If you are a Valdosta alumn, we encourage you to register and be sure to sign up for the alumni newsletter. As a highly recruited back, Rogers went to South Carolina, where rushed for 5,091 yards, including 1,781 as a 1980 senior. Among the sanctions . The players gathered together on the steps of the old McWhorter Hall athletic dormitory and seethed. The Lowndes administration was not happy about our little stunt.. We wanted to work with players who were (at Valdosta), who are committed to playing football. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. His 1971 state-record 21 receiving touchdowns stood until 2010. He sort of chuckled and said there was a lot of built-up frustration over those years of losing to Valdosta, Dont take it personally is what I believe he said., 5. The timing was awful, Buck Belue writes in his new book, Inside the Hedges. Most of the players thought it was a selfish move to even do an interview. How would you contrast and compare those iconic coaches? But part of Belue's focus in writing the book was shining a light on his hometown of Valdosta, as well as some of the lesser known players on Georgia's 1980 team. Baker said the bands from both schools began joining forces on the field before each game and would play the National Anthem together. So, Joe sits down with Martin and Sonny asks him, Joe, why should I hire you? Prince said. Events are being planned for Atlanta, Augusta and Marietta, among other cities. 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. He also added 1,487 rushing yards and . ], 6. Youve been to about 10 cities to sign your book, and youve got several more scheduled. 10 high school player in state history. 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. They just burned the thing, Prince said. He was going to youth league programs, scouting the local talent. They put it on us my freshman year. The Saints drafted Rogers in 1981, making him the first Georgia-grown player selected first overall in an NFL Draft. His 34 wins as Valdostas signal caller is a team record, and hes the programs only four-year starter (1974-77). When Andrews retired, he ranked 24th all-time in the NFL in rushing yards. Buck Belue (Buck Belue) "Tell us about "Inside the Hedges," Jim said. Larry Kinnebrewrushed for more than 1,000 yards as a fullback and was the dominant force defensively on East Romes 15-0 Class A champion that shut out nine opponents and held four others to seven points or less in 1977. [Rome, a 6-foot-4 tight end, set a national record for receiving yards in a season. Simmons was considered undersized for the NFL and went in the sixth round. Buck Belue Georgia QB. [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. Reached by phone this week, Dooley said he has not yet read Belues book. Its an oral history that will never die in fact, it just keeps growing, year after year, down there in Winnersville. Wilson had fulfilled his first promise to Martin: A winning season in his first try, something Lowndes had never before experienced. Brooks rushed for 1,816 yards as a senior, 1,852 yards as a junior and 1,088 as a sophomore. It doesnt get better than that. 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. In 2004, the Falcons retired his jersey No. Coach Jerry Don Baker confirmed the rumor. 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. 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. In 1979, Walker was the AJC Class A Back of the Year, a Parade All-American, a Coach & Athlete All-American and the No. He was a member of the Redskins Super Bowl champion in 1988. 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. ], 4. Jun. This is the story of the Winnersville Classic, the annual showdown between Valdosta High School and Lowndes High School. He and his wife had an apartment next to the school, and I would go over to watch film with him. Buck Belue, right, and Lindsey Scott, second from left, with Valdosta High football quarterbacks Michael Turner, left, and Alfrie Johnson, second from right, during the camp at Valdosta High School Friday morning. 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. The interview below follows the Four Questions format, plus 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. And when he showed up. "Twenty years we've been here. He set Georgias career rushing record of 6,137 yards. Our maintenance folks earned their pay that week.. Read, watch, and listen to the latest news and opinions in the high school sports world. I enjoyed it. Brooks made the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2014. 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. "The real motivation for me was, I've had so many people through the years ask me about Valdosta, where I grew up, and the football program being so successful," Belue said. Nobody would have a better perspective from a players standpoint than Buck as the quarterback of that team.. In practice, it was always the 1s against the 1s. That was the dream of every young athlete in Valdosta, and that dream didnt go much further than that. 