I was blessed with this great coaching. [Belue passed for a state-record 5,214 yards and won two region titles in his four Valdosta seasons. I had Jack Rudolph coaching the defense. These are former students from VHS in Valdosta, GA who graduated in 1978. McPhersons own performance is one of the best among the head coaches in the Classic. I enjoyed it. Buck Belue (Buck Belue) "Tell us about "Inside the Hedges," Jim said. We just knew the crowd would go crazy, and it would fire up our players.. Belue credits his wife, Kelley, for kicking me in the butt to finally get it done. His daughter, Audrey -- who will attend Mississippi State as a freshman this fall -- serves as his assistant at signings and with daily logistics. Salary in 2020. 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. I really enjoyed working with Mike and Alfrie, and getting to know them, Belue said. Obviously, that did not happen. Created by Ellen Kennerly Made with Squarespace, 2022 Georgia High School Football Daily. The first time I played quarterback was in the eighth grade. What are your thoughts on making the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame? You also talk about the other coaches at Valdosta, especially Joe Wilson, who later became Lowndes head coach and led the Vikings to a 1980 state title, and Jack Rudolph, Valdostas longtime defensive mastermind [and father of Georgia Tech and NFL player Coleman Rudolph]. Valdosta High School - Sandspur Yearbook (Valdosta, GA), Class of 1978, Page 57 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. The first time was when Bazemore retired, and they hired Charlie Green. 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. Guy Belue is on Facebook. GO CATS! There was still a chance for the Vikings if they could return the kickoff, but they never got the chance. 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. I remember in the 1981 game, quarterback John Bond took off down the Lowndes sideline and ran for an 80-yard touchdown, Baker said. Belue will host a book signing for his new book "Inside the Hedges". That place [Lowndes home stadium] was rocking before the 77 game, but we had known after that 76 game that this game was going to be different, and it was.. Valdosta City Schools ; J. L. Lomax Elementary School ; Pinevale Elementary School ; Sallas Mahone Elementary ; S.L. They just had a huge impact in my career along with all those teammates I played with at Valdosta, many of them deserving of those kinds of honors. How would you contrast and compare those iconic coaches? "It allowed me to talk about my hometown and brag on the people that helped me through those high school days. I admired these athletes. Belue also details in the book how he. 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. In 2004, the Falcons retired his jersey No. The native of Jessup has made his home in Valdosta since retiring from professional football and is an avid supporter of UGA athletics and a dedicated follower of local high school football. Reached by phone this week, Dooley said he has not yet read Belues book. Brooks would become Auburns all-time leading rusher with 3,523 yards, which remains third in school history. Defensive coordinator Erk Russell. When he knocked off the third one a state championship, which Lowndes won in 1980 Johnny B. Lastinger was prompted to concede this was more than just a game it was a community event. In 1979, Walker was the AJC Class A Back of the Year, a Parade All-American, a Coach & Athlete All-American and the No. Buck Belue led Georgia to a 12-0 record and a national title in 1980. They were up 40-0 with 30 seconds left and still giving the ball to William Andrews. What do most people want to talk to you about at these book signings? Thats when I figured it was time to go., 3. In practice, it was always the 1s against the 1s. ], Ive also got some memories of Coach Hyder trying to turn the program around, and he took me to some playoff games to watch Michael Jolly [the quarterback on Central-Macons 1975 Class 3A championship team]. Told of the passage about his Auburn flirtations, Dooley laughed and said he doesnt begrudge Belue for including it. We had weight limits, and if you weighed a certain amount, you couldnt play in the backfield, and I was a bigger kid then. Following a Lowndes punt, Valdosta took possession around midfield. Belue quarterbacked the Bulldogs to a 12-0 record in 1980, culminating with a 17-10 win over Notre Dame Jan. 1, 1981 in the Sugar Bowl. Rogers was the Wildcats team manager in 1994 and a top Wildcat supporter. We had a Valdosta booster, Charlie Whetherington, who knew a pilot, and they flew over a Valdosta practice the week of the game against Lowndes and dumped those flyers. Seeing Andy Johnson in 1969 was one of my first recollections of high school football [at the 1969 Class 3A championship game between Athens and Valdosta at Cleveland Field]. He won 12 of his 18 games against Valdosta. !"