Best collegian ever? Tebow No. 2, Herschel still No. 1
Tim Tebow is the greatest collegian of the 21st Century. But the greatest collegiate player ever? Not quite. That distinction falls to a man who played for the other side in the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, and I speak of …
Zippy Morocco.
OK, I’m kidding. You know who I mean. As majestic as he was against everybody, Herschel Walker was never so splendid as those three afternoons in Jacksonville. He rushed for 649 yards and scored eight touchdowns against the Gators, who were really good each year but lost three times simply because they didn’t have Herschel. (Granted, Lindsay Scott had a bit to do with the 1980 outcome.)
Not since Herschel has the college game seen a force so irresistible as Tebow. He figures to win a second Heisman Trophy on merit. But Herschel played only three seasons before leaving for the USFL, and he won one Heisman and should have had two (he was clearly superior to George Rogers in 1980) and would have had another had he completed his eligibility.
Grand as he is, Tebow hasn’t been the Florida focal point all four seasons. He was the backup/changeup to Chris Leak when the Gators took the 2006 national championship, and in his first season as a starter he won the Heisman but didn’t lift his team to higher heights. The 2007 Gators finished 9-4. The Georgia Bulldogs with Herschel Walker lost three games in three seasons: Two to teams (Clemson and Penn State) that would themselves take national titles, the third to a team (Pittsburgh) that finished No. 2 in the land.
Georgia with Herschel won the 1980 national title, played for the 1982 championship and was still in the hunt until Clemson beat Nebraska in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 1982. Those Bulldogs won three SEC titles at a time when Paul W. Bryant was still coaching Alabama and Patrick F. Dye was getting going at Auburn and Mike Shanahan was coordinating the Florida run-and-shoot.
It would be wrong to suggest Herschel had no help. He didn’t play defense. (He did, however, return kickoffs.) But it’s instructive that Georgia produced only one first-round NFL draftee those three seasons, that being the aforementioned Scott. It finished undefeated in 1980 despite not leading the SEC in any major offensive or defensive category. It won because of No. 34.
From the moment he stepped onto Shields-Watkins Field the night of Sept. 6, 1980, Herschel was the only Dog who mattered. Remember Clemson biting on the handoff to the broken-thumbed Herschel on Labor Day night 1982 and being laid bare on a reverse to Tron Jackson? (No matter that the play was nullified by penalty.) Every defense was set to stop one man, and in 36 games that man rushed for more than 100 yards 31 times.
He willed Georgia to the Sugar Bowl victory over Notre Dame on Jan. 1, 1981, by gaining 150 yards with a separated shoulder on a day when the Bulldogs managed 127 total yards. The Georgia quarterback, name of Benjamin Franklin Belue, completed one pass (in 13 attempts) for seven yards.
Loading ...In 33 regular-season games Georgia managed 13,012 yards from scrimmage. Herschel gained 5,502 of those. He was 42 percent of Georgia’s offense without completing a pass. (Though he did once throw the ball. Against Kentucky in 1981. Intercepted.)
You can argue that because Tebow runs and passes he means more to Florida than Herschel meant to Georgia, but you’d be wrong. Tebow has demonstrably more talent around him. He has worked alongside three first-round Gators, with Brandon Spikes and Carlos Dunlap sure to come.
I have no problem calling Tebow the second-best college player ever. But no player lifted a program higher faster than Herschel Walker, the Goal Line Stalker. Georgia was 20-13-1 the three years before he arrived. It was 33-3 the three years he dotted the “I.” Cause and effect. Case closed.
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455 comments Add your comment
Jim Thorpe
October 26th, 2009
7:46 pm
Two class acts on and off the field, both being the leaders of their teams, couldn’t go wrong building a team around either one,..Hershel brought a NC to UGA, and Tebow brought one to UF (helped in another)…rubber match this year
Call it Like It Is
October 26th, 2009
8:12 pm
Hey Totally Objective
F U!
Tech Tony
October 26th, 2009
8:19 pm
Like others before me have said: because they played different positions, it’s an apples to oranges argument. But in Mark Bradley’s defense, he points out that Walker did more for the UGA program in a shorter amount of time. That’s undeniable.
Wasn’t there a time in Athens when Herschel helped pull an injured woman out of a burning car? Did I dream that?
Grandad
October 26th, 2009
8:28 pm
Call it Like it is: I think that should be U F (Univ. of Fla.). F U would be Furman Univ.!
Army Vet
October 26th, 2009
8:50 pm
How many 1 yard TD runs did Tebow make? No comparison with Herschel.
