Best collegian ever? Tebow No. 2, Herschel still No. 1

This is a great article Mark . . . But the book isn’t finished yet on Tebow, so are your conclusions premature? . . . I agree with you – IF we are judging them at this point . . . However, what if Tebow wins a second Heisman AND a second national championship (actually, it would be a third national championship team that he played and took snaps on)???? . . . At that point, isn’t it fair to say that we may be witnessing the greatest college FB player ever? . . .

• Link
• Report this comment

third.. dang

• Link
• Report this comment

As a UGA alum, I completely agree. But I think if Tebow wins the Heisman and a NC this year, we may have to revisit this argument.

• Link
• Report this comment

Tebow–clearly the better player. He’ll have 3 national titles, 2 heismans and was good enough to start his freshman year. Plus, he’s a team leader.

• Link
• Report this comment

…what have you been smokin’ the real Old Gold? Must be the blind loyalty that will not let you know that Mark is correct and that NO ONE compares to Herschel! Sorry, Bryan G. – even if UF wins the MNC and Tebow wins another Heisman (which he should not cause he has not played well this year), it still is not even close!

Tebow is great as a player and as a person, yet he still is not close to Herschel. Herschel should have won the Heisman his freshman year but came in second. Tebow did win as a soph, then came in third his jr. year. Just because UGA only won one MNC does not lessen what Herschel accomplished in only 3 years when compared to Tebow’s 4 years. Plus, Herschel got all that money!

• Link
• Report this comment

Herschel was a once in a century talent. That century is over. Tebow is a great player, no doubt. But I do not think he can compare to Herschel even after he breaks Herschels rushing touchdown record. How many rushing touchdowns has Tebow scored outside the twenty yard line. I imagine it is fewer than Herschel, just a hunch. And Tebow will get the SEC rushing touchdown record, no doubt. Then a new column in the record books shows up. Most rushing touchdowns in three years. That record will never be beat.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Tebow is one of the greatest college players of all time. Just not the greatest.

• Link
• Report this comment

Agreed old gold. Bo Jackson was better than both.

• Link
• Report this comment

Jackets on Top, St. Timothy had a better supporting cast than Herschel. That and luck gives more NC’s and Herschel was robbed of the Heisman in 1980. No freshman has ever won it. St. Timothy was the first sophmore if my memory banks are correct. In 1980 a freshman could never win the Heisman. I think today it would be possible if said Freshman had the impact Herschel did in 1980.

• Link
• Report this comment

How many TD’s did Herschel score when the Dawgs played at Clemson? ZERO. How can you be the best of all time when you can’t be a factor in an important road game?

• Link
• Report this comment

Herschel should have won the Heisman every year he played…and if Jack Manton and Donald Trump had stayed the hell out of his business, he’d have had a fourth year of eligibility and records that would, forever, be unchallenged. The man was an absolute freak of nature. Yeah Bo was Bad, and there are those that say Tebow is the best ‘football player’ that ever played quarterback (which I understand and agree with), but Herschel was the epitome of strength and speed that has ever played this game.

Yeah, we still revere him. So would anybody where he would have played. And while I’m at it, I renew my call for a petition to the NCAA to allow anyone that reaches the age of, say 45, and that has any eligibility remaining, and regardless if they played professionally, to return to school to complete said eligibility. My bet is that Herschel could gain at least a thousand and score ten or fifteen more touchdowns…that ought to do it. I mean it’ll be a hellofalot easier than that ultimate fighting crap – Herschel, that’ll get you killed.

• Link
• Report this comment

Herschel clearly the greatest (5900 yds/3 seasons). Hard choice for 2nd. Barry Sanders was a GREAT college football running back; Staubach great college QB. I like Tebow but not more than those three. Probably have Earl Campbell ahead of him. What about Archie Griffith?. Won two Heismans but still not considered one of the ‘greats’.

Top Five:
(1) Walker
(2) Sanders
(3) Staubach
(4) Campbell
(5) Tebow

Bo Jackson probably top 10 of all time.

• Link
• Report this comment

Jackets on top – I completely wrote your opinion off when you thought Herschel only played three years becasue he didn’t get to play until his sophmore year. There are very few Tech fans on here that ever make sense. You sir, are not one of them!

• Link
• Report this comment

I went to Georgia, but the best college football player I ever saw in person,and I could choke myself for saying it, was Steve Spurrier.

• Link
• Report this comment

Tim Tebow will not win the Heisman this year. He play the last few weeks has been mediocre to terrible, but the Gators “D” carries the team…Herschel never tasted an SEC loss, while Tebow has several. Tebow turns the ball over too much as well. How many fumbles did #34 have in his career?
BO Jackson was not better than Herschel, but he was close to being as good. No National titles…
I’ll take Tracy Ham over all of them….

• Link
• Report this comment

I’d like to see a blog on the greatest Heisman shafts of all time. Certainly Herschel 1980 (maybe 1981), Garrison Hearst, as well as Peyton Manning and Johnny Majors at UT come to mind.

• Link
• Report this comment

Curdawg homer, your bias is really showing today.
A true measure would to post Herschels and Tims career statistics such as “touchdowns per rushes”, etc.

• Link
• Report this comment

ken dorsey was better than tebow.

• Link
• Report this comment

You can’t argue with Dayne’s stats but you could certainly make the case that his level of competition was a bit underwhelming.

• Link
• Report this comment

Geoff, you remember the Dawgs shutting Dayne down that year we played Wisconsin in the bowl?

• Link
• Report this comment

Geoff, I agree with Bradley, Marcus deserved that Heisman in 1981. I remember reading the weekly stats watching him and Herschel battle it out.

• Link
• Report this comment

Garrison Hearst……Are you serious? Might as well say Pulpwood Smith got robbed as well!

• Link
• Report this comment

Oh yeah, I was never that impressed with Ron Dayne at the time. I was particularly resentful over the fact that he broke Herschel’s career rushing total (later to be broken again by Ricky Williams at Texas I think).

• Link
• Report this comment

Cuz, I remember that game. Stuffed him at the goal line. Dayne had the opportunity to run for four years in the Big Ten. No competition from most of the league.

• Link
• Report this comment

If you honestly think Bo was better than Herschel or Tebow, you are too stupid to opine in this space.

• Link
• Report this comment

Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders were fantastic players who could dominate a ball game. Both were also two-sports stars who could have been All-American on defense or offense if they played both ways. I suspect Tebow would too.

• Link
• Report this comment

Garrison Hearst probably did deserve the Heisman in 1982 but finished third. The winner was noodle armed Gino Toretta who went on to be exposed by Bama in the Sugar Bowl while Marshall Faulk who played exactly nobody in college finished second.

• Link
• Report this comment

With out a doubt Walker was and still is the greatest college football player of all time! I would have loved to have seen Eddie Lee Ivery run behind a decent line when he played. He was fantastic, but no Herschel.

• Link
• Report this comment

Steven Daedalus

BLASHEMY!!!!

Saw Herschel in person in 1982. Defensive players would actually lay on the ground and try to trip him. It was unbelievable.

• Link
• Report this comment

Best Herschel lines, Volume 1: When asked if he was tired due to so many carries per game; “The ball ain’t heavy.”

• Link
• Report this comment

Bo Jackson was the superior athlete in comparison to Walker, but Walker was the better football player. Not only was he a special athlete, he also made his team mates better. He elevated the play of his team as whole.

• Link
• Report this comment

Interesting how all the players mentioned are from the SEC and the 1980’s on.

• Link
• Report this comment

Best Herschel lines, Volume 2: The Clemson linebacker who Herschel picked up on a blitz and subseqently knocked him out was noted to have said the week before the game that he “dreamed of hitting Herschel Walker.” When told of this after the game, Herschel said, “Well, I’m just glad I was able to make his dreams come true.”

• Link
• Report this comment

Did anyone see the ESPN special on the USFL? The Exec w/the NJ Generals that signed Herschel made the comment that Herschel’s people contacted them “Because something had happened and Herschel was not going to be eligible for his final year and could not yet play in the NFL”.

I had never heard that before – anyone else?

• Link
• Report this comment

I still remember that sick feeling in my stomach the day Herschel signed with the New Jersey Generals of the USFL. At the time he was gunning for Tony Dorsett’s yardage record of just over 6,000 yards. If he’d played his senior season Herschel would have smashed that record by easily getting over 7000 rushing yards in his career, likely an amount never to be broken.