-Susan Wooten, 2022 CATS Winner No wonder Buck eyed. The players gathered together on the steps of the old McWhorter Hall athletic dormitory and seethed. That first Valdosta game with Wilson as coach of the Vikings didnt lead to a win, but the effort was there, and it signaled that things were going to be different. The police asked us about the flyers, and coach Jerry Don Baker came walking over and told the cops the plane had a Lowndes County Vikings license plate, Henderson said with a laugh. What do most people want to talk to you about at these book signings? But the current Wildcats still know who he is. [Rome, a 6-foot-4 tight end, set a national record for receiving yards in a season. Buck was a great quarterback for maybe the toughest high school program to play forthe Valdosta Wildcats. John Lastinger remembers that game and the play. Fortunately, that didnt happen too often.. A couple of the mules handlers were able to catch the mule and bring him back to the field house. You do well at Valdosta High, and you get a shot to play some college ball. 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. Ive been wanting to do this for some time, Belue said. He will be inducted with Belue in October. The stunning 93-yard touchdown pass from Belue to receiver Lindsay Scott with 1:03 remaining gave the Bulldogs a 26-21 victory. Stan Rome was a dominant two-sport athlete who still holds the state record for most receiving yards in a career (4,477) despite playing in a run-dominated era. Rome was ranked the No. Prince recalled how, prior to the 1985 Winnersville game, an idea was hatched to have someone ride a mule out to midfield before the Valdosta game, staying true to the plowboys image Lowndes had cultivated. He was the first 4 year starter at Quarterback at Valdosta High school. ITG Next is your go-to source for high school sports media coverage in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and across the country. ], Then, Valdosta was really laying down the hammer in 1971 [winning a national championship in Coach Bazemores final season]. Copyright 2023 M & S Media Group LLC. Its something were going to build on. 10 high school player in state history. Latest: Gallery: Buck Belue book signing at Coach's Corner It includes Brooks County to the west.. Valdosta is the home of Valdosta State University, a regional university in the University . I was always a fan of the top players and programs and curious about the way they did it, what scheme they were running. VALDOSTA - Former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback, Buck Belue, will be doing a book signing at Salty Snapper on Friday, June 17. I knew coverage, I knew techniques, things that it seemed like these other quarterbacks didnt understand at the time. Way too much credit is given to Herschel (Walker) and Lindsay (Scott) and Buck. Belue threw for 299 yards in his career, completing 37 of 68 passes with 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. He shared time with Jeff Pyburn a. The problem was the plane didnt get low enough, and the wind blew the flyers all over the neighborhood next to the practice field.. He set other state records in high school football that lasted decades, including the single-season receiving record of 1,573 yards as a sophomore in 1971. So the Viking flag flew high and proud over the Valdosta stadium property, for at least a little while.. Im looking forward to reading it, Dooley said. Im just so thankful my quarterback coach was Joe Wilson. Scott. "I got to work last year on it, before the football season started," Belue said. . He spent much of the camp working with Valdostas current quarterbacks, Mike Turner and Alfrie Johnson. Because official statistics are not required or maintained by any state organization, the records that we display here come from individual schools and from media reports, primarily newspapers. 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. What are your thoughts on making the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame? However, this week in anticipation of his new book "Inside the Hedges," Belue took to Sirius XM's SEC This Morning to share a story from his . Host of Buck's Beat podcast. 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. Oscar universe belongs to 'Everything Everywhere'. Lowndes athletic director Danny Redshaw said things have calmed down considerably between the two sides today, but there was a time when the Winnersville Classic put both Lowndes and Valdosta on high alert. [6] After the demise of the USFL, Belue spent two years on the football coaching staff at Valdosta State University, serving as an offensive assistant. Brooks made the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2014. 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. Sandra Belue's son and his roommate, Scott, had just carved out a piece of immortality. There will, of course, be signings at the UGA Bookstore before Georgia football games this fall. That was Lowndes first win ever against Valdosta, whose quarterback was Buck Belue, the future University of Georgia star. We spent so many Friday nights at Cleveland Field, or Bazemore-Hyder Stadium as they call it now, watching them win big. Really, my wife kicked me in the butt and said, 'Let's finish this thing.'". Closed on Weekends. Rome talked about playing for the legendary Wright Bazemore. Belue also details in the book how he balanced his baseball pursuits while competing to be the starting quarterback on a team that won back-to-back SEC championships. But it missed its mark literally. ], 6. I was blessed with this great coaching. [Belue passed for a state-record 5,214 yards and won two region titles in his four Valdosta seasons. If you are a Valdosta alumn, we encourage you to register and be sure to sign up for the alumni newsletter. What is your favorite part of The Valdosta Daily Times? With Coach Hyder, you just couldnt imagine anyone working harder than him to be successful. What was the most memorable high school game that you played? 