One of the key plays in the 1980 season was a 93-yard touchdown pass from Belue to wide receiver Lindsay Scott[1] Height: 6'1" Weight: 190 College: Georgia High School: Valdosta (GA) USFL Career: 1984-1985 More: Buck Belue complete pro stats Buck Belue played from 1984 to 1985 during his career with the Jacksonville Bulls. Lowndes and Valdosta fans certainly embraced the Winnersville rivalry, showing their love for the home team and their disdain for the other side. The Bulldogs would go on to defeat Notre Dame 17-10 in the Sugar Bowl four weeks later. A third Wildcat quarterback to be storied among these pages of Bulldawg Illustrated, this is Greg Talley, an alumni of Valdosta High School and the University of Georgia sounds familiar.For two of my previous 2019 columns, quarterbacks at VHS and Georgia (Buck Belue and John Lastinger) have been featured, so why stop there?A few years after these studs suited up in the silver britches, we . On their annual Fourth of July vacation to Florida last week, the Belues made stops at the Marshside Grill in Brunswick and the Coachs Corner in Savannah to peddle books. I have nothing but respect for the man, Belue said of Dooley. Their next option? Brooks would become Auburns all-time leading rusher with 3,523 yards, which remains third in school history. Both were thrilled to have the chance to work with a former player whod not only been Valdostas quarterback, but had also played for Georgia and the Jacksonville Bulls of the USFL. Hyder became head coach your freshman year. Belue was atUniversities Forever in Cumming on Saturdayto promote his book,'Inside the Hedges: The Quarterback's Journey to the 1980 National Championship,' a project that was decades in the making. He was just so far ahead of his time. ET to 11:00 a.m. Valdosta High School - Sandspur Yearbook (Valdosta, GA), Class of 1975, Page 130 of 272 | E-Yearbook.com has the largest online yearbook collection of college, university, high school, middle school, junior high school, military, naval cruise books and yearbooks. At quarterback, its about being a leader, and being a field general. It came a year after the Vikings had won their first state championship in football, which gave the event a whole new perspective. Around that same time, Prince recalled: In the mid-70s, a Lowndes student went to Cleveland Field and attached a Lowndes Vikings flag and hoisted it up to the top, but he wasnt finished. That passage appears in Chapter 18 -- titled The Dooley Drama -- of the 199-page book. Events are being planned for Atlanta, Augusta and Marietta, among other cities. Ive known Coach Tomberlin for a long time. When I finally got a chance to talk to them, I told them I hoped theyd understand that the governor of Alabama, Fob James, was my roommate at Auburn and was involved in trying to persuade me. It was the last one. @680TheFan. It doesnt get better than that. He came in from West Rome with the idea of running the wishbone like he was doing in Rome, and I was coming over for spring football as an eighth grader, and it wasnt a couple of months later we were back for preseason practice, and he was totally shifted to the Bazemore offense, as we called it. What was the most memorable high school game that you played? I had Jack Rudolph coaching the defense. Calvin McGuyrt, who claims to have attended more Wildcat games than any other living person since #1 Wildcat fan David Waller passed away, founded and hosted The Wildcat Tradition TV show for 33 years. What did those coaches mean to you? [Rome, a 6-foot-4 tight end, set a national record for receiving yards in a season. "It allowed me to talk about my hometown and brag on the people that helped me through those high school days. 10 high school player in state history. Then, with only 49 seconds remaining, Valdosta recovered Dale Kents onside kick and from the Valdosta 47-yard line, Wilkes lead his Wildcats down the field with another TD pass, this one to running back Avery Burney, to put Valdosta on top 21-17 and leave everyone in the stadium stunned. VALDOSTA Buck Belue starred at quarterback for Valdosta High years before the team's current players were even born. He was the most successful Lowndes coach against the Wildcats in the series. Buck Belue is the only Quarterback to start all four years at Quarterback for Valdosta High. Belue was a star quarterback at Valdosta High School. He was the first Georgia-grown player to win the Heisman. Lastingers vision was to bring the two fan bases together all week long for community-wide events. Buck Belue's QB Camp Recap Gallery Registration is open to all high-school-age Quarterbacks, however Buck will only be inviting the best 30 QBs and 20 Wide Receivers to participate. