program to compete with Texas as far as recruiting this decade. How many NC? Oh yeah…..1.
Phil Fulmer? Another fine coach. See Bobby Bowden comment for definition of “clowns”…lol
GTDog
February 26th, 2011
6:39 pm
Oh, before the Clown Police get me, I meant 2 of 4 years for Saban at Alabama…
Ray Goofus
February 26th, 2011
6:47 pm
It’s kind of sad to see all the Dawg fans getting so excited this year (just like the year before, the year before that, etc.). How long is it going to take for UGA fans to realize that UGA is simply no longer relevant in the SEC? In the national picture, UGA isn’t even a blip on the radar, and hasn’t been since the preseason #1 ranking two years ago.
Sit back and be grateful for the six or seven wins you’ll get every year. Coaching genius Mark Richt may take you to 8-4 or even 9-3 occasionally, but Florida will still win the SEC, meaning no BCS bowls and no top 10 final ranking. Most years, UGA will be very lucky to finish in the top 25, and only after a big bowl win over a nobody opponent.
It’s a different world now, and Dawg fans need to adjust their expectations downward to reflect reality.
Unfortunately nothing is going to change until UGA changes its mediocre coaching. That’s where the difference is, and that’s why everyone outside Dawgtard Nation just laughs at Dawg fans getting so excited year after year about what a great recruiting class UGA gets. It doesn’t matter how many blue chip high school players go to UGA, they simply don’t get the coaching they would get at Florida or Alabama, to name two schools whose programs are far ahead of UGA. And that’s not going to change as long as Mark Richt is in Athens.
Get your heads out of the sand and face reality. And mediocrity and irrelevance.
UGA, winner of the Fulmer/Richt Cup and known worldwide as The Cesspool of the South.
Rumanee
February 26th, 2011
6:49 pm
The biggest change that CMR needs to make is to stop recruiting the low-class illiterates and thugs who he seems to think will win for him and keep his oversized paychecks coming in. People like Marcus Dowtin, A.J. Green, Washaun Ealey, Caleb King, and others too numerous to mention are not team players, they’re thug wannabes who are much closer to a gang than a team.
It’s sickening to see felons and goons like these representing the state’s flagship university.
Ally
February 26th, 2011
6:56 pm
UGA = Thug Central.
UGADawg83
February 26th, 2011
7:29 pm
Quotes from Rust and Scott–what the guy at Jiffy Lube was not available. For gosh sakes AJC please get us a better representative UGA on this blog.
DawgFan
February 26th, 2011
8:06 pm
Ray Goof was terrible. Matt Robinson should have played more
sam
February 26th, 2011
8:11 pm
Freshmen started playing on the varsity in 1972. Goff entered in 1973, but the starter was a well-established senior — Andy Johnson, the best running QB since Sinkwich and arguably Dooley’s best running QB. Johnson was so good that he played forever in the NFL as a RB. But Ray Goff was a remarkable leader. He was the catalyst for the 1976 SEC champions. I will always remember how Goff and the other captains came out to midfield with shaved heads for the 1976 Alabama game in Athens. They shut out the supposedly unbeatable Bear Bryant and Alabama that day, 21-0 I believe. I also believe it was Alabama’s first SEC loss in more than 3 years. You can look it up. Ray Goff may not have been a very good passer but he was a helluva football player.
UGASlobberknocker
February 26th, 2011
8:12 pm
He damn sure was one Saturday in Oct 1976. Georgia 21 Alabama 0. Ray scored two TDS. For my money as a 36 yr season ticket holder..the best home win in all of that time..the celebration afterward was beyond wild. Today could not happen..the entire student body would be in jail. Milledge was a street party the likes of which has not been seen since.
Fidlin1
February 26th, 2011
8:29 pm
Slobberknocker, I was on the tracks on Friday at 5pm for that Saturday game against Alabama. My favorite UGA game of all time. What a Game.
The Ole Ball Coach
February 26th, 2011
9:02 pm
Ray is a great Dawg,, Great player, great radio voice, Love to hear his rationale on the different areas
of the Football program. I wish his teams had done better when he was the coach……
Alabamadawg
February 26th, 2011
9:24 pm
I was disappointed when Georgia hired Ray as their HC. However, I thought his offense’s were pretty good, he just never could find a good defensive cordinator, he tried, but failed.
1eyedJack
February 26th, 2011
9:38 pm
Ray Goff gave my brother a concussion in high school. His next game back William Andrews gave him another.
1eyedJack
February 26th, 2011
9:40 pm
That Saturday in Oct 1976 was my first Georgia game and what a game…and what a party afterwards.
aarh
February 26th, 2011
10:21 pm
Donnan of a new era- Yeah, I know Richt hasn’t won a championship, but it took Dooely a long time before he won one, & he was around in an era back when people didn’t get fired every yr. just for having one or two bad seasons. Richt has finished #2 #3 in the nation…so I don’t understand what you mean when you way he hasn’t been close to a championship. You may not be old enough to remember, but UGA was coming off a bad season going into the ‘80 season, & along came H. Walker before they ended up winning it all. Also, Goff didn’t beat the Gators that much. I think he beat them in his first yr. or so, but that was the period when Spurrier arrived & Fl. started to own UGA…right after that victory Goff had in his first season. I know Richt’s struggled w/ them, but so has every other coach since Dooley, & FL. wasn’t even that good before Spurrier was there. So, it was a different FL. team that Dooley owned instead of the one that other UGA coaches have had trouble w/ ever since.
oakwood dawg
February 26th, 2011
11:05 pm
Goff was great football player for UGA and probably would have been a great coach had it not been for Dooley. He got the scarlet letter and was cast out. I personally believe Dooley was afraid Goff would be a better coach than he(Dooley) was. Although Goff is in the shadows, the day will come when he is redeemed. For his sake, I hope it is soon. He was, and still is, a DAMN GOOD DAWG.
texaspete
February 26th, 2011
11:35 pm
Lest we forget John Bond from Valdosta who played @ Miss. State. He was superior to Goff on the option. Maybe not a better QB, but better at the option.