SuperB
October 26th, 2009
8:50 pm
I’m guessing by career end, Tebow will have played around 52 or 53 games to Walker’s 36. (Comparing these stats is like comparing the other all-time BB scorers to Pete Maravich’s three years at LSU.) Walker was and is no. 1. I disagree that Tebow’s current supporting cast is far superior to Walker’s. Georgia had a lot of good players on those teams.
heeldawg
October 26th, 2009
9:03 pm
The Real Old Gold is an idiot who knows absolutely nothing about football.
I saw Herschel Walker play in high school (astonishing!) and for three years in college. I’ve seen Bo Jackson, Dan Marino, Garrison Hearst, George Rogers, Ron Dayne, AJ Green, Calvin Johnson, Julius Peppers, Barry Sanders, Lawrence Taylor, Tim Tebow, Matt Stafford, Knowshon Moreno, Peyton Manning and a host of other “great” collegiate players in person.
There’s only been one Herschel Walker, ever.
Bo, Tim and the rest of the pretenders aren’t even close. And if you don’t believe this, you simply never saw him play. Anyone who did would have no argument.
RichHead
October 26th, 2009
9:06 pm
Hey real old gold, While I admire Tebow and his accomplishments both on and off the field, if you think Tebow could have played virtually any position, Herschel could have done so as well and done it better. He was simply amazing.
Is St. Tebow Still a Virgin?
October 26th, 2009
9:07 pm
I’m calling out Call It Like It Is… What a response… Is that all you could come up with is “F.U.”? By the way, did you hear the news today about Tebow and his former offensive coordinator playing Marco Polo in the pool together? How gay is that? Are you sure Tebow is still a virgin?
War Eagle
October 26th, 2009
9:12 pm
I have always said Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson and Billy Cannon was best SEC ever put on the field. After watching Tebow last four years, he not only best in SEC but most productive and all purpose player in my years of football… I would say John Hannah, Bama was best lineman and Tim Tebow best EVER. I am 72 years old and been around long time.
War Eagle
October 26th, 2009
9:17 pm
Grandad, Knowshon better than Bo, you are too old smoke that stuff?
Dawg Whisperer
October 26th, 2009
9:19 pm
I asked my chihuahuas what they think and they were unanominous. UGa is not only be the best mascot in college history but he should be allowed to call some offensive and defensive plays this weekend. Unleash that dawg!
Tampa Gator
October 26th, 2009
9:23 pm
Anybody in their right mind would say that Bo Jackson is the greatest individual talent to ever play in the SEC and maybe all of college football history. Bo, unlike Hershel and probably Tebow, was also great in the NFL and would have gone down as probably the best runner in the history of the NFL if not for his devestating injury to his hip. Hershel was great. Tebow is great. Hershel was average at best in the NFL. Tebow will struggle to be average in the NFL. Bo was better than both of them, and was great in the NFL. So was the “KILLER” RB from USC (I refuse to use his name).
Tampa Gator
October 26th, 2009
9:28 pm
P.S….you guys have Willie as a DC and we have perhaps the Gators have an offensive line coach calling plays for a high octane offense. That makes for a very interesting and very close game on Saturday. The difference maker is…Charlie Strong and the Florida defense. They will dominate the Georgia offense. The Georgia defense will not dominate the Florida offense, only control it. That will be the difference. Florida 27-14 over the Dawgs on Saturday.
The Last of the Gwinnettians
October 26th, 2009
9:30 pm
Walker did in three years what all of those other NCAA all-time leaders did in four. From ‘80-’82 scoring a TD was only a technicality when GA reached the 5-yard line. His best year may have been his freshman year, but the Heisman’s not necessarily about the best player: See Ron Dayne over Joe Hamilton in ‘99.
Go Jackets!!!
Tampa Gator
October 26th, 2009
9:31 pm
Sorry…that should have read…you have Willie on D and we have a OL coach (who only calls dive plays) coaching a high octane offense). The Gators need Mullen back, please.
Elmo
October 26th, 2009
9:32 pm
Such a fine Politically Correct Choice Mark. If Tebow was Black and Agnostic ………..
The Last of the Gwinnettians
October 26th, 2009
9:35 pm
P.S. The guy most credited for bringing him to GA was from my hometown of Thomaston. (Sure wish that somebich had been a Tech fan.)
Jonnyboy
October 26th, 2009
9:36 pm
Talk about homers. Left me set you non football people straight. Neither of Bradley’s guys are five.
1) Archie Griffin
2) Jim Brown
3) Barry Sanders
4) Tony Dorsett
5) OJ Simpson
6) Hershel
Now if you are talking athlete and throwing in their NLF days:
1) Bo Jackson
2) Deion Sanders
3) Jim Brown
I should charge for the lesson oe write Bradley’s column for him.
Don't think so
October 26th, 2009
9:39 pm
Hershel #1? I think the 1982 National Champion Penn State Nittany Lions would disagree.
LOL!
The Last of the Gwinnettians
October 26th, 2009
9:41 pm
How are “Bo [and] Tim and the rest … pretenders”?