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. Two, Ill beat Valdosta, which youve never done. The best players I saw play in the game were quarterback Cedric Hatten for us, and for Lowndes it was Greg Reid. Belue said he flirted with shopping his book to outside publishers, but opted instead to publish it himself. And when he showed up Friday to host a camp, they came to the field excited to learn from him. I learned some things from him. But it was more than that. 2. It was just playing for the Wildcats. I admired these athletes. I grew up admiring most of those guys on the list we were voting on. Also, I was motivated by writing about the 1980 season and about the guys that never got the credit. As a Johnson County senior in 1979, Walker rushed for a state-record 3,167 yards and 45 touchdowns and led the Trojans to the Class A championship. But it was more than that. Rome talked about playing for the legendary Wright Bazemore. He had everybody running the same offense so that by time you got to middle school and high school, you didnt have to learn any of it. No wonder Buck eyed. Joe wanted us to embrace the country boy label, Prince said. He was the most successful Lowndes coach against the Wildcats in the series. 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. 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. In practice, it was always the 1s against the 1s. Rome settled on professional football, playing four NFL seasons with the Chiefs. I talked with Coach [Jim] Hughes about that later. What do you get when you combine the winningest high school football program in the country with one of the most consistently winning football programs in the state over the last three decades? Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. 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. Please only use it for a guidance and Buck Belue's actual income may vary a lot from the dollar amount shown above. Prince recalled a prank that took place the week of the 1974 game. Martin brought in Wilson for an interview after hearing that the coach was not exactly happy with the Wildcats at the time. The current Winnersville series record stands at 36 wins for Valdosta and 24 for Lowndes heading into the 2022 season. Oscar universe belongs to 'Everything Everywhere'. Coach Wilson would be saying we can throw to this running back because weve got this linebacker on him. I was in the office when Joe Wilson threw his keys on Nick Hyders desk and told him, Coach, we are going to whip your [butt] when you come to our place in two years, and thats exactly what happened, Baker said. "I got to work last year on it, before the football season started," Belue said. Those who were part of the game shared the plays and players they remember the most. He spent much of the camp working with Valdostas current quarterbacks, Mike Turner and Alfrie Johnson. I was friends with Coach Wilsons son, Jody, so I got some behind-the-scenes access to practice and going to the games and seeing the locker room. The Winnersville Classic featuring Lowndes vs. Valdosta was born. We had about 500 flyers printed with a nasty message directed at our players, Henderson said. How did Bazemore make a quarterback out of you? Belue was selected by the Montreal Expos in the sixth round of the 1982 MLB Draft, and some of his book discusses his path as a two-sport athlete. Kinnebrew signed with Georgia but transferred to Tennessee State. Like those Thomasville players [during 1973 and 1974 state championship seasons]. It was just playing for the Wildcats. 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. Belue said he and most of his Georgia teammates understood after hearing Dooleys explanation about his deep relationships at Auburn. But I never in any way committed to them.. Belue also details in the book how he. 1996 Currently, Belue co-hosts (with John Kincade) midday radio show Buck and Kincade on 680 The Fan in Atlanta, Georgia. Whichever you prefer, this town has won a lot of high school football games over the years.Valdosta High School has 24 state titles to it's cred. He played nine NFL seasons, made two Pro Bowls and finished with more than 18,000 all-purpose yards. . That was Lowndes first win ever against Valdosta, whose quarterback was Buck Belue, the future University of Georgia star. He played for what is regarded as the greatest Valdosta team ever, which went 13-0 in route to a Class 3A title. 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. The class also includes two players that went to Valdosta High School (Rome and Belue), Avondale (Dudish and Kell), Warner Robins (Brooks and Simmons), Washington County (Spikes and Edwards) and Parkview (Francoeur and Stinchcomb) while 26 other high schools had one player represented. He shared time with Jeff Pyburn a. VALDOSTA Buck Belue starred at quarterback for Valdosta High years before the teams current players were even born. He was totally unselfish, too. Im just humbled really by it all, just thankful that I was working alongside those coaches and teammates, without whom I wouldnt be able to enjoy something like this. The Georgia High School Association has levied a $7,500 fine against Valdosta High School, ordered the Wildcats to forfeit seven victories from the 2020 football season, banned the team from . I remember Buck had to go to the locker room and get another jersey. Closed on Weekends. Buck Belue is the only Quarterback to start all four years at Quarterback for Valdosta High. Im just so thankful my quarterback coach was Joe Wilson. VALDOSTA, Ga. (WCTV) - The Valdosta High School football team has been hit with sanctions from the Georgia High School Association following an investigation into the program. 