And AF QB wee Dee Dowis, the Air Force QB from Franklin Count was better than Goff, but then that’s saying something itself.
Fire wood for sale
February 26th, 2011
11:45 pm
Tide roll needs to read news papers from Alabama and get off ours! And Gerald you don’t have to wright a book calm down it’s just a blog! Ray goff if any thing was one heck of a recruiter!
aladawg
February 27th, 2011
12:54 am
Roll Tide, I was born and raised in the great state of Georgia but I left the state in 1965 and joined the army. After 26 years I retired at Fort Rucker, AL near Dothan. I remained in this state becasue the state does not tax my army retirement and low property taxes. Those are the only reasons I live in this backwards state. I listen to Mr. Pine Bum (Paul) every day just to get my kicks from listening to you Alabama low life stuff dipping idiots. You proved my point by not even knowing that GA Tech is in the state of Georgia. Most kids in Alabama their mothers are also their sisters. Don’t give me no crap I live amoung you morons I know how you all are.
college football
February 27th, 2011
1:04 am
about leaving the state…if a kid goes to Georgia Tech, it’s actually like leaving the state.
Grim Reaper
February 27th, 2011
7:23 am
aladawg said:
“I listen to Mr. Pine Bum (Paul) every day just to get my kicks from listening to you Alabama low life stuff dipping idiots.”
You have the sympathies of the Grim Reaper, for when “your and of days” comes, you will be transported to a better life, for hell on earth is the state of Alabama, you will not be shipped from one purgatory to another.
Also have my sympathies for having to listen to Mr. Pine Bum, if he had three holes in the top of that bowling ball I would roll it down that alley in Jacksonville where the Ole Ball Coach beat up Ray Goof!
Joe
February 27th, 2011
7:44 am
F-105 Thunderbird…Sir or Maam! You are absolutely correct….Goff was great but Tracy Ham was aabsolutely the best ever. Vince can thank Erk every day for his success at UGA.
J
February 27th, 2011
7:57 am
Goff surrounded himself with his buddies and Marion Campbell once… Dooly was blessed to have Erk and what’s his name…Herschel. Goff shot himself in the foot by forcing the issue with Dooly. One thing about Dooly was the did surround himself with good assistants and had a great running game that allowed Erk’s defenses to be fresh and wild all the time. Ray did not surround himself with the best coaches. Even now Dooly surrounds himself with the best gardeners and horticulturist UGA has to be successful as a gardener.
Mr. Phelps
February 27th, 2011
8:53 am
The turning of the tide, Ray Goff UGA head coach, Steve Spurrier UF, the dawgs have yet to recover.
YardDawg
February 27th, 2011
9:23 am
Goff was one of the best.
Tracy Ham was the best ever.
By a long ways.
YardDawg
February 27th, 2011
9:25 am
J, if you know so much about Dooley, wouldn’t you at least know how to spell his name?
old dawg
February 27th, 2011
10:27 am
How many people on this blog can say they have ever been considered for an hall of fame, Ray was a great college player and this is his time, so all of your losers that are writing ignorant remarks, shut the f*** up and give Ray his due, he is a true DAWG!!! Congratulations Ray!!!
Newman
February 27th, 2011
10:54 am
Best UGA option QB ever: ANDY JOHNSON. No contest.
Jborodawg
February 27th, 2011
12:42 pm
Congratulations to Coach Goff on being inducted. Damn Good Dawg!
Headley Lamar
February 27th, 2011
3:42 pm
Tracy Ham was the best ever.
Huh? He was facing D II competition.
Not even close.
athdog
February 27th, 2011
4:14 pm
Goff was a good recruiter, a little over his head as HC and entirely snake bit as a HC. Recall Hines Ward having to play three positions in one season to cover up for injuries to starters? Go back through the years he was there and every year there was 4,5 6 key players down with injuries for multiple games. I’m not saying that without the injuries he would’ve had great teams, but as it was, he never had a chance.
Gotten a chance to know him some in my decade of living in Athens, he is a class guy, not to mention very successful businessman.
South Ga Dog
February 27th, 2011
5:06 pm
ERK RUSSEL BY MILES
Drago
February 27th, 2011
5:22 pm
During Goff’s years as QB, UGA ran the veer. The veer is a good bit harder to run than the Wishbone. Veer is higher risk and the ball hits the ground more, but Ray ran the veer to perfection. UGA had excellent backs in 76 too. Good team, came very close to being magical.
dawgfan
February 27th, 2011
6:08 pm
Even Goff owned the nerds. I say we let a chimpanzee coach against Tech for the next few years to make things interesting. Or maybe an oragutan? They are more entertaining. Either way the result will be the same. Another loss for the nerds to their big brother in Athens.
Really Techies, Goff? REALLY? Tech football is a total joke.