If they weren’t great players, they wouldn’t be in this discussion.
Sidslid
October 26th, 2009
9:42 pm
OJ Simpson, Tony Dorsett before both of them
The Last of the Gwinnettians
October 26th, 2009
9:47 pm
I doubt most folks outside of Pennsylvania could name anyone from the ‘82 PSU team other than Todd Blackledge, who was very good, but not great.
The Last of the Gwinnettians
October 26th, 2009
9:53 pm
Jonnyboy, you’d better start charging the folks at Bristol, Connecticut, too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyKLeXP2XOU.
Skeezix
October 26th, 2009
9:55 pm
Jim Brown gets my vote-best football player ever, pro or amateur.
tripp
October 26th, 2009
10:03 pm
I am a huge Herschel fan. I saw him beat Willie Gault on the track field. That was bizarre! I also saw the Bo Jackson homerun mentioned earlier. I was in the kudzu in the outfield, we had no bleachers out there. We were sitting on our coolers drinking beer and giving Bo heck. About the 7 th inning he hit that home run. I believe it was still going up when it cleared the lights. Bo came back out tto the outfield after that inning, non of us Dawg fans could look at him. Herschel is the greatest college running back ever. He was robbed as a freshman. Why come nobody has mentioned OJ. As I recall, he was a decent back.
tripp
RealityRose
October 26th, 2009
10:03 pm
Paris Hilton has more rings than all the UGA and FLA players combined. Can’t you silly folks find a more interesting blogging subject. Today, I and most of today’s population could care less about such a ridiculous conversation. On Saturday, I will care about what happens. Timothy Tebow will likely lead a phenomenal Gator team to victory. It will require very little time for even Saturday’s game to become historically insignificant…………………just like all the rest. What’s on sale at Macy’s on a given Saturday is always relevant and there all sales practically every weekend of the year! Go Macy’s!!
Tokyo Bravo
October 26th, 2009
10:05 pm
“Herschel played only three seasons before leaving for the USFL, and he won one Heisman and should have had two (he was clearly superior to George Rogers in 1980)”
Hmmm. Obviously, the voters didn’t think so. Hugh Green, Pitt’s dominating defensive lineman, was the runner-up that year, so Herschel didn’t even place second in the eyes of the voters. “Clearly,” my tuckus.
Look, there’s no doubt that Walker is one of the greatest to have played, but why the slap at Rogers? He carried a modestly talented SC team while he was there, and lead the nation in rushing the year he won the Heisman. Seems to me the biggest beef folks around here can have with him is that he didn’t wear that beloved “G” on the side of his helmet in college.
Sorry, but the slap at Rogers is unjustified.
GT Rules State
October 26th, 2009
10:08 pm
Gotta give it to Tebow … best means athletic ability plus ability to lead others. Bet you Tebow could get hurt and “will” his team to victory.
SuperB
October 26th, 2009
10:12 pm
Tebow did not win Florida’s first title as a freshman. JaxGator must have forgotten about a guy named Chris Leak, which ought to make Chris feel good. Georgia was 11-1 the year Herschel left early for the USFL, losing only 13-7 to Auburn. Everyone knows Walker would have won that game too.
Fletcher Law
October 26th, 2009
10:21 pm
Mark,
Please help us. Tell us the Vince calls me Mister
don’t call me”Muddy” Waters story. It is all I can hold on to this week.
hOBODOG
October 26th, 2009
10:25 pm
Herschell was only so good because he could be in so many places at once…
dawes
October 26th, 2009
10:31 pm
to the one that bo was than walker who won national championship i say ealker was better than bo jackson hand down on a scale 1 to 10 walker is no. 1 bo isno,6
Reality
October 26th, 2009
10:35 pm
Who cares? Especially since Tebow isn’t done yet. Another National Title and possibly another Heisman and this is not even a topic for conversation. If I were UGA i’d be worried about stopping Tebow this weekend and not whether or not he’s better than some classless has been. Memo: 1980 was a long time ago…
Grandad
October 26th, 2009
10:43 pm
War Eagle: Nothing against Bo, I just loved knowshon, but now that I think of it Ronnie Brown would look mighty good in that fantasy backfield running that offense. Wallace Clark would be a good fit @ Fullback as well. Jimmy Sidle could run the option much better than my fav. AU QB Pat Sullivan. GO DAWGS…WAR EAGLE when we are not playin’ one another. I do not have the same affection for the gators.petrino.spurrier.bama.tech.notre dame. or so.cal…by the way
“nothing and I mean Nothing Sucks like a big orange!”
Grandad
October 26th, 2009
10:45 pm
War Eagle: I’m sorry, I left out – Tucker Fredrickson.