I wonder if he has any regrets?

• Link
• Report this comment

p.s. I bet Tim Tebow can read a book when he graduates….

• Link
• Report this comment

Even if Tebow wins another Heisman (and I don’t think he will) and wins another NC (and I do think he will), he doesn’t come close to dominating the field on which he plays, and a quarterback has many more ways to do so.

Herschel is the greatest and Tebow may be 2nd, but it’s not even close.

Bradley is correct that Herschel won the Heisman his freshmen year but there were enough old school people voting that George Rogers won, though Walker beat him in every imaginable statistic. Many people didn’t even want freshmen playing, and they voted for Rogers’ career, not that season.

• Link
• Report this comment

p.p.s. So you’re using stats to debunk my “Bo Jackson is better than Walker” argument, but you won’t use stats to see that Tebow is clearly better than Walker?

Tebow could be a tight end, running back, receiver, QB, DE, Corner, Safety….. and excel at all of those, as he will probably do at one or more in the NFL. The question isn’t “who’s the best RB” because then it’s a toss up/ with argument between Jackson and Walker, both having a sound case. The question is “who’s the best PLAYER” and that my friends/enemies is Tim Tebow.

• Link
• Report this comment

Here’s my list, which only counts players I’ve watched since I was old enough to pay attention (’76):

1. Herschel
2. Barry Sanders (really too close to call with Herschel)
3. Marcus Allen
4. Bo Jackson
5. Tim Tebow
6. Tony Dorsett
7. Earl Campbell
8. Dan Marino
9. John Elway
10. Hugh Green
T10. Joe Montana

• Link
• Report this comment

GD, stats are like crabs on a UGA coed, everyone has them! The fact is Hearst was not a game changer! Gino and Marshall were! Go ahead and list the other UGA players that were robbed of the Heisman, since you are such a stat savy guy. Based on stats I’m sure you would say Champ Bailey, Eric Zier, Matt Stafford, David Greene and many more UGA “Greats”.

• Link
• Report this comment

Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by MarkBradleyAJC: Greatest college player? Tim Tebow is No. 2. Guy from UGA is No. 1. http://bit.ly/2kIolK…

• Link
• Report this comment

Did I ever mention that Bo Jackson hit the longest home run that I have ever witnessed. At Foley Field’s first night game. The damn thing hit the lights (85′ high) in centerfield (402′) ON THE WAY UP! I think they guesstimated 683′ or something like that. It was awesome.

• Link
• Report this comment

Offenses are so completly different now. I remember watching Walker. Every team would load the box with 8 – 9 players on the line. You knew what was coming, yet most of the time you could not stop him. Bo and Sanders were close, but still not in the same league.

Tebow is awesome as well. However, if a team knew that he was going to run the ball 9 out of 10 times his stats would be totally different. Walker was far superior. I would still take Tebow any day and I’m sure most people feel the same.

• Link
• Report this comment

Hands down it was and is Hershel Walker!

• Link
• Report this comment

gdawginkalamazoo…not saying that you WEREN’T there…but based on the number of people who have told that Bo Jackson homerun story, there must have been 25,000 people at Foley Field. lol. (again, I don’t doubt you…but it’s just funny how many people have told me that story)

• Link
• Report this comment

No way! Joe Hamilton was the best ever!

• Link
• Report this comment

I can’t believe we are even debating Tim Tebow as the “best college player of all time”. I can name 10 right off the top of my head that are better “players”….The gators have a good “TEAM” and Tebow plays on that “TEAM”…but he isn’t in the top ten best players…..hell no! Right off the top of my head in no specific order…1. Herschel Walker, 2 Bo Jackson, 3 Barry Sanders, 4. Ricky Williams, 5. L. Tomlinson, 6. Earl Campbell, 7. Tony Dorsett, 8. Archie Griffith, 9. Joe Montana, 10. Deon Sanders…….and thats off the top of my head….i know i missed several more……The debate should be is tebow even in the top ten…..he is no where close to Herschel Walker….only a fottball retard would think so.

• Link
• Report this comment

Old Gold, no bias here. I just don’t happen to think that Calvin Johnson was one of the top-10 players in my lifetime. Who on my list would you knock off and replace with Johnson?

And if bias was my problem, you can bet Tebow wouldn’t be on the list.

• Link
• Report this comment

Mark, it’s a pretty sad state of affairs when we are still holding on to Herschel Walker…dude, that was 29 years ago. What’s the next article going to cover, Furman Bisher as a teen beat writer????

• Link
• Report this comment

If you say Hearst wasn’t a game changer, than I don’t think you ever actually saw him play. Toretta benefitted from the being a solid QB on a Miami team that everyone expected to beat Alabama for the national title by the time the votes had to be cast. Marshall Faulk had more yards than Hearst but starred for San Diego State and thus played against a laughable schedule. Hearst even won the Doak Walker award over Faulk. Why this is such a bone of contention for a Commodore fan though, I can’t begin to guess.

Zeier was probably the most talented and productive QB of his day but suffered under Ray Goff and didn’t have the supporting W/L record to seriously compete for the Heisman. I’d also say Champ had a better season than Charles Woodson from the previous year but he didn’t really deserve it either.

• Link
• Report this comment

JaxGator, did you not read Marks column? Tebow first of all did not win that first National Title, that was Chris Leaks team. Look at the talent around Tebow, that is why he is so good. Bottom line is if Tebow were at Vandy, Vandy might win a few more games, if Hershel were at Vandy they would have won a lot more games, maybe an SEC title. If you put Tebow on the early 80’s teams of UGA they would not have gone 33-3 as UGA did with Hershel. If you put Hershel on the Gators teams that Tebow has been on, they would have never lost a game and have 4 titles!
Tebow is not in the same caliber as Hershel, as a person or an athlete.

• Link
• Report this comment

Do your research, Bo was NOT Herschel. If you look at practically every stat, Herschel wins. He was a warrior, Bo sometimes checked out, he didn’t always like the contact and wasn’t as durable and didn’t carry the teams on his shoulders the way Herschel did. But in 1985, Bo WAS a stud, no doubt. Top 5 RBs probably but not HW

• Link
• Report this comment

Tebow is a running back that happens to be able to throw the ball 6 yards downfield in the direction of a track star who then sprints his way down field. He is David Greene with legs. The fact that he is about to break Walker’s record and people are comparing him to Walker is a disgrace. Tebow is a great player, no doubt, but there have been many great players in college football. He has 4 rushing TD in a game, not one of them is more than 3 yards, that doesn’t impress me. You can’t stop a 245 lb body from getting 3 yards too often.

The fact that he might win a 2nd Heisman is also a disgrace. He has the worst stats of anyone in the top 10 in voting. Ryan Mallet’s stats are a hell of alot better than his!!! They’ve had a lackluster year offensively and if it were not for 2, not 1, but 2 bogus penalties late in the 4th quarter that directly affected the game in Florida’s favor you would not only have a heralded QB with average numbers but possibly a 2 loss team on your hands.

I can name 20 players better and more exciting than him without taking a breath. He has the numbers because he’s in the game with a 30 pt. lead in the 4th quarter paddig his stats. Not impressed.

• Link
• Report this comment

As a guy who saw Herschel play all three years, to include the victory over Notre Dame, the Gators can have Tebow, I’ll take Herschel any day of the week. Also, to add insult to injury, Tebow is not the best quarterback to play in the SEC, much to a Gator fanatic’s chagrin. The best quarterback I saw play, without doubt, was Archie Manning. Finally, the only back in the SEC that comes close to Herschel was Bo Jackson of Auburn. Only Herschel was better. Sorry Gators, no comparison.

• Link
• Report this comment

Ed, your list is fine.. I was being sarcastic (not that Calvin isn’t on my top ten). It was a play on the bias issue. I was just poking fun.

• Link
• Report this comment

If we’re talking greatest athlete, I’ll go with Bo Jackson. But if we’re talking about greatest football player, I’m going with Herschel. But don’t get me wrong, you can’t go wrong picking either one of them. Those guys were freaks of nature.

As far as Tebow is concerned, he’s a great player as well. He wills his team to success and is the perfect fit for that spread offense. The guy has talent and work ethic, and makes it work for his team. I will say he’s one of the most dominant college players of all time. But would I put him in Herschel or Bo’s league? No. Both of those guys could play today and still be dominant and anyone who thinks otherwise is an idiot.