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. We missed a chip-shot field goal that wouldve won the state championship for all of us. It was just playing for the Wildcats. Herschel Walker was the lone unanimous selectee for the inaugural class of the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame, selected on 35 of 35 ballots. The quarterback thing happened late for me, and it was Wright Bazemore that told the middle school coach to move me to quarterback, so I owe much of my football success to Coach Bazemore for having the insight to get me over to that position. It was just playing for the Wildcats. Georgia quarterback Buck Belue got things moving for Georgia in the second quarter, engineering a scoring drive in only four plays for a 14-3 lead. Sales have picked up over the summer as Belue often with family in tow has embarked on a book-signing tour around Georgia and in Bulldogs strongholds outside the state. Please only use it for a guidance and Buck Belue's actual income may vary a lot from the dollar amount shown above. ], Then, Valdosta was really laying down the hammer in 1971 [winning a national championship in Coach Bazemores final season]. He was just so far ahead of his time. Baker said the bands from both schools began joining forces on the field before each game and would play the National Anthem together. The book has become a family affair. I would soak up all this knowledge. This is the story of the Winnersville Classic, the annual showdown between Valdosta High School and Lowndes High School. Today's interviewee is Buck Belue, sports talk show host for 680 The Fan, quarterback for Georgia's 1980 national championship team, four-year starting quarterback at Valdosta, inaugural. Belue also talked to all of the players about being positive influences and representing themselves and the Valdosta Wildcats well. 31. Search and browse yearbooks online! We got the ball with about three or four minutes left inside our own 10 and drove down to the 1-yard line with like two seconds left. The Valdosta High class of '78 alumni are listed below. Former Georgia quarterback Buck Belue is no stranger to the radio. Tired of losing to their city school rival, and tired of just losing in general over the first decade of the teams existence, Lowndes County school superintendent Sonny Martin decided to reach out to one of the enemy, longtime Valdosta assistant coach Joe Wilson. That was the dream of every young athlete in Valdosta, and that dream didnt go much further than that. ], 4. You need to watch him tonight, and he put on one of the most memorable performances I can remember seeing. [Rome, a 6-foot-4 tight end, set a national record for receiving yards in a season. We worked a lot on fundamentals. Buck Belue, former Valdosta, UGA quarterback. The best player that I played with was our quarterback, Kareem Wilson, in 1995, Henderson recalled. His coach, Bobby Bowden, called Simmons the most significant recruit and player in turning FSU into a national power. Created by Ellen Kennerly Made with Squarespace, 2022 Georgia High School Football Daily. During the banquet, Valdosta police would bring in a black wreath that said, Death to the Wildcats from the Lowndes High Vikings, McGuyrt recalled. The Bulldogs winning a national championship last season also served as an impetus. . 38. On Friday morning, Belue, who starred at quarterback for Valdosta High School and the University of Georgia, returned to his alma mater to hold a camp for Valdostas quarterbacks and receivers. He played at 6 feet, 2 inches, and 240 pounds but was exceptionally fast. The runner-up was Herschel Walker, then a sophomore. The Cats still maintain that designation. The book has not been life-altering for Belue. The coach it was John Lastingers dad, as a matter of fact they installed this tight end-around pass, and I ended up leading the league in passing. [John Lastinger followed Belue as the starting quarterback at Valdosta and at Georgia. Even though Valdosta and Lowndes High had been playing each other every year since 1968, it was becoming obvious to everyone, including Lastinger, that the game was becoming much more competitive, especially with the arrival of head coach Joe Wilson at Lowndes. His three children range in age from 8 to 11. In 1979, Walker was the AJC Class A Back of the Year, a Parade All-American, a Coach & Athlete All-American and the No. I think it was number 1.. Buck Belue - Player Card Home >> Minor League Baseball College Baseball High School Baseball Boxscores and Analysis Other Topics Minor Leagues >> Minor League Players Minor League Teams Affiliate History Minor Leagues Minor Leagues by Season Independent Baseball Leagues Prospects Minor League Awards Minor League People Minor League Transactions To join the mailing list, click here. The Saints drafted Rogers in 1981, making him the first Georgia-grown player selected first overall in an NFL Draft. He also became the first active player at South Carolina to have his jersey retired, No. Macon, GA Position: QB Height: 6'1" Weight: 190 College: Georgia High School: Valdosta (GA) Career: 1984-1985 Buck Belue played from 1984 to 1985 during his career with the Jacksonville Bulls. It was not very good, Georgias home finale ends with a thud vs. Florida, Atlanta Uniteds Franco Ibarra settling into his natural role, GHSA basketball state tournament: Quarterfinals updates from Tuesday, Class 5A girls basketball: Kell 68, Bradwell Institute 54, Timber frame office building at Ponce City Market Atlanta starts to rise, Supreme Court hearing on student loan forgiveness: What it means for Georgians. We just live a couple miles down the road, and we just found a place where we love the people. Sports Illustrated said last fall . I thought long and hard about what I was going to put in there., Photos: Impressive details in Georgia Bulldogs championship rings, Athens celebrates its long-awaited Bulldogs title with parade and stadium event, The drought is over: Georgia is national champion again, Mark Bradley: Mighty Georgia runs down Bama to claim its long-sought championship, QB Stetson Bennetts story a testament to the Georgia community that nurtured him, Steve Hummer: Champion 1980 Bulldogs have waited long enough for company. You do well at Valdosta High, and you get a shot to play some college ball. William Andrews was the leading rusher for Thomasvilles consecutive state champions in 1973 and 1974. We wanted to work with players who were (at Valdosta), who are committed to playing football. Search and browse yearbooks online! Told of the passage about his Auburn flirtations, Dooley laughed and said he doesnt begrudge Belue for including it. Fortunately, that didnt happen too often.. Georgia was loaded with talent in 1980 there were five future NFL Draft picks on the roster, plus Hall of Fame head coach Vince Dooley and legendary defensive coordinator Erk Russell. I should have done it a long time ago. Buck Belue Buck Blanton Calvin Waters Caroline Everitte Cassandra Morris Catherine (Cathy) Pearlman Chad Wilson Charles Fluit . How would you contrast and compare those iconic coaches? The first time was when Bazemore retired, and they hired Charlie Green. There was a golf tournament involving fans and coaches from both teams. Even on a business trip in a remote Caribbean country, it followed the former. The 55-yard scamper, with Reid zig-zagging his way through the entire Valdosta defense on his way to the endzone, sealed the victory for the Vikings against the visiting Wildcats. We missed a chip-shot field goal that wouldve won the state championship for all of us. Then, Prince said, prior to the 1979 game, Lowndes was warming up in their traditional crimson jerseys. On the next play, Wilkes found Sherrod Inman in the back of the end zone to cut the lead to 17-14. Billy Henderson [Clarke Centrals coach] called three straight timeouts and iced the kicker. [8] Belue was also inducted into the Georgia-Florida Hall of Fame in 1996.[9]. It remains one of those indelible football moments from which Buck Belue can never escape, nor does he want to. He is currently co-founder and editor of Georgia High School Football Daily. I grew up admiring most of those guys on the list we were voting on. Buck Belue is a 1978 graduate of Valdosta High School in Valdosta, GA. Sign up on Classmates for free to reconnect with Buck Belue and other high school alumni. I wanted the freedom to do what I wanted to do, you know? Chuck Knoll's Steelers were champions and as. Oscar universe belongs to 'Everything Everywhere'. No question about it.. Four other ex-Georgia players helped Belue at the camp. 1996 Currently, Belue co-hosts (with John Kincade) midday radio show Buck and Kincade on 680 The Fan in Atlanta, Georgia. Stan Rome was awesome, too. This University of Georgiarelated article is a stub. If you are a good ole boy from the South, it's going to be hard to find a better name than Buck Belue. We still do that now, just not as much.. I was wise beyond my years because of them. Benjamin Franklin "Buck" Belue played American football and baseball at the University of Georgia from 1978 to 1981. The first part of the book is my journey through Valdosta and the secrets to all the winning. In the spring of 1978, he won the Class A 100-yard dash in 10.02 seconds. That still sort of haunts me even today., 7. