The Countdown 2010: 15 Days to Go

15: Scott Woerner, Cornerback/ Kick Returner #19 (1977 – 1980)

In recent years, Georgia has seen a number of players who have excelled in both the defensive backfield and as a kick returner. Scott Woerner may be the best of that group. The Texas native made his first mark at Georgia during his freshman season in 1977. While playing sparingly on defense, Woerner became the starter at both kickoff and punt returner. He returned 22 kickoffs for 546 yards (24.8 average) and 12 punts for 112 yards. He set the Georgia single game record for kickoff returns yards with 190 against Kentucky.

During his sophomore season, Woerner would continue in his role as kick returner and cracked the starting lineup at corner. While Lindsay Scot took over as the team’s leading kickoff returner, Woerner still led the team in punt returns (23 for 277 yards and a touchdown). He added 66 tackles and 4 interceptions on defense. 1979 saw much of the same success he had during 1978, leading the Bulldogs in punt returns (22 for 200 yards) and interceptions (4). He returned in 1980 for what would be a magical senior season.

Scott Woerner played a pivot role in Georgia’s 1980 SEC and National Championships. In Georgia’s early season game against Clemson, Worner returned an interception 98 yards for a touchdown:


His solid play at corner and returner continued throughout the 1980 season and he once again came up big in the Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame. He had two interceptions during the game, including one late in the 4th that sealed the contest for the Bulldogs:


Woerner was named first team All-SEC and a first team All-American. He regained his role as the leading kickoff returner (9 for 232 yards). Scott Woerner also led the NCAA in punt return yardage, 31 for 488 yards and a touchdown. It was also another great season on defense, as he totaled 47 tackles and a career high 5 interception.

Scott Woerner sits near the top of a number of categories in the Georgia record book. He is fourth all-time in interceptions with 13 (for 303 return yards, 2nd most all-time). He is fifth all-time in kickoff return yardage with 839 yards on 35 returns. He is the second leading punt returner in school history behind Damien Gary with a total 1077 yards on 88 carries (12.2 average) and 2 touchdowns. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons and played 1 season in the NFL before moving onto a career in the short-lived USFL.

The Pig that Brought a Championship

With the Independence Day holiday this weekend, I thought it fitting to share the story of how a a stolen pig that was cooked at a players' party in 1980 could have cost the Dawgs dearly but ended up uniting the team for its National Championship run. I had never heard this story until I ran across it in a book the other day, so while some of our readers may know this one, I hope you enjoy hearing it again.

The Story of the Purloined Pig

Back during the Vince Dooley years, players on the Georgia football team celebrated the end of spring practice by throwing a team only party known as Seagraves. The team came together and basically celebrated by drinking as much beer as they could (according to Scott Woerner, the team had 127 cases and 8 kegs at the 1980 party.) In 1980, five senior players decided they wanted to not only have beer but serve food at the party as well. Because they were short on money, they decided the best way to get food for the party would be to steal a sow from the University Research Center.

The senior players (All-American Scott Woerner, Defensive Captain Frank Ros, rover Chris Welton, and linemen Nat Hudson and High Nall, set out to steal the pig. Using a bow and arrow, Nall managed to shoot a nearly 400 pound sow and it took the entire effort of all five of them to get the pig out of the pen. They slow roasted the pig and served it at the party , much to the delight of the rest of the team. Their plan had worked perfect and they almost got away with the whole thing.

In true "Lord of the Flies" fashion, they mounted the head of the dead pig on a stick. When the party was over, a couple of freshman decided it was a good idea to bring the head to campus, where it ended up at the feet of some un-expecting students near the dorm. The freshman players were going to get nailed for the whole event, but Ros and Woerner decided to turn themselves in. Dooley and Russell were pissed, as you can imagine, and the players nearly were kicked off the team.

Instead of kicking them off, they were forced to work for Dooley that summer while not being on scholarship. The players performed a number of tasks, including painting the brick fence near the practice field...twice. All this during what was recorded as the hottest summer Athens has ever experienced. By the time the season rolled around and the story had reached the papers, they were using it as a rallying point for the season. As Erk Russell said, "Hugh and Frank, all of them, were in positions of leadership on that team, and darn if I don't think it was a bond for everything. Now that may seem far-fetched to you, but it doesn't to me. Right off the bat, they had something in common. It drew people together and the team, too."

Who would have known that a college prank of stealing a pig from the University would be a catalyst for a national championship season. Can you imagine what would happen if something like this happened today?

* You can read the full story, along with many others about the 1980 team in Vince Dooley's book, Tales from the 1980 Bulldogs.