• Link
• Report this comment

Ed: Pro – Barry Sanders,no argument; College – Herschel,hands down.

• Link
• Report this comment

GD, of course you would say Champ was better than Woodson and that Zeier didn’t have a supporting cast. It’s always an excuse for UGA players. You never give props to other players. The fact is you get some of the best talent year in and year out and all you can talk about is 1980 and Herschel. Hearst was a good back but he was not great. Never Heisman material! As a Vandy fan, I just thought I would get onto your blog the same way you get onto everyone else’s.

• Link
• Report this comment

The truth is nobody knows how good Tebow really is because he’s always played while being surrounded by better talent than his opponent. Has anyone seen how good Harvin is this year? Has anyone seen how much the Gator’s D is keeping them in games. He’s playing at a school which constantly surrounds him with the best players, coaches, trainers, etc, etc. The ideas that you can truly measure who the best college player ever is or compare players from different eras are fantasy.

• Link
• Report this comment

NONE OF THE ABOVE. NEED MORE CHOICES.

• Link
• Report this comment

Tebow may be a god in Florida, but he couldn’t carry Herschel’s jock strap! The majority of Tebow’s TD’s have been from the 1 yard line. He’s played four years to Herschel’s three. Tebow has never really impressed me and he did not deserve the Heisman as a sophmore. There never has been and there never will be another like Herschel Walker. Herschel looked like a man playing amongst boys. Tebow is a very physical QB / fullback. He would make a great FB or TE in the pros. He will not make it in the pros at QB.

• Link
• Report this comment

Someone can be a consensus All-American and the Doak Walker Award winner while playing against SEC competition but not be a legitimate Heisman candidate? Sure, that makes sense.

• Link
• Report this comment

Tebow is head and shoulders better than Hershey Nutjob. Hershey just runs the ball. Big Daddy runs, passes and quarterbacks the team. And, if you don’t think he’s the best ever, just ask Kirk Herbstreit, he’ll set you straight.

• Link
• Report this comment

If we’re talking the greatest college athlete ever: I’ll say Bo Jackson hands down. If we’re talking about greatest college running back: I’ll say Herschel Walker. Truth be told, you can’t go wrong with either of these guys.

I’d put Tebow in the top 5 greatest college players of all time, and if his arm was as dangerous as his running ability, I’d put him in Herschel and Bo’s league. But his arm is only good not great IMO. Also Herschel and Bo could score at anytime. Tebow is really one a threat within the 20 yard line. Bottom Line: Tebow’s a great kid, fierce competitor. But he’s not Herschel or Bo.

• Link
• Report this comment

GeoffDawg, someone’s at the drive through. Go take their order or have Garrison take it!

• Link
• Report this comment

Preach to the Choir Bradley!

• Link
• Report this comment

Josh M… if Reggie Ball threw to Randy Moss with an NFL O line and no defense with Gailey and Nix play calling… he’d have under a hundred yards in 3 games too.

You can’t deny Calving Johnson was one of the most dominate athletes of the last half century, anyone who knows college football will tell you that.

• Link
• Report this comment

Mark. You’re dead on with this call. Hershel was the greatest football player I’ve ever seen. For those who were not old enough to see him, rest assured, there’s not been anything like it since. Everytime he touched the ball you held your breath in anticipation that this would be the next highlight run of the year. He was phenominal in every way not only on the football field, but also when politely conducting interviews after the game. Who could ever forget the question posed to Hershel after the 1981 Florida game when asked if he ever got tired of toting the ball so many times (44) to which he said, “the ball ain’t heavy”. He was one of a kind. The Hershel Walker following was literally like following a rock star where the press hung on every word. His popularity on a visit to NY for the Heisman award in 1982 was transcended only by UGA III who as we all know is the biggest “rock star” celebrity to ever.

• Link
• Report this comment

“Did Tebow get a new car for signing with Florida like Herschel did for signing at UGA?”

Probably – have you checked out Florida’s history of NCAA violations, probation, stripped titles, being banned from bowls, etc?

• Link
• Report this comment

However, what if Tebow wins a second Heisman AND a second national championship (actually, it would be a third national championship team that he played and took snaps on)???? . . . At that point, isn’t it fair to say that we may be witnessing the greatest college FB player ever? . . .

Timmy ain’t winning the Heisman again so your point is moot.

• Link
• Report this comment

Haha. Walker is a lot better than Tebow. Herschel was a RB and Tebow is a QB. The last time i checked, QB’s are supposed to throw the ball and a RB’s job is to run the football. Tebow is about to get rattled Saturday in Jacksonville. GOOOOOOO DAWGS!!!!!!! SIC EM!!!!!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

The only reason Barry Sanders isn’t the clear cut #1 is because he backed up All-American Thurman Thomas for two years, when he should have started over him. His records, unlike Herschel’s, will NEVER be broken. 2,628 yds with 37 rush td’s? 5 consecutive games with 200+ yds? Insane…

• Link
• Report this comment

Focusing on one player who played 29 years ago is a big reason why UGA’s current situation will drag on and on.

• Link
• Report this comment

Who is the idiot that said HW didn’t have a great pro career? Check the records – he is still in the top 15 for total yards gained. And that doesn’t include his USFL #s. He was an absolute beast in the NFL. The Vikes had a very good reason for making that trade. They just gave up too much.
People don’t realize that he was the total package – one of the best blocking backs in football. Which is why he played as long as he did.

• Link
• Report this comment

All these georgia homer writers proclaiming the local player the best player in college history? What a joke! At least show some professionalism and not pick the local player because he played at the beloved local university. The AJC has really gone down hill with these homers writing columns like they are journalists. No wonder the circulation is way down. Bring in some pros to write real columns.

• Link
• Report this comment

forget about stats; Tebow has the benefit of massive media exposure (BCS, ESPN, the internet, etc.). Tebow is a great player, but Walker was a once in a lifetime. He was a man amongst boys. I think he was so-so when it was men against men (NFL), but he was unstopable at UGA. Ask Billy Bates.

• Link
• Report this comment

Hey, Erin 02- here’s one for you! Who’s a better coach- Meyer or Bowden?

• Link
• Report this comment

Eric Dickerson from SMU not to mention John Elway From Stanford had Herschel beat his sophomore and junior years. Herschel should have won Heisman when he was a freshman. Having said that, he is not the best I have seen. The combo of Anthony Allen and Johnathon Dwyer are the best I have seen. They run over people with or without the ball blocking for the other way. Even better than Herschel.

• Link
• Report this comment

Herschel was a special athlete….as in “special ed”.

• Link
• Report this comment

I am more than old enough to have watched Walker and old enough to know what Walker did in college football. And, I am smart enough to know that Hershel’s name comes up in a discussion of “Greatest Collegian Ever” only in Georgia.

• Link
• Report this comment

Walker left college a year early and helped start a trend that has diminished college football. Tebow defied the trend and played college football as long as he was eligible.

• Link
• Report this comment

…in their analysis last year of the “geatest college players ever” listed Herschel as #1, above all the other guys from the other regions and era (Barry Sanders, OJ, Staubach, Grange, etc). It will be interesting to see, in about 5 years, if they rate Tebow above Herschel I do not think that because Tebow was still active he was not a consideration at for that listing!

• Link
• Report this comment

J, it’s hard to even take your opinion seriously when you say “tebow is garbage”. It’s fine that you don’t agree he’s the best in college football history but to be that dimissive of everything he’s accomplished is just petty.

• Link
• Report this comment

Yeah Darius…I guess ESPN is ONLY in Georgia?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyKLeXP2XOU

• Link
• Report this comment

12 NATIONAL TITLES – 21 SEC TITLES!!!

Great article – got to agree.

I think TEBOW fits into the arguement as one of the best.

Other incredible skill position players – Dorsett, Staubach, Bo Jackson, Jim Brown, Archie Griffin, Marcus Allen – and there are many more

Herschel, in my eyes, was the best that ever played.

As for the GATORS – good luck this weekend – but if GEORGIA scores 10 points on that incredible DEFENSE – it will only keep the score 10 points closer to the 40 plus that will be hung on your defense.

With the lack of a GEORGIA running game – FLORIDA is going to TEE – OFF on the passing game and bring incredible pressure.

