The Countdown 2010: 5 Days To Go, Garrison Hearst

5: Garrison Hearst, TB #5 (1990-1992)

Garrison Hearst is a well noted Georgia Bulldog, but the high achieving level he attained at Georgia is often underappreciated. The Lincolnton, GA native is the #2 career rusher for the bulldogs, was a dominating, powerhouse back in the early 1990’s, and his name is emblazoned all over Georgia’s record books.

Hearst came to Georgia in 1990, and would become a leading force on the field in the SEC. Hearst would only start just over half the games his freshman and sophomore seasons, but would garner respectable numbers during both years. He would be the leading rusher for Georgia all three years he played, and was also the leading scorer on the team for the ’91 and ’92 seasons.

clip of Hearst's 50+ yard TD run in 1992 versus Ole Miss*

His junior season in 1992 was of near epic proportions. Georgia would win 10 games (with 2 close losses), and finish the season ranked #8, topped off by a Citrus Bowl victory over the Doormat of the SEC (commonly referred to as Ohio State).

Highlights of Hearst from the 1993 Citrus Bowl versus Ohio State*

Hearst would gain 1,547 rushing yards that season, and a total of 1,910 all purpose yards (placing him second in school and SEC history), as well as being the only other rusher besides Herschel to gain 1,500 yards in a season. Hearst would also set the SEC record for touchdowns in a season (21), rushing touchdowns in season (19), average gain per rush (6.8), and most points scored in a season (126). His rushing TD and average gain records still remain SEC records today.

Hearst’s national notoriety skyrocketed as he won the Doak Walker Award (given to the nation’s top running back), was voted a consensus All-American, and finished 3rd in the Heisman balloting (finishing behind Gino Torretta and Marshall Faulk).

Hearst would finish his career with 3,232 rushing yards, 3,934 total yards, 16 - 100 yard rushing games, and 35 touchdowns over 3 seasons.

Hearst would go on to be the 3rd overall pick in the 1993 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. While sustaining injuries and health problems that limited his playing, Hearst played for 12 seasons, appeared in 2 Pro Bowls, and twice won NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

* Videos courtesy of the Leather Helmet Blog's Youtube page

The Countdown 2010: 32 Days to Go

32: Herb Maffett, End (1927-1931)

Athens, GA bred and member of the 1926 Toccoa High School state championship football team, Herb Maffett was a raw talent who was on the front line for one of the historic moments in Bulldog lore, and in an era of Georgia football that just preceded the formation of the Southeastern Conference.

Maffett was an iron-man four year starter at end for the Bulldogs, who helped lead the Bulldogs to victory in the 1929 dedication game of Sanford Stadium. In that first game at Sanford Stadium in October 1929, college football powerhouse Yale played their first game in the South, and were upset by Georgia 15-0.

According to Bulldog legend, Maffett was named team captain for the 1930 season after his performance in helping lead Georgia to the victory over Yale. That same season, Maffett was also named an All-American and All-Southern Conference player (at that point, he was just the 6th All-American Georgia had ever had), as the Bulldogs went 7-2-1.

In that 1930 All-American season, the Bulldogs played at the Polo Grounds of New York City against NYU, where Maffett would catch the game winning touchdown (and Bulldog legend Vernon "Catfish" Smith would kick the game winning extra point), as the bulldogs won 7-6 and avenged the previous year's defeat by the Violets (yes, the NYU Violets).

In 1981, Maffett would be inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, as well become a part of the Georgia Bulldog Hall of Heroes.