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. Belue said he and most of his Georgia teammates understood after hearing Dooleys explanation about his deep relationships at Auburn. Oh yeah, they had a bounty out for Bucks jersey, Baker said. In the spring of 1978, he won the Class A 100-yard dash in 10.02 seconds. 2 in the state in Buck's senior season. Jun. ], Ive also got some memories of Coach Hyder trying to turn the program around and he took me to some playoff games to watch Michael Jolly [the quarterback on Central-Macons 1975 Class 3A championship team]. He also added 1,487 rushing yards and . A few of the Lowndes students got together and built a Viking ship, Prince said. Simmons was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. Well, the only thing that went crazy was the mule. Low around 65F. Buck Belue Social Network Timeline 2007 He is also the only quarterback to start all four years for the Valdosta Wildcats where he was inducted as a member of the Valdosta High School Hall of Fame in 2007. His 34 wins as Valdostas signal caller is a team record, and hes the programs only four-year starter (1974-77). Hyder became head coach your freshman year. You need to watch him tonight, and he put on one of the most memorable performances I can remember seeing. Join Facebook to connect with Guy Belue and others you may know. He hit .447 for the 1982 season and his .356 career batting average (he also hit 30 homers and scored 114 runs) remains among the top 10 in school history. After years of typing and saving his reflections, Belue finally decided to put them together in a self-published book that was released earlier this year. Under Review. I had other friends there, too, just like they did that day in that room. In practice, it was always the 1s against the 1s. If you are a good ole boy from the South, it's going to be hard to find a better name than Buck Belue. Buck Belue is best known as the quarterback who led Georgia to its 1980 national championship, but he was widely known before that as a high school athlete. This biographical article relating to an American football quarterback born in the 1950s is a stub. "I have been a Wildcat all my life, so Valdosta City Schools will always be a part of me. Mon - Fri: 7:30 - 4:30. Before he was an All-SEC running back at Auburn and played 13 NFL seasons, James Brooks led Warner Robins to a 1976 Class 3A championship and a National Sports News Service (NSNS) national title. Youve been to about 10 cities to sign your book, and youve got several more scheduled. Joe Wilson took over the Vikings football team in 1976, and right away encouraged the players to embrace their country boy personality and call themselves Plowboys. He led the Vikings to an 8-2 season, which included upset victories over Tift County and Thomasville High. "I had no idea that Georgia would win the national title. "Well,. The Bulldogs would go on to defeat Notre Dame 17-10 in the Sugar Bowl four weeks later. We were playing old youth league football at 9, 10, 11 years old, and were playing at about 8 in the morning, and if you look back in the stands, youd usually see Coach Bazemore watching the games. Please only use it for a guidance and Buck Belue's actual income may vary a lot from the dollar amount shown above. Bobby Green, a local business owner and Valdosta High supporter, would also host a lunch on a first come-first serve basis at his home, with fans invited. It was just playing for the Wildcats. And a Plains teen girl borrowed Jimmy Carters clothes. Joe told Martin, Ill give you three reasons: One, Ill give you a winning season, which youve never had. Your high school friends are looking for you! On this page: Player News Sports Reference Blog -- Get site news and learn about new and existing features. McGuyrt also emceed the FCA banquet that was held the Thursday before the big game. Then, the second time was when they brought in Nick Hyder from Rome.. Simmons, a defensive lineman and tight end, was the AJCs Class 3A Lineman of the Year and a Coach Athlete All-American and Joe Namath All-American. So he came up with the name Plowboys. He and then-band director Billy Martin ordered straw hats with LHS Plowboys across the front, which the band wore during their halftime performance.. Youd see him around town and stop and go wow. Youd be in awe. Coach Wilson would be saying we can throw to this running back because weve got this linebacker on him. The Georgia football team had just put a bow on an undefeated regular season with a resounding 38-20 win over Georgia Tech in 1980 when the players awoke the following morning to news that coach Vince Dooley reportedly was leaving to become coach and athletic director at Auburn. Buck Belue famously guided Georgia's football team to a national championship 42 years ago. A defibrillator is a device used to treat a person who has suddenly gone into cardiac arrest, and possibly save their life. Get site News and learn about new and existing features left and still giving the to... 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