And the GEORGIA DEFENSE – Hate to say it – but the stats don’t lie – this is a horrible – horriible defense. Even when GEORGIA will focus to stop the run – FLORIDA will gain 3 – 4 yards and just wear you down – which will open the pass. This will be a VERY FRUSTRATING game for UGA fans to watch – as this team will be totally outclassed, outcoached, outplayed, outhussled – in what is a very emotional rival.

My thoughts – the GEORGIA stands will be emptied by mid 4th quarter.

• Link
• Report this comment

“Chin Music” speaks the truth!

• Link
• Report this comment

Your article about Walker brings back a lot of fond memories for this 31 year PSU season ticketholder who attended the 1982 National Championship game. My wife and I spent a wonderful week in New Orleans which of course was capped off with PSU winning its first National Championship.

Georgia fans outnumbered Lion fans by a factor of about 3 to 1 and spent the days leading up to the game either singing Heschel Herschel Walker to glory glory hallelujah or asking every PSU fan in sight “How ’bout them dogs”. After listening to this stuff for several hours on New Years Eve, I finally told my new Bulldog “friends” that they were going to see a great RUNNING back the next day which, of course, they assumed was Herschel Walker. They laughed in derision when I told them that no I was talking about the Lions star tailback, Curt Warner. I also told them that Walker was then (and was throughout his pro career) only capable of two things: running past everyone with his speed or trying to run over a tackler and that the next football MOVE Walker made would be his first.

I can still see Warner running up the middle from about 8 yards out and doing a spin move to leave two Bulldogs grabbing for air and then almost walking into the end zone early in the game. I also absolutely enjoined walking down Bourbon Street after the game and chanting with my fellow Lion fans “What do Lions eat? Dog meat!”

Walker was a great college football player, but for the reasons mentioned above, I give my vote to Tim Tebow.

• Link
• Report this comment

To claim that Herschel Walker was “the best college football player ever”, after this not-so-in-depth analysis, is laughable.

The AJC tells their writers to produce junk like this in order to keep whatever is left of the circulation. They sell newspapers in the South, particularly Georgia, not Florida (that much), and definitely not, say, California or Ohio. This is why Herschel Walker is #1 in the AJC, and not Tim Tebow, or Archie Griffin or OJ Simpson.

• Link
• Report this comment

“The combo of Anthony Allen and Johnathon Dwyer are the best I have seen”

I’m speechless…

• Link
• Report this comment

I think i could run it in from the 1 yard line. I agree with the earlier poster, let’s see how many of Tebow’s rushing TD’s came from outside the 5-10 yard line.

• Link
• Report this comment

Hell after this weekend all us dawg fans may be voting for Tebow. But let’s play the game, let him finish his career then decide.

GTjohn, you mentioned Bob Griese. He is probably out having tacos with Juan Pablo Montoya today. And Griese is buying.

One thing Tebow is missing this year is Percy. Watching him play for Minnesota I do have a new found respect the guy. He bulked up and is taking the hits in the NFL pretty well. He seemed to play hurt a lot in college but what a difference a year has made. UF would probably cruise if he had stayed.

• Link
• Report this comment

Welcome back from vacation, Mark. Did you get a deer? How much does Chipper charge to take a deer off the Double Dime? Did he autograph your deer? How much did that cost? Anyway, welcome back. Your pal, Sonny Clusters

• Link
• Report this comment

Bo Jackson!!! Then Hethal Waka (that’s how he procounces it), and Tebow in a VERY distant 3rd.

• Link
• Report this comment

The AJC tells their writers to produce junk like this in order to keep whatever is left of the circulation.

You are aware of the differences between a “blog” and a “newspaper”, right?

In the SEC – Walker, Tebow, Jackson – in that order.

LOL only a gator fan would rank Timmy about bo jackson. step away from the crack pipe, son.

• Link
• Report this comment

I left out one comment “Tim Tebow is a Great football player.”

• Link
• Report this comment

Tebow, no doubt about it….. BTW, have you heard ? Tennessee just scored again. LOL……

• Link
• Report this comment

Enter your comments here

• Link
• Report this comment

While there is no denying Bo Jackson’s talent level, he had a reputation for developing phantom injuries in big games when he was not having any success gaining yards. Unlike Herschel, Bo had a habit of disappearing in big games.

• Link
• Report this comment

Nice homer take. . . .
I would love to see “The Redneck Army” converge like Yul Brynner and company in the 10 Commandments if you went the other way.
I am neither a UGA or Florida grad, however, Tebow because he plays QB ranks #1 ( I also believe Mr. Richt will meet a Donnan like fate).

• Link
• Report this comment

I’m wondering if the QB from USC may surpass them both. What an incredible freshman year he’s having and he seems to fit perfectly into Carroll’s scheme.

• Link
• Report this comment

Tebow at least benefits from a diverse offense – he might run, throw, or hand it to a back on any given play. With Herschel, unless it was 3rd and long, you knew what was coming. The only question was whether the play was going to the left or to the right. Sometimes Georgia only threw the ball 10-15 times back then, and not always effectively.

Yet he still dominated. Someone mentioned the Penn State game. I remember how happy PSU was to hold Herschel to “only” 100 yards or so, which tells you how great he was. But Penn State keyed so heavily on Herschel in that game, it actually opened up the passing game for once. Herschel was a force even when he was limited. Georgia scored 23 points I recall – not bad back then. It was the defense that let us down in that game. If Blackledge didn’t connect on that late bomb, we wouldn’t be talking about Curt Warner.

• Link
• Report this comment

Charlie Trippi
Two time all American
Maxwell Award Winnder
Most Valuable player in l942 Rose Bowl.
Two years eollegiate interruption for service during World War 2
Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
Won NFL national championship with Cardinals
Played halfback, quarterback, punter, punt returner in the NFL
Only Hall of Fame Player with over 1000 yards passing, receiving and rushing.

• Link
• Report this comment

I don’t know why Hershel is thought of so highly around here. He lied to his coaches and teammates when he signed with the USFL.

Tebow isn’t in the top 100 college players of all time, much less No.1.

• Link
• Report this comment

Is it me or Does this just seem like an apples and oranges argument? They play different positions. It’s like arguing that Bo Jackson was better than Steve Young. What’s the point?

• Link
• Report this comment

Walker was lucky to be playing in the South in an inferior conference.

The SEC has never been an inferior conference. Its just that now with all the media exposure nobody can hide from that fact. The big ten cant hide these days like they could in the 80’s

• Link
• Report this comment

Suck it Nerd, a colon is not grammar, it is punctuation.

• Link
• Report this comment

Go back to the top of the page and look again at the pic of Herschel and the Gator on the ground. Does one player have the other gator’s helmet in his hands? Hope his head wasnt still in it….

• Link
• Report this comment

Wesley

Come on, Tebow seems to be a great guy, even if you’re not a gator fan. I am not. He had to qualify to get into UF, say what you want about universities lowering statndards, you still have to be able to get in and continue to qualify academically.

I don’t think he’s as good as some other players who are mentioned in this thread but he’s probably the best all around player in the game today. He’s also got the ability to rally the team around him. Those players are good, but he makes them a better team.

• Link
• Report this comment

Tebow may win two heismans and 3 national championships. Sorry but he has mean more to his team and definitely been more successful when it comes to winning games and national championships.

• Link
• Report this comment

Does Tebow have multiple personality disorder like Hershel?

• Link
• Report this comment

Walker’s first game and carries are college football lore. Walker NEVER lost to a SEC team. 1 undefeated season.3 losses to 2 N-C, the other #2.But on the football field this is what defines the two. Walker after scoring a touchdown trots over to the official and hands him the ball[still the coolest thing I've ever seen],Tebow get’s a big first down an gets up arms waving to the crowd, get up [ look at me ]. Fla. is 7-0 because their defense is outstanding, not because of the cheerleader.

• Link
• Report this comment

Close 2nd, Adrian Peterson-GSU.

• Link
• Report this comment

sorry about spelling.

• Link
• Report this comment

Tebow did not start as a freshman (1 year), he lost 4 games his second year (not a NC – 2nd year), he had a championship team and won it his third year.

He floated those interceptions like a 7th round pick on Saturday.