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. Nunn Elementary ; He was the 24th overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers, but his best seasons came in Cincinnati, where he was selected to the Pro Bowl four times (1986, 1988-1990). "I had a daily planner that my dad gave me when I was at Georgia," Belue said. The Valdosta Wildcats have been playing football since 1913, and with over 900 wins, 24 state championships, six national championships, and a bunch of region titles, they remain the winningest high school football team in the country. He shared time with Jeff Pyburn a. We just rolled with it and said the timing is the timing. Belue played one more season at Georgia, leading the Bulldogs to a 10-2 record the following year while engineering an offense that averaged 31 points per game, the ninth most in the country in 1981. His 1971 state-record 21 receiving touchdowns stood until 2010. My dad and I waited on Athens High to come out of the locker room, and were standing by the fence, and my dad is saying, Look, heres Andy Johnson. We got the ball with about three or four minutes left inside our own 10 and drove down to the 1-yard line with like two seconds left. Books can be ordered at InsideTheHedges.com or in person at one of Belues appearances. "I had no idea that Georgia would win the national title. He came through for me on that, which was huge.. There were so many, but I remember Todd Peterson in the 1987 game kicking a 47-yard field goal to beat Lowndes at their place, OBrien said. It got to be a normal thing to see fans pulling over off of Ashley Street and Patterson Street and getting out of their cars to fight, Redshaw said. His career total of 4,756 set a state record for the highest classification. Bazemore watched you play in youth ball and suggested to the coaches that they move you to quarterback. The highly recruited player chose Florida State and became the Seminoles first two-time consensus All-American (1979-80). His next signings currently are planned for July 22 (6-8 p.m.) at Padriacs in Vinings and July 24 (4-6 p.m.) at Rosatis Sports Pub in Belues current hometown of Cumming. $1 Million - $5 Million. Todays interviewee is Buck Belue, sports talk show host for 680 The Fan, quarterback for Georgias 1980 national championship team, four-year starting quarterback at Valdosta, inaugural selectee into the new Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame and author of a new book, Inside The Hedges, a look at Georgias 1980 season and his athletic career. They already had been to Jacksonville, Fla., Macon and Columbus. Their entire sideline of players and coaches tried to climb the wall to get into the stands, and some just took off running towards the opposite end of the stadium.. GHSF Daily recently named him the best player in Thomasville High history, and the AJC in 2007 ranked him the No. In the 2011 game, Lowndes was leading 17-7, and with only 1:14 remaining in the game, looked like they were on their way to their eighth straight win in the Winnersville Classic. It seems like a waste to have been exposed to so much (football knowledge), and not share it. But it was more than that. My thought was that they played in Albany last night and probably got in bed at 3 a.m., and hes up scouting out the talent in town. Despite having played each other since 1968, the Lowndes vs. Valdosta game didnt become the Winnersville Classic until 1981. And when it came to recruiting, he was the only coach I felt like I could trust with the baseball thing. It was pretty good, Johnson said. The Vikings ran onto the field with their new Plowboys jerseys, and the home crowd went nuts. He fell short of a state title when Clarke Central beat Valdosta 16-14 in the 1977 Class 3A championship. Valdosta missed a two-point try in the third quarter and a 31-yard field goal with 1:23 left. By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great local journalism. The coach it was John Lastingers dad, as a matter of fact they installed this tight end-around pass, and I ended up leading the league in passing. [John Lastinger followed Belue as the starting quarterback at Valdosta and at Georgia. ], 6. A couple of students jumped in the water and secured the ship so that it would not float over to the shore.. Guy Belue is on Facebook. There were a lot of guys who had a huge impact to the success of those teams.]. Since it started playing football in 1913, Valdosta has won 612 games and lost 129, with 33 ties. What was the most memorable high school game that you played? You mentioned that you saw many of the players that were on the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame ballot or were voted in. It turned out it was a bad snap from the center and threw off the timing. Belue devotes several chapters to his high school days pursuing state championships under coach Nick Hyder. UGA star Jalen Carter present at scene of fatal crash, From 2021: Buck Belue, QB of 1980 Georgia national champions, to call the Dawgs before kickoff, Georgia Tech hammers Syracuse as Jackets late-season surge continues, Braves notes: Jared Shusters first spring game, Michael Sorokas progress, Ian Anderson on spring debut: Im not gonna sugarcoat it. Buck's Beat podcast episode 80 has dropped. The interview below follows the Four Questions format, along with three bonus questions with Belues thoughts on making the Hall of Fame (induction is Oct. 22), his most memorable high school game and how coach Wright Bazemore made him a quarterback. 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