Herschel Walker: College football legend

Herschel Walker, who played for the University of Georgia Bulldogs from 1980 to 1982,

is considered one of the best college football players of all time, if not the best.

Source: https://www.ajc.com/sports/mark-bradley-blog/why-herschel-walker-a-big-deal-in-georgia-heres-why/C7VXU5WBMNGXDIYZJMJARBGWYI/(May be subject to copyright)

The Georgia Bulldogs were near the goal line, on about the five-yard line and poised to score. They handed the ball off and, like so many backs of the day, he dove head first over the pile-up on the line. However, he was so athletic, he landed on his shoulders short of the end zone and was not touched, so he re-gained his balance and ran into the end zone.

That was my introduction Herschel Walker, college legend, and perhaps the best college player in history.

College numbers
Herschel Walker played three seasons at Georgia – 1980, 1981, and 1982.

In 1980, his first season with the Bulldogs, Walker rushed for 1,616 yards on 274 carries, with a long of 76 yards and 15 touchdowns. He set an NCAAA freshman rushing record, was a first team All-American, and finished third in Heisman voting, behind winner George Rogers and runner-up Hugh Green. He also helped Georgia to an undefeated season and the Bulldogs’ last national championship, capped off by a win over Notre Dame in the 1981 Sugar Bowl.

The next year, the 1981 season, Walker rushed for 1,891 yards on 385 carries, with a long of 32 yards and 18 touchdowns. He was again named a first team All-American and finished second in Heisman voting to winner Marcus Allen. He led the Bulldogs to a 10-1 record and a berth in the Sugar Bowl. Their only loss came to number-one ranked Clemson, so Georgia was ranked number two in the country with a chance to win the national championship. They would need help though. Only if Georgia defeated Pittsburgh in the Sugar Bowl and Clemson lost to Nebraska in the Orange Bowl would the Bulldogs have any hope of winning the national championship. However, Georgia lost to the Panthers and Clemson capped off a perfect season by defeating the Cornhuskers to win their first national championship.

In 1982, Walker's third and final season of college football, he rushed for 1,752 yards on 335 carries, with a long of 59 yards and 16 touchdowns. He won the Heisman trophy and was again named a first team All-American. He added the Maxwell Award as the best all-around football player to his resumé as well. He led Georgia to a perfect 11-0 record, a number one ranking and a berth in their third straight Sugar Bowl. This time they would face the number-two ranked Penn State Nittany Lions for the national championship. The Nittany Lions would prevail, handing Georgia their first and only loss of the season and taking the national championship.

It would be Herschel Walker’s last game of college football.

From a distance
I never saw Herschel Walker play live in college. Peasant vision never carried regular season college football. The only college games we saw were the New Year’s Day bowl games. Back then, those were the biggest games of the year and they were all on one day, unlike now when they are stretched over weeks.

On the news they had a preview leading up to the Sugar Bowl, which the Bulldogs played in all three of Walker’s seasons at Georgia, and I have a few memories. The biggest was the hype surrounding Walker. I still remember seing highlights of just how athletic and powerful a runner he was. He initiated contact with would-be tacklers, consistently moved the pile, and it always took more than one defender to bring him down. I also remember his quarterback, who had the perfect name to quarterback the Georgia Bulldogs. His name was Buck Belue.

Parting thoughts
A few weeks ago, the current edition of the Georgia Bulldogs faced Clemson. With the Bulldogs leading late in the game by a touchdown, they needed one more first down to clinch the game. So they handed the ball to Zamir White, a young runningback. He not only gained the necessary yards for the first down, but he bulled his way through and ran over would-be tacklers. It reminded me of the running style of the greatest Bulldog of all – Herschel Walker.

After three years at Georgia, Walker was more than ready to take his game to the next level. With pro scouts lurking, he took an unexpected path that took him to professional football, but not yet the NFL.