• Link
• Report this comment

Tebow and Bo would have to team up to carry Herschel’s jock. How many of Tebow’s TD’s came on one-yard dives in the fourth quarter of a game the Gators were leading by 20 or more? HW never knew the pain of losing to Fla, but how does Timmy feel about ‘07? And if either one ever took the hits, legit and late, that HW took, neither might have seen a senior season. HW wasn’t a showboat player, he just handed the ref the ball. HW never lost to Auburn, either. He did ask Dooley for one more crack at Tech when their players were spitting on him in ‘81 (at Tech)
If UGA plays to its capabilities this week and upsets Florida, do you realize that Timmy’s record as a starter vs. UGA would be the same as another jealous Gator? That’s right, SOS, otherwise known as Bill Stanfill’s punching bag.
But all of you did miss Tracy Ham.
App State had some interesting stats the other day; Armani Edwards, their senior QB, has better numbers than Tebow, and a victory over Michigan to boot.

• Link
• Report this comment

And Tebow leads far and away in unnecessary operations performed

• Link
• Report this comment

I still would take Trippi in a golf match over Herschel.
Talk about an 80 year old with fire in his belly and hates
to lose?
If we could just instill this into our present day players.

• Link
• Report this comment

Tebow may win two heismans

Thru the 3rd Saturday in October, he’s thrown 3 TDs and 4 INTs in 5 SEC games. He thew 2 TD’s for Mississippi State Saturday night. Unless he picks his cape up from the cleaners immediately he’s about as likely to win the Heisman this year as I am.

• Link
• Report this comment

sorry, i don’t know who it was, but someone on the previous page mentioned matt barkley from usc. he definitely looks like the real deal, but he’s got the skills and size nfl teams drool over. there’s no way he stays four years, so he won’t have a chance to put together a tebow-style resume.

• Link
• Report this comment

Walker is not even the best dog player ever. Trippi is.

• Link
• Report this comment

11 National Championships

• Link
• Report this comment

Who really knows who the best player of all times is? Arguments can be made for a range of players. If the world still exists in 2199 and college football is still being played you can be certain that Tim Tebow or anyone who has played college football prior to that current generation will be forgotten or not given much attention. In our postmodern world if something is six hours old it is considered irrelevant.

• Link
• Report this comment

Tebow has one NC. Not two. Leak was the starter and got nearly all the minutes in ‘06. If anything…Tebow was a distraction to that team and to Leak.

• Link
• Report this comment

I’m a big jacket fan, however, H Walker is the best college football player I every saw. Period.

• Link
• Report this comment

Tom Harmon is the greatest college player who ever played the game.

• Link
• Report this comment

Tebow has the recency effect going for him but you have to look through the hype and the kisses his coach gives him on the sideline (that was a shot at Meyer, not Tebow btw). Herschel didn’t have the media hype machine that today’s great players enjoy either. I’ll take Herschel personally (& no I’m not a UGA fan) but can understand the people that go with Tebow.
I don’t think anyone was exciting as Bo Jackson though. If only he didn’t get hurt.

• Link
• Report this comment

Whoever that was that said that Herchel was lucky to play in the South is an idiot. Michigan? Get real! Michigan would have (and still would) go 7-5 in the SEC, ACC, Big12, and maybe win 8 in the Big East.

• Link
• Report this comment

As for Herschel playing other positions, he was a great receiver … scoring on numerous passes throughout his career. So, he could have been an excellent tight end. Or with his speed, h-back/wide out. And he was vicious linebacker in high school. After one Belue interception, Herschel’s tackle was the talk of the stadium.

Some consider his pro career a bust, but he is in the top 10 in rushing and receiving yards. His final year with the Cowboys, he had 1,500 yards rushing and receiving.

And he’s a great spokesman for Zaxby’s! (just kidding).

• Link
• Report this comment

Tebow is certainly the clear winner here. To say that he is not able to carry any of the wins for himself, have you seen them play this year? It is clear that when the time calls for it Tebow can carry that team on his back. Any QB that can sit at a press conference coming off a loss to Ole Miss and vow to play harder than any other play in UF history and push his team mates to do the same, and end the season with a NC has clearly got great heart for this game. Tebow is clearly the best QB in NCAA Footbal history, great student, great QB, and even more than that GREAT MAN!!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

It’s definitely Georgia Florida week…………….3 pages of blogs in 3 hours and it’s only Monday. We’ll Saturday ever get here?? Thanks for stirring the pot Mark. Go Dawgs

• Link
• Report this comment

I think a better comparison for Tebow would be with Andy Johnson
and not Herschel.
Both great high school and college quarterbacks, Andy did pretty well
in the NFL as a running back, which I figure will be where Tebow winds up.

• Link
• Report this comment

It’s always hard to compare athletes from different eras. We also get a better handle on how good an athlete is after he’s played a few years of pro ball, and we haven’t seen that for Tebow yet. Also, you’re trying to compare a QB and an RB, which isn’t apples to apples.

But if I had to pick one of them today, my instinct is to choose Tebow.

• Link
• Report this comment

I just hope Tebow doesn’t put it together on Saturday. But he probably will.

• Link
• Report this comment

Little known stat…when Herschel retired, he was second in pro football history on the combined yards gained list (rushing, receiving, returns). His last year he was still making tackles on the punt coverages team. He was the first player in NFL history to have a rush, pass reception, punt return, and kickoff return greater than 80 yards. His NFL accomplishments are usually overlooked.

Bo looked good and was fast, but he couldn’t rack up the yards and stats like Herschel.

• Link
• Report this comment

Bo:

The 1980 National Champions would cream the Michigan Wolverines of today. Especially this year! Rich Rodriguez wouldn’t know what hitted him.

Go back to reading your fancy newspaper.

• Link
• Report this comment

Is 1941 Heisman Trophy Winner Tom Harmon really the legitimate (or illegitimate) father of TV actor Mark Harmon?

• Link
• Report this comment

How quickly Gator people forget Emmitt Smith. Tebow not even that good, probably 2nd or 3rd best player in Gator history.
Lots of better players than Tebow.
Archie Griffin, David Green winningest QB in NCAA history, Barry Sanders, Charlie Ward. list goes on and on.’
Walker was without a doubt the best college player ever.

• Link
• Report this comment

While one can argue that Tebow has great players around him to make him look good the other side can argue that Herschel didn’t have any help making him the only option for production for Georgia…..with the fact that Tebow has so many options and still chases the numbers set by Herschel my vote goes to Tebow! Hands down if Tebow played for an inferior team than the Gators he would shine even more so, the numbers would go up, and people would consider him even more so.

• Link
• Report this comment

Here is the real question. Is Tim Tebow better than Vince Young (while in college)? There is not a person on this thread that can say that Tim Tebow was a better all around player like Vince Young. So if Tim Tebow is not better than Vince Young who played the same position (Just got less media attention), how could he be the greatest college football player? The answer is he can’t. Tim Tebow is a media raised player. I would still prefer Tim Tebow over Joe Cox on Saturday.

• Link
• Report this comment

All you UGA guys should ad Jonathon Crompton to your lists.

• Link
• Report this comment

All UGA fans will say HW and all UF & Tech fans will say Tebow. It’s difficult to gauge the real public opinion through a Georgia-biased paper.

• Link
• Report this comment

Welcome Back from Vacation, Mark.

How was the clothing-optional beach?

• Link
• Report this comment

Megs you can’t be serious. If Tim Tebow didn’t have good players around him, he would just be another QB. His number decline and not increase. Here is a question for you. How many touchdowns has Tim Tebow scored(on the ground) outside the 10 yard line? You’ll be shocked once you find out. It’s like Varsity Blues all over again. Coach Myers has everybody else doing all the work and then once the team is inside the 5 yard line they give the ball to Tim Tebow. The QB/FB with 10 blockers in front.

• Link
• Report this comment

Herschel, greatest I ever saw play. To bad he played for the wrong team.

• Link
• Report this comment

UM national Champs 1997…It’s a LITTLE closer to the current decade than 1980. A team so good that QB Tom Brady had to sit on the bench. We had extra room on the bench for Herschel if one of his personalities wanted to sit there too.

• Link
• Report this comment

Having borne the brunt of some of Herschel’s exploits while attending Tech (78-83) I would have to go with Herschel. I remember getting to my flashcard seats one year just at kickoff as usual – I bent down to mix my drink and when I looked up Herschel had gone coast to coast on a kick off ….the rest of the afternoon was pretty much more of the same. As a Tech fan – I’ve probably never been so glad to see one guy leave a program.

