Editor’s Note: With Mike Pittman recently being chosen for the FHSAA Hall of Fame, and the 30th anniversary of Suwannee’s first state championship approaching, the Suwannee Democrat will be taking a look back at the four state championship teams — starting this week with the 1987 Bulldogs.

LIVE OAK — The golden age of Suwannee High football: it all started when Mike Pittman took the head coaching position at his high school alma mater. He put the Bulldogs in the record books by winning four straight state titles from 1987 to 1990.

Dominant in the regular season and the playoffs, Suwannee went 11-2 in 1987, outscoring opponents 418-187.

After two lopsided victories in their first two games, the Class 3A Bulldogs defeated 4A Ocala Forest 28-19 in Week 3 — a challenging road game that was well-attended by Suwannee fans.

Quote

“Suwannee will win another state title, but there will never be an atmosphere like we experienced.”

Mike Pittman

Large crowds at home and away games were the norm during that time. The support for the team during Pittman’s tenure was something he won’t forget.  

“The stadium was always packed. We used to get 100 to 150 people just for the first day of practice,” Pittman said. “Suwannee will win another state title, but there will never be an atmosphere like we experienced.”

“You’re making history and you don’t even know it”

Suwannee went 5-0 to start the season and clinched the district title in Week 10 with a win against Taylor County. 

The only times the Bulldogs did lose — once to Leon and once to Columbia — they came back with three straight wins.

With Jay Jernigan throwing to standout receiver Matt Frier, and the two-headed monster of Dexter Haynes and Tracy Brown at running back, Suwannee had loads of weapons on offense as well as a strong defense. 

It wasn’t just talent that propelled the Bulldogs to their first state title. A sophomore on the 1987 team, John Palmer thought conditioning was one of the most important factors during Suwannee’s entire championship run.  

“Coach Pittman would tell us during the ’87 season, ‘You guys are making history and you don’t even know it,’” Palmer said. “He told us that as we were running 50-yard sprints after a three-hour practice. 

“Conditioning was the recipe. Tracy Brown and Dexter Haynes could outrun anyone. And they never got tired in the fourth quarter.”

Well-conditioned teams became just one of Pittman’s coaching staples. Fans also got to see his occasional hat throw, tobacco-chewing on the sidelines, and winning — plenty of winning. 

Playoff run

Suwannee’s first playoff game came against Walton County on Nov. 20.

The result of that game — a 33-7 drubbing — was extra sweet for Pittman considering some of the events leading up to the contest with the Walton County head coach. 

“The Walton County coach didn’t want to trade film,” Pittman said. 

“And then right before the game, he comes up to me and says, ‘This is a playoff game. If you can beat me as bad as you can, do it. Because I’m going to try and beat you as bad as I can.’

“So we’re up 33-7 with two minutes left and my assistant coaches are yelling at me because we’re still throwing the ball deep trying to score.”

SHS followed up that win with another blowout, 48-24, against Santa Fe to get into the state championship against Naples Lely. 

Game results

Sept. 11	Suwannee 38	Hamilton County 6
Sept. 18	Suwannee 49	Quincy 19
Sept. 25	Suwannee 28	Ocala Forest 19
Oct. 2	Suwannee 33	Madison 6
Oct. 16	Suwannee 26	Rickards 14
Oct. 23	Leon 28	Suwannee 8
Oct. 30	Suwannee 20	Wakulla 7
Nov. 6	Suwannee 35	Bolles 12
Nov. 13	Suwannee 21	Taylor County 6
Nov. 20	Columbia 31	Suwannee 23
Nov. 27	Suwannee 33	Walton County 7
Dec. 4	Suwannee 49	Santa Fe 24
Dec. 11	Suwannee 35	Naples Lely 7

But when the Bulldogs arrived in Naples on Wednesday, practice for the big game didn’t go how they planned. 

“We had a fight break out between the defense. Then our two managers get in a fight. Finally, we run one play on offense and a fight breaks out,” Pittman said. “You’ve got to understand, they were real competitive.

“So I ask them, ‘Are you guys ready to play’? “They said yes and we left the field. We didn’t practice one play on offense before the game.”

Even without practicing an offensive play, Suwannee still ran up and down the field in the title game, taking a 28-0 lead in the first half en route to a 35-7 victory.

“We were not even supposed to stay on the field with Lely,” Palmer said. “But it turned out the other way that they couldn’t stay with us.”

The 1987 State Champion Bulldogs

No. 1	Satish Singh	No. 15	Travis Baker	No. 41	Syron Depass	No. 70	David Bass
No. 2	Jay Jernigan	No. 18	Jerry Fletcher	No. 43	Bret Bonds	No. 76	Kevin Bender
No. 3	Jay Harvard	No. 22	Bill Stubbs	No. 44	Eric Smith	No. 77	Gantt Crouch
No. 5	John Palmer	No. 23	Buddy Hogan	No. 55	Matt McMilan	No. 79	Jessie Chaires
No. 6	Chris Murat	No. 25	Dexter Haynes	No. 56	Bobby Hart	No. 80	R.J. Williams
No. 8	Steven O’Steen	No. 26	Charlie Hines	No. 61	Sean O’Hara	No. 81	Derrick Manning
No. 10	Curt Harrell	No. 27	Tracy Brown	No. 62	Donnie Brown	No. 82	Brent Ryals
No. 11	Andy Williams	No. 29	Terry Williams	No. 63	Ty Robinson	No. 85	Robbie Bosserman
No. 12	Matt Frier	No. 30	Dwayne Mobley	No. 64	Barry Roberson	No. 86	Matt Harrell
No. 13	Jamie Gaylord	No. 33	Conel Crockton	No. 65	Sammy Starling	No. 87	Brad Howard
No. 14	Eddie Johnson	No. 40	Chad Mobley	No. 68	Curtis Bass	No. 88	Patrick Taylor