When Georgia closed out Vince Dooley’s coaching career in the Mazda Gator Bowl on the first day of 1989, there was more interest in the suspense over his successor than in the Bulldogs’ Big Ten opponent, Michigan State.
Dooley was retiring, and the Georgia Athletic Board was debating. Bill Lewis, the defensive coordinator, had accepted a job at East Carolina. Lewis, whose expertise was defense, wanted a creative offensive mind to run his offense, so he hired Mark Richt from Florida State.
George Haffner, the Bulldogs’ offensive coordinator, held out hopes of meeting with the Georgia athletic board one more time in an effort to persuade them he could get the job done as a head coach after more than a decade as an offensive coordinator at Iowa State, Pittsburgh, FSU, Texas A&M;, and Georgia.
Dale Strahm, who was placed in charge of the Georgia defense when Lewis left, says he was called and told to “put on his best suit” for the forthcoming press conference (the day after the bowl game) when Dooley’s successor would be announced.
A funny thing happened on the way to the press conference. Ray Goff was the one who emerged as the next Bulldog head coach. Some were happy, some were shocked. There was great sentiment for Goff, the popular recruiter, but critics of the decision worried about the former Bulldog quarterback’s lack of experience.
On the second day of the New Year, Georgia had a new coach, along with morning-after headlines that ushered Dooley into retirement as a winner, his 201st victory.
In his last game, which happened to be against Michigan State, Dooley told Haffner to “put the ball in the air” — an uncharacteristic “let it all hang out” edict — as he cogently figured out that it would take a lot of scoring to beat the Spartans and their high-powered offense, which featured a remarkable receiver in Andre Rison.
Rison caught three touchdown passes, one of four yards and two of the long-distance variety: a 55-yard reception in the third quarter and a 50-yard completion late in the final period.
The Bulldogs were leading 34-20 when the Spartans were faced with a third down-and-46 challenge at midfield.
“There’s no way they can make a first down,” Dooley remembers thinking. “They didn’t. They got a touchdown.”
It was Rison who scored and reduced Georgia’s margin to 34-27 with 3:49 remaining.
The Bulldogs, with three first downs, were able to run out the clock. They couldn’t stop Rison, but Georgia’s offense was too much for the Spartans.
Georgia rushed for 182 yards against the Spartans. After all, the Bulldogs had three outstanding runners in the backfield — Rodney Hampton, Keith Henderson, and Tim Worley. Hampton was the big star of the night. His gifted running style would not have been enough, however. Hampton showed why the New York Giants would later draft him in the first round, as he rushed for a 32-yard touchdown and caught two Wayne Johnson touchdown passes of six yards and 30 yards.
It was one of the most exciting games of Dooley’s career, a fine way to go out. His seniors called themselves the “Silver Seniors,” for Dooley’s 25th year as head coach.
That also brought to a conclusion the career of one of the most remarkable players ever to play for the Bulldogs, Frenchman Richard Tardits. A native of Biarritz, France, Tardits walked on and earned a scholarship. When he began his career, he didn’t know how to put on his pads, but he wound up setting the school sack record.
This wasn’t Vince’s greatest team, but it was one of his most exciting.
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New York wins Super Bowl
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Blazers fall to Saints
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Rough season continues for Blazer basketball
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Valdosta sweeps Lowndes
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Midseason form
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