• Link
• Report this comment

Darius, Is this the same Bo Jackson that played pro ball with hip replacements?

• Link
• Report this comment

I honestly feel that neither of the two are the greatest college football players ever. Reggie Bush was easily better than Hershel Walker in college and you can just check their combined stats (Mainly yards per carry and yards per catch).

• Link
• Report this comment

How about this interesting bit of data….

Herschel Walker had 994 career rushing attempts at Georgia.
Tebow has 869 to date.

Go Gators!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Heck with all this..
So let me ask Georgia fans this..

Would you rather win the point that Herschel is better and loose saturday

OR
Would you rather win the game….seems like to me yall should be debating how to STOP tebow instead is he better than a player from 30 year ago….the game has evolved SOoo Much from back then… Herschel would be AVERAGE in todays agme!!
Beat Florida and who cares..

• Link
• Report this comment

“None of the above” was my vote. I’d say Herschel was the single most important factor to an otherwise undistinguished team, as was pointed out in the article, but that was not the question. I’d say Bo Jackson. Not Tebow. His UF teams don’t qualify as undistinguished, either, so he doesn’t get credit for that. A QB I’d rate above Tebow is Philip Rivers of NC State. 4 years of miracle comeback wins, a record 51 starts and best yards per attempt in college football history.

• Link
• Report this comment

If Herschel Walker had played under the Mark Richt regime at Georgia, he would probably be jail or Milledgeville right now and Georgia would STILL BE WITHOUT a National Championship?

Be Thankful for Vince Dooley.

• Link
• Report this comment

Thanks, Mark. I was just trying to remember Vince Young’s name. Definitely top 5 for his final season at Texas.

• Link
• Report this comment

people people people, holding on is called tradition, or do you not have any, get a life. go dawgs.

• Link
• Report this comment

i cant believe anyone would consider Tebow over Hershel
when it comes right down to it ….Tebow wouldnt amount to a pimple on Hershels rear end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

How lethal would Tebow if he had Walker in the backfield with him? THAT would be a fun game to watch!!! As a Tech fan, I confess that I’d give Herschel Walker the edge as, as Cuz stated, HE was the offense at UGA! Tebow, without the deep threat of Percy Harmon seems to be less effective in the ’stat’ department. Don’t get me wrong, he’s finding ways to win and that seems in line with his character…he’s just not as exciting to watch as Herschel was! Gotta go with Herschel on this one!

• Link
• Report this comment

[...] a half years, and oh by the way he is a Quarterback. Mark Bradley over at the AJC still says that Herschel Walker is the best ever (he makes some great points) , but in pointing out “Tebow has demonstrably more talent around [...]

• Link
• Report this comment

What a waste of time!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

You people really are sad. Tim Tebow is a tremendous talent and also a wonderful role model. He has done more to elevate college football in the eyes of America.It has been so refreshing to see a young man pray instead of shooting himself or others, or getting into drunken brawls.What an influence for young people everywhere.All the players mentioned have talents, but more announcers have stated he is the “real deal’.I would think this would also enter in the best collegian debate.
One must also remember Mr. Walker was a running back-Tim is a quarterback.’
“

• Link
• Report this comment

Instead of Walker vs Tebow If I were UGA I would worry about Time Out – Florida

• Link
• Report this comment

All I can assume is that many of the people commenting here never saw Herschel Walker play. Otherwise, it would be silly to have this conversation. He is easily the best football player – of any position – who played during my long lifetime.

• Link
• Report this comment

This is a difficult comparison. Herschel Walker was much better than anyone else he was ever on the field with (on either team) in college, so my inclination is to give the edge to him. Still, it’s hard to know if he would be as dominant today, because overall I think the competition Tebow is up against on the other side of the ball is better than Walker’s was. Not saying that Herschel didn’t play against some great players, but the players today are bigger, stronger, and faster. Also, with the scholarship limitations now the level of competition across the board is much better. On the other hand, as you point out, Tebow also has better players on his own side of the ball than Herschell did. I would give the edge to Walker, but it’s close.

• Link
• Report this comment

Imagine Herschel running out of a spread offense.

• Link
• Report this comment

I was a student at UGA the same time Herschel was there. I was freshman in ‘80 that Graduated in ‘84 and lived in Athens until ‘86. So I saw Bo too. Bo was great no doubt and may have possessed the same raw talent as Herschel. But aside from the fact that Herschel’s Bulldog teams were much better than Bo’s Auburn teams and Herschel’s overall stats were much better as well, Herschel simply had much more heart. Herschel played through a dislocated shoulder while he carried the Dogs to the national title. On the other hand, I along with a national TV audience watched a supposedly injured Bo stand up on the bench – yes literally stood on the actual wooden bench – chomping on chewing gum with a towel covering his head in 1985 looking on while Tennessee kicked he and Auburn’s tail out of it’s number one ranking in a 38-20 game that was never close. We never even remotely saw something like that that happen to Herschel’s Dogs. Auburn never recovered that season in which Bo won the Heisman. To use Bo’s infamous own saying, Bo “did what Bo wanted to do” alright. As far as Tebow I would say the jury is out on whether he’s the greatest ever. There’s a lot of football left to be played this year and if Florida wins the Championship while Tebow takes the Heisman he will have done all aplayer can do and probably accomplished more than anyone before him all things considered. I’ll probably always vote for Herschel as the greatest. Naturally I’m going to be biased and you can’t beat perfection. But I wouldn’t debate a Tebow argument either if those things happen.

• Link
• Report this comment

William G, you hit the nail on the head.

These are the same people who would say that Eric Dickerson or Emmitt Smith was better than Jim Brown – Roger Clements and Randy Johnson is better than Nolan Ryan – Lebron, Kobe, and Chris Paul are better than Magic and Akeem and Bird – Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon are better than D. Earnhart, Sr.- Tiger is better than Nicklaus and Palmer and Bobby Jones.

The problem is that we are immersed in too much media. Back in the day we had one football game on a week….maybe two. If you made the national news or the cover of sports illustrated, you were something. Now, your face is on sportscenter 24/7 and the hype machine is beating the mantra of “greatest ever” in your brain constantly.

It’s all about now….and history has been swept under the rug.

Tebow is a great player….but he is aided by an offensive system that takes advantage of spreading the field to put him one on one with some poor guy playing defense. Plus he is a quarterback….which means he takes time off.

He isn’t lining up in the I, or the Wishbone (like Bo, Herschel, Earl Campbell, Marcus Allen, etc.) and getting pounded on every single play for 30+ plays a game. Put him in as an I formation tailback or halfback in the wishbone against an 8-9 man front (remember the split 60 defense?) and let’s see how much he dominates.

• Link
• Report this comment

Herschel was a great college back who screwed up by leaving early, going to the USFL, and ended up being the scape goat who was traded by Jimmy Johnson to the Vikings in one of the most lopsided NFL trades ever. He could have had a great NFL career if not for all of the above.

But no, neither Tebow nor Herschel gets my endorsement. Bo Jackson was and always will be the greatest collegiate football player I ever saw in my life.

• Link
• Report this comment

Save one for the other Dawgs? I missed the second half but here’s the near the goal play calling trends against Miss. St.

Part of me thinks they were hungry for the record right there and then, but then who wants to break the record in the fourth quarter of a won when you can hand it off to Rainey for the TD . . .

1st and Goal at MSST 8 Tim Tebow rush for 7 yards to the MisSt 1.
2nd and Goal at MSST 1 Tim Tebow rush for no gain to the MisSt 1.
3rd and Goal at MSST 1 Tim Tebow rush for a loss of 3 yards to the MisSt 4.
4th and Goal at MSST 4 Caleb Sturgis 21 yard field goal GOOD.

1st and 10 at MSST 32 Chris Rainey rush for 6 yards to the MisSt 26.
2nd and 4 at MSST 26 Tim Tebow pass incomplete to Aaron Hernandez.
3rd and 4 at MSST 26 Tim Tebow rush for 26 yards for a TOUCHDOWN. 9 3
Caleb Sturgis extra point GOOD.