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. Netflix on Friday is premiering 'Titletown High,' a documentary series chronicling Valdosta (Ga.) High School's 2020 football season and Rush Propst, its controversial coach. When I got to Georgia, I felt I was way ahead of the curve. 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). Valdosta is the principal city of the Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area, which in 2021 had a population of 149,590. All but Scott are former Valdosta players. 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. Lowndes won the game 15-14. He was drafted by the Chiefs of the NFL and the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. Lastingers vision was to bring the two fan bases together all week long for community-wide events. 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. That still sort of haunts me even today., 7. Baker said the cheerleaders from both teams would usually meet at one of the girls homes, and the groups would alternate each season. Tales like McGuyrts are part of a timeless record shared by Valdosta-area locals. Belue set the state record for career passing yards with 5,214, which he accumulated as a four-year starter at Valdosta. The Valdosta Wildcats are undoubtedly one of America's most successful high school football teams, with more than 900 victories, two dozen state titles and its star players seemingly on a. So, I felt like I needed to respect (Auburn) by taking a look at it. What are your thoughts on making the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame? The first part of the book is my journey through Valdosta and the secrets to all the winning. It came a year after the Vikings had won their first state championship in football, which gave the event a whole new perspective. We missed a chip-shot field goal that wouldve won the state championship for all of us. The History of the Winnersville Classic: Valdosta, Lowndes and a Community-Wide Celebration, 4 Questions With Northside Warner Robins Football Coach Chad Alligood, One-Point Wins Highlight Exciting Georgia Boys Basketball Playoffs, 4 Questions with McEachern Football Coach Kareem Reid, McCullough Triplets Ready for Next Chapter in Wrestling Careers, Baltimore Ravens WR Rashod Bateman Honored by Hometown Tifton, Trinity Catholic Celtics Find Success with Former Gators QB John Brantley, Showcase Football Events Attract High-Profile Programs, Rewind: Top 10 Florida High School Football Prospects Since 2000. Valdosta is a city in and the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States.As of 2019, Valdosta had an estimated population of 56,457. BY DAN MATHEWS. Search and browse yearbooks online! 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. So, we brought the mule out, with Freddie riding the thing, and that mule started out toward midfield just as we had practiced, but then the crowd roared, and it scared the poor mule so much that he just stopped in his tracks and Freddie went flying off over the front of it., That mule then took off, without Freddie to guide him, straight towards the Valdosta sideline, Prince said. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Walker led Georgia to a 1980 national title and finished his career with 5,259 rushing yards, the most ever in three seasons. That next morning, as Valdosta faculty, students, and parents begin arriving at the school, they saw the huge Viking ship floating in the pond in front of their school. He rushed for 1,332 yards as a senior, when Duluth missed the playoffs despite finishing 8-1-1, and ran for 2,300 yards and 28 touchdowns as a junior on a state runner-up team. Even though we had practiced riding the mule out there on the field several times, we had not done it with 12,000 screaming fans, Prince recalled with a laugh. April 13, 2021, 8:39 AM. He was a country boy and proud of it. Todd Holcomb has been a contributor to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1985. What did those coaches mean to you? I had wanted to meet him, said Turner, the only other quarterback to start as a freshman for Valdosta in the last 50 years. In September 2020, the show was recast as Buck and Hut, pairing Belue with fellow former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Hutson Mason after Kincade was laid off by the station. In baseball, he had a career .356 batting average and became a second-round pick in the 1978 MLB Draft. It was so much fun going being part of that atmosphere. [Belue said the second motivation for writing the book was bragging on teammates and players at Georgia and Valdosta that didnt get the credit they deserved. He was the best in the business. He hasnt given up his day job, which is to conduct