SEC Fan
October 26th, 2009
10:48 pm
Bo Jackson and Hershel Walker are 1a 1b___Tebow is great but not even in the same category as those two–Bo was the best athlete I’ve seen.
georgia74
October 26th, 2009
10:50 pm
Herschel was all we have ever had. Please don’t take our RN from us. It is all we got to talk about because all we do is lick our own gonads. This cudzu kollege’s only hope is one of Herschel’s 12 kids goes to Athens. Our onlu chance is to hope one of Herschel’s “girlfriends” was a big ole woman!!! Hey boy—you shore do have a purty mouth!!
SEC Fan
October 26th, 2009
10:55 pm
another thing to add, I think Bo averaged almost 6 yards per carry, I don’t think there are any pure RB’s in that class
Grandad
October 26th, 2009
11:03 pm
If you’re gonna start talking about pure athletes, don’t forget Dieon Sanders. He’s equal to Bo as an ath.
Pi$$onaJACKET
October 26th, 2009
11:04 pm
Herschel
cincyjacket
October 26th, 2009
11:25 pm
I heard this guy named Archie Griffin was pretty good in college.
georgia74
October 26th, 2009
11:35 pm
Yeah–no kidding about Archie—-these BLIND LOYALISTS never cease to amaze me.
Just realize they have had nothing in 115 years but Herschel.
No one on hear believes it but I am Dawg (74) but I am not a fan since Vince tied Auburn to cheat into the Sec a long time ago. Most of these young turks don’t even have a clue about what I am talking about.
calvin
October 26th, 2009
11:42 pm
It will be very interesting watching Tebow and Herschel face
off this Saturday.
G8TR
October 26th, 2009
11:42 pm
Mark writes columns like the true AJC homer that he is…dusting off old-school UGA memories and shining them up for a fan base w/ only hazy memories of a national title. After all, playing the nostalgia card before UGA racks up another UF loss is a grand tradition ’round these parts. All that really matters to the Dawgs’ future is, when it comes to luring recruiting prospects to Athens, Herschel Walker may as well be Doak Walker. (Now, for your next column, let’s compare Danny Wuerffel to Frank Sinkwich!) Try joining the rest of us living in the 21st Century, where grainy ABC footage of Buck throwing to Lindsay Scott Doesn’t. Really. Matter. Any. More.
PoopyRatDawg
October 26th, 2009
11:46 pm
Hi! =) Steve Spurrier was the best! If you don’t believe me, write PoopyRatDawg on the bottom of subsequent blogs!! and then ask him.
P.S I’m really a cat.
PoopyRatDawg
October 26th, 2009
11:52 pm
Hi! I’m a cat who likes rats(to eat). PS. Sorry SEC officials will do in a pinch! My feeling is that I will have lots to eat this weekend!!!!
P.P.S. If you don’t think i’m a cat say aye!!
Ted Striker
October 26th, 2009
11:52 pm
Already weighed in on the topic but here’s a post script: I just don’t see Tebow measuring up to #34 as a football player.
As good as Tebow is — and he IS good — if it were just Tebow and I, mano-a-mano between the 20 yard line and the goal line of UGA, I swear to Zeus and Aphrodite I think I could — and would — stop him short.
That’s partly my arrogance and maybe even my ignorance, but it’s mostly my sincere belief Tebow is highly overrated.
aarh
October 26th, 2009
11:53 pm
I disagree w/ the theory that if teboe wins the HEisman & National championship…that that makes him greater. The reason’s bc Tebow didn;t even start his freshman yr….when the Gators son their first title. I get tired of people saying that he won 2 title, bc he did not. Chris Leak was the starter that yr…not Tebow. The media hypes Tebow too much. I’ve hear d them say 2 things recently…neither of them being true..the 2 champioship thig, & that he’s the only Sophomore to win the Heisman…he was the 1st to do it, but Bradford did it the nest yr., & he was also a So. last yr. when he did it. My other point is that Tebow should not win the Hesiman this yr. He very well may…just bc he’s Tebow, & the media hypes him up so much. My point is this…Tebow has about 1,200 yards passing…8TDs, & 5 int.s…2 of which were returned for pick 6’s in the last game. It’s like Robert Smith said on TV the other day…thoe aren’t Heisman numbers, & if he hadn’t won it before…there’s no way he would even be in the hunt this yr. The Heisman is a popularity contest, & if Tebow wins bc of media biase…then how can you say he’s automatically be considered the greatest ever…when he didn’t even really have the numbers for the award? don’t get me wrong…Tebow’s great, but I don’t think you can automatically say he’s better than Tebow…just bc of these stats.
aarh
October 26th, 2009
11:56 pm
Sorry about the typos. I meant to say that I don’t think you can automatically say that Tebow’s better than Herschel just bc of the stats. They played 2 different positions…that’s another point.