1st and Goal at MSST 6 Tim Tebow sacked by Pernell McPhee and K.J. Wright for a loss of 1 yard to the MisSt 7.
2nd and Goal at MSST 7 Tim Tebow rush for 3 yards to the MisSt 4.
3rd and Goal at MSST 4 Tim Tebow pass incomplete to David Nelson.
4th and Goal at MSST 4 Caleb Sturgis 21 yard field goal GOOD.

1st and Goal at MSST 7 Jeffery Demps rush for 1 yard to the MisSt 6. 13 3
2nd and Goal at MSST 6 Timeout FLORIDA, clock 00:52.
2nd and Goal at MSST 6 Tim Tebow sacked by Pernell McPhee for a loss of 2 yards to the MisSt 8.
3rd and Goal at MSST 8 Timeout FLORIDA, clock 00:46.
3rd and Goal at MSST 8 Tim Tebow pass intercepted by Johnthan Banks at the MisSt 0, returned for 100 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.

1st and 10 at MSST 18 Tim Tebow pass incomplete to Brandon James.
2nd and 10 at MSST 18 MISSISSIPPI ST penalty 5 yard offside on Fletcher Cox accepted.
2nd and 5 at MSST 13 Tim Tebow rush for 4 yards to the MisSt 9.
3rd and 1 at MSST 9 Timeout FLORIDA, clock 05:58.
3rd and 1 at MSST 9 Tim Tebow rush for a loss of 1 yard to the MisSt 10.
4th and 2 at MSST 10 Caleb Sturgis 27 yard field goal GOOD.

1st and 10 at MSST 22 Tim Tebow pass incomplete to Deonte Thompson. 16 13
2nd and 10 at MSST 22 Chris Rainey rush for 6 yards to the MisSt 16.
3rd and 4 at MSST 16 Tim Tebow pass complete to Aaron Hernandez for 3 yards to the MisSt 13.
4th and 1 at MSST 13 Timeout FLORIDA, clock 10:10.
4th and 1 at MSST 13 Tim Tebow rush for 4 yards to the MisSt 9 for a 1ST down.
1st and Goal at MSST 9 Tim Tebow rush for 1 yard to the MisSt 8.
2nd and Goal at MSST 8 Chris Rainey rush for 8 yards for a TOUCHDOWN. 22 13
Caleb Sturgis extra point MISSED.

• Link
• Report this comment

OMG Preaching sermons on here on something that went on 29 years ago..Bet the players don’t even live their lives in the past like you all on here. Why don’t you discuss something good that is going on today at UGA….oops….never mind

• Link
• Report this comment

Unfortunately for Herschel the USFL doesn’t do much for someone’s pro football legacy, although looking back it probably should – there was some serious big-time talent in that league. Herschel used up 54 games and a ton of carriers in his pro career playing for a now-defunct league. Transfer those stats to an NFL career and he’s a lock Hall of Famer. Such is life.

But other than possibly Barry Sanders, he’s the most dominant college player I’ve seen. I thought Tebow deserved to be part of the discussion as recently as earlier this year, but he’s regressed quite a bit. I think the constant pounding has finally caught up to him. I don’t think there are many Georgia fans who would trade 4 years of Tebow for 3 years of Herschel, but I bet there are a lot of old-school Gators that would sell their soul to have Herschel in Orange and Blue for a few years. At least Georgia can claim a win over Florida during the Tebow years. Who knows, maybe two…I know, that’s not likely – but after the Arkansas and Miss. St. games, no longer an impossibility, either).

• Link
• Report this comment

Tebow going to pass Herschel this weekend against the Dawgs! I love it. Gators are going to romp you yet again. Looking forward to Willie and ga’s D! Tebow scores in the first minute!

• Link
• Report this comment

Walker set the record in three years and touched the ball one third as much as Tebow.
This is not even a close call. Herschel Walker is STILL NUMBER ONE.

• Link
• Report this comment

Regarding the post about going straight from high school to the NFL, I recall some pro expert saying they could only think of two- Herschel and Earl Campbell.

• Link
• Report this comment

My most memorable “Herschel moment” involved a play when he didn’t even get the ball. On the first play of the 1981 game vs Tech in Atlanta, Buck Belue faked a hand off to Hershel and then hit Lindsay Scott for an 80 yard touchdown pass. Just the start of an ugly day for my Jackets, who had decided to wear black jerseys for the first time in many years. After the game, a reporter asked Erk Russell what he thought of Tech – to which he answered something to the effect of “they looked real good in their new jerseys!” Even a Tech fan had to laugh at that!

• Link
• Report this comment

Hey Totally Objective

F U!

• Link
• Report this comment

Call it Like it is: I think that should be U F (Univ. of Fla.). F U would be Furman Univ.!

• Link
• Report this comment

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.

• Link
• Report this comment

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.

• Link
• Report this comment

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.

• Link
• Report this comment

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!

• Link
• Report this comment

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.

• Link
• Report this comment

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.

• Link
• Report this comment

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.)

• Link
• Report this comment

Hershel #1? I think the 1982 National Champion Penn State Nittany Lions would disagree.

LOL!

• Link
• Report this comment

OJ Simpson, Tony Dorsett before both of them

• Link
• Report this comment

Jonnyboy, you’d better start charging the folks at Bristol, Connecticut, too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyKLeXP2XOU.

• Link
• Report this comment

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

• Link
• Report this comment

“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.

• Link
• Report this comment

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.

• Link
• Report this comment

Herschell was only so good because he could be in so many places at once…

• Link
• Report this comment

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…

• Link
• Report this comment

War Eagle: I’m sorry, I left out – Tucker Fredrickson.

• Link
• Report this comment

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!!

• Link
• Report this comment

If you’re gonna start talking about pure athletes, don’t forget Dieon Sanders. He’s equal to Bo as an ath.

• Link
• Report this comment

I heard this guy named Archie Griffin was pretty good in college.

• Link
• Report this comment

It will be very interesting watching Tebow and Herschel face
off this Saturday.

• Link
• Report this comment

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.

• Link
• Report this comment

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.

That’s partly my arrogance and maybe even my ignorance, but it’s mostly my sincere belief Tebow is highly overrated.

• Link
• Report this comment

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.

• Link
• Report this comment

Does anyone know of any really good sales going on in Jacksonville this week? I figure it will take Mr. Tebow and Company less than three hours to dispense with my beloved bulldogs and I would love to get some early Christmas shopping done. I’ll need a nice formal dress to wear to the Downtown Athletic Club when Timmy picks up his second Heisman in December. I’ll need some nice nice pumps as well. I do look forward to shopping for my Heisman outfit. If I’m lucky, I’ll get my picture take with that hunk of a player, Timmy Tebow. Who knows, my outfit could become a photo in the Times. All you SEC fans take care, See you on Saturday and in ……New York! Toodles!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Dawgs73 is one SMART GUY!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Much like you I never saw Barry Sanders in college, but when I did finally see him (plus watching old clips) there is no doubt he is the greatest running back of all time.

• Link
• Report this comment

Mark, I remember 1988 quite well, of course Im an old fart. I did see Barry Sanders several times on tv , he was remarkable, bounced around made alot of people miss, But I never considered him one of the greats. Jim Thorpe is my main man , would make primetime look silly in that D backfield……..Will be enjoying the beach here in Ponte Vedra in a few hours. GO DOGS

• Link
• Report this comment

SWEET!

• Link
• Report this comment

For what its worth, i had my butt knocked out in a high school game against Hershel, it was him, me, goal line….10 seconds later i was saying WTF!!…yes a long time ago. I saw Hershel not to long ago, as in just as good of shape as in college. For all you people to young to have seen Hershel play,( not even all the video does him justice) he was a sight to see, capable of scoring every time he touched the ball. I think even today at his age, he could suit up and STILL run over the BIGGER and FASTER defensive players of today, and if you don’t think so, you really never have seen him. Tebow is great without doubt, but i would like to see him TODAY, run over the likes of Eddie “meat cleaver” Weaver, even from one yard out….but that is a different story….

• Link
• Report this comment

When Joe Hamilton played for Tech, they were always one bad pitch away from disaster. He even fumbled away the UGA game in Athens (ACC refs screwed the Dawgs that time). Joe was just pretty good at best. The Tech defense was maligned big time for giving up points when it was Joe’s eratic play that kept giving the other team the ball with a short field in front of them. Kinda like we do at UGA these days!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

My two favorite college football teams are Florida, because that is where I went to school and Georgia, because it is where both my parents graduated. Between 1969 and 2006, I never missed a Florida-Georgia game. Those I didn’t attend, I watched on tv.