a daily sports-talk show on Atlanta radio station The Fan. Thats the way it was at Valdosta. Bazemore watched you play in youth ball and suggested to the coaches that they move you to quarterback. The dream was to wear that Valdosta uniform and do like every other graduate that came through, and that was win a state championship, and we played Clarke Central in Athens and lost 16-14. They were very different. This University of Georgiarelated article is a stub. Low around 65F. Buck Belue net worth Feb, 2023 Buck Belue net worth 611 Thousand Millions of dollars 76% Net worth score Disclamer: Buck Belue net worth displayed here are calculated based on a combination social factors. He was the quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs in 1980, when the team went 120, and, after beating Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, was named the consensus national champion. 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 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. Old Friends . Way too much credit is given to Herschel (Walker) and Lindsay (Scott) and Buck. Sandra Belue's son and his roommate, Scott, had just carved out a piece of immortality. And a Plains teen girl borrowed Jimmy Carters clothes. Youd see him around town and stop and go wow. Youd be in awe. The coaches would each speak to the crowd during the banquet. Hundreds of people turned out at the The Salty Snapper, including former Valdosta High classmates and UGA teammates. They were up 40-0 with 30 seconds left and still giving the ball to William Andrews. What was the most memorable high school game that you played? He was the quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs in 1980, when the team went 12-0, and, after beating Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, was named the consensus national champion. His career total of 4,756 set a state record for the highest classification. Henderson said neighborhood residents called the police, who came over to the Valdosta fields where he and other fans were watching practice. He was just so far ahead of his time. Ive known Coach Tomberlin for a long time. Four other ex-Georgia players helped Belue at the camp. He won 12 of his 18 games against Valdosta. Most coaches are going to take their schemes to the grave, but he learned the new offense and made the change for the team. High School: Valdosta HS (Valdosta, GA) School: University of Georgia (Athens, GA) Full Name: Benjamin F. Belue View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. In basketball, Rome averaged 32 points per game as a high school senior and was MVP of the Georgia all-star basketball game. He was the 1974 AJC Class 3A Back of the Year and was a 1974 Coach & Athlete All-American. Rush Propst believes the Netflix series "Titletown High," which debuts Friday and chronicles the 2020 season of the Valdosta High School football team, will "clear some things up" about . John Lastinger remembers that game and the play. I was wise beyond my years because of them. I just take it as a huge honor.. I would soak up all this knowledge. Told of the passage about his Auburn flirtations, Dooley laughed and said he doesnt begrudge Belue for including it. Prince said thats when Joe Wilson decided he would accept an invitation to go over and meet with Martin. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution named Walker the No. He started in 78 out of 92 career games, made three Pro Bowls and was first-team All Pro once. 1 high school football player of all-time in a 2007 article. After the game, Joe Wilson told me, Baker, as John Bond was running down the sideline, I came real close to sticking my foot out and tripping him, but I changed my mind.. Register Batting The Valdosta High class of '78 alumni are listed below. It was pretty good, Johnson said. Belue played two seasons in the USFL with the Jacksonville Bulls and was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. He will be inducted with Belue in October. On the next play, Wilkes found Sherrod Inman in the back of the end zone to cut the lead to 17-14. I hope that will help them this season. He has ordered it, however. A defibrillator is a device used to treat a person who has suddenly gone into cardiac arrest, and possibly save their life. The head coaches would always come and speak to the small gathering. Chuck Knoll's Steelers were champions and as. 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. I have nothing but respect for the man, Belue said of Dooley. 3 Georgia high school football player of all time by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2007, and this is just his football career. Nunn Elementary ; Valdosta is the home of Valdosta State University, a regional university in the University System of Georgia with over 12,000 students, and Valdosta High School, home to the winningest football program in the United States. Under Review. He was redshirted during what would have been his regular sophomore season at Georgia after suffering a knee injury. These are former students from VHS in Valdosta, GA who graduated in 1978. Then, the second time was when they brought in Nick Hyder from Rome