I think the Tebow – Walker argument is an apples and oranges argument! You really cann’t compare a QB to a RB because the skill set is completely different. There is no question that Walker is the best runningback in the history of college football. To be honest, you can’t put Tebow in the top 10 QB to have ever played the game. But there is no question when it comes to determining the best OVERALL PLAYER to have played the game and that honor goes to Tim Tebow – with Steve Spurrier a close second.

When you compare Tebow’s character, leadership, talents, accomplishments, love of the game and the fact that he has won three SEC titles, two BCS national championships and one Heisman trophy (and several other awards) and he is well on path to potentially winning another SEC championship and possibly playing for another national championship to that of Walker or anyone else underconsideration, the argument is not close. To me, what seperates Tebow from Walker is that he had a choice going into his senior year: Me or Team. Walker chose to do what was best for him personally and Tebow chose to do what was best for the team.

Football is not a “me” sport, it is a team sport. This is why Tebow is the greatest PLAYER to have ever played the game … to this point in the history of the game.

I’m looking forward as a Gator to watching the game on Saturday with my Georgia Bulldog wife! I am hoping the Gators win and that Tebow breaks Walker’s TD record.

I think there is something we can all agree on … as Gators and Dawgs … we are fortunate to have had both of these players play in the SEC!

• Link
• Report this comment

George Rogers won the Heisman trophy and “clearly” deserved it.

• Link
• Report this comment

71 Dawg, I don’t know who this other “Joe Hamilton” is that you were watching…or maybe you watched a game or two. He was a great dual-threat passer who put up big numbers and made great plays with his feet. Even great QBs fumble sometimes.

He was second nationally in QB rating and second in Heisman voting his senior year.

When he finished he was the ACCs all-time leader in total offense, ranked among the Top 10 in NCAA history, was the first player in D I-A history to top 10,000 total yards with 1,500 rushing yards, had the highest career pass efficiency rating in ACC history, was the ACC’s all-time leader in TD passes and touchdown responsibility with 83 (tied with Virginia’s Shawn Moore), while ranking fourth all-time in passing yards.

Sounds like “pretty good at best”.

And of course there is one thing I’ve learned from all of the posts this season: If UGA loses it’s usually the refs fault. Even when they make the same bad call back-to-back against both teams!

• Link
• Report this comment

Herschel did not leave school early by choice. He signed illegally with an agent and when it was made public he had no choice but to leave early.

• Link
• Report this comment

Hershel Walker could not even wear Tim Tebows jean shorts, though I bet he would want to.

• Link
• Report this comment

Herschel’s teams were 18-0 in conference, won three SEC championships, played in three straight Sugar Bowls, played twice for the national championship, won one MNT, lost three games in three years to the cream of college football at that time – Pitt, Clemson and Penn State – all close losses that could have gone the other way. No conference losses, no embarrassing losses, no backing into title games after a series of upsets around the country. Tebow’s great, but there simply is no comparison.

• Link
• Report this comment

Did I mention Herschel had two perfect regular seasons in 3 years? One perfect season after the bowl? UF has one of the former and none of the latter. Tebow still has a chance to get one, but UF better right its ship fast for that to happen.

• Link
• Report this comment

First off, GREAT Article, as ususal, Mark!!! I wholeheartedly agree with Dirty Dawg, let Hershel suit up @ 45. No question, HW is the Best Ever!
After the Dawgs dusted Auburn @ Jordan-Hare and Larry saw “Sugar falling out of the sky,” right after Hershel scored late to seal up the SEC Championship (I forget which year), a precedent was set in the collegiate ranks that even Tebow will not be able to overcome. Good as there is now, but not the Best Ever. Go Dawgs, Beat Gators (We need to save the season!!!)

• Link
• Report this comment

Both are important for their period of time. Why should we compare and contrast great players? You can argue stats all you want, but they both set themselves apart from others in college football.

• Link
• Report this comment

Not to mention, i believe Walker only played 11 games during his time with UGA. Not 12 like everyone else, didnt count stats from bowl games or championship games. he only played 3yrs. Sounds like Walker is and always will be THE MAN!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

I dont know why are you debating this? Tebow is not even in the top 10! look at Tebow now without Percy Harvin and i say he is pretty average. Herschel Walker is an absolute best college football player ever, even here in Florida, many gator fans agree with that

• Link
• Report this comment

tebow could be an all american at just about any position on the field. and he (kinda) has an arm. lil timmy is the best ALL AROUND football player. he unfortunately has no future at QB in the nfl

• Link
• Report this comment

I also think Tracy Ham was a better collegiate QB than Tim Tebow.

• Link
• Report this comment

Whichever guy you pull for, it’s nice to know that 2 of the greatest ever played in this rivalry.

• Link
• Report this comment

20-13-1 before,33-3 after,and he should have won three heismans.

• Link
• Report this comment

The number of Heisman’s won makes no difference in this discussion. Frankly, the Heisman is much better than the beauty contest that is the BCS. Bias comes to the fore on many a year…especially when stats do not clearly stand above other candidates.

Because of Tebow’s running stats…people say he could win the Heisman as a tailback. He could never win the Heisman as a tailback or a pocket QB. He only wins because of the less used offensive scheme he plays in. While the spread is now becoming more mainstream, when Tebow began to run it, it was still new to the SEC. He is a talented player who flourished in an innovative system.

Tebow is great, however, because of the intangibles he brings. His teams have been uber talented, and Tebow helps them all perform at a higher level. That is part of why he won his first Heisman and why the Heisman does not matter. All QB’s bring intangibles. It is Tebow’s stats with intangibles that put him over the top for that award. Take Tebow out of this system and he doesn’t score the touchdowns he has. Because of the uncertainty the offensive system creates, I don’t think he’d get the passing stats either. Without the system, they don’t compete for the MNC either. Would Tebow’s intangibles seem so great then?

The Heisman is irrelevant in judging the best player ever.

• Link
• Report this comment

Sounds like sour grapes to me…how many SEC teams had won championships in HW’s era? Alabama – then UGA once. Now, the SEC has had AL, UT, LSU, and UF – Auburn had their undefeated season…anyone that says Tebow has had it easier is sipping the Kool-Aid. Tebow took Herschel’s rushing record and has thrown 77 more TD passes than Herschel. Tebow has carried the ball about half as many times as HW on the way to topping one of the greatest backs in NCAA history. Unless you have actual yardage to compare, don’t give me “hunches” that Tebow’s rushing TDs came from shorter yardage. Yesterday’s rushing TDs came from 23 and 5 yards out, not exactly one-yard plunges like everyone assumes. Tebow should have won the Heisman last year (if Big 12 voters hadn’t completely left him off their list he would have outdistanced McCoy), HW should have won it as a freshman. HW won 1 NCG…Tebow has won 2 and has a chance at 3. Both guys are among the greatest players in NCAA history, but looking at HW’s stats in the pros, he could’ve stayed in college another year and nobody would’ve missed him in the NFL (he did pretty well in the USFL, but so did a lot of other players who didn’t make it in the NFL). Who knows how Tebow will do in the pros, but stats, winning championships, and every other measure prove his superiority to HW. Not that I would expect the AJC to be objective about this

• Link
• Report this comment

Tebow just broke Herschel’s rushing TD record…not rushing record. The fact he did it in fewer carries speaks to the fact that his runs were mostly in the red zone.

Tebow is a product of the spread…A NEW SYSTEM TO THE SEC. Tebow benefitted from teams defenses being geared to more conventional offenses. GT’s offense is successful right now for the very same reason. As defenses adjust to the spread, we’ve seen Tebow’s passing yards dropping each year since 2007. His QB rating has also slipped some. His number of rushing TD’s has been dropping each year since 2007. This is indicative of teams adjusting or him just wearing out. I think teams have adjusted and the system is less of a benefit to him.

The fact that non-spread teams recruited Tebow is irrelevant. As a QB in a conventional offense, he would not have done so well and we would not be having this discussion. His personality has helped him become a media darling. So far too many fans are drinking that Koolaid of “best ever” they have been offering.

He has very good stats but greatest ever? I don’t think so.

• Link
• Report this comment

So its settled now right? Tebow will never have that second heisman or 3rd NC. Case closed Hershel is the best all time still.

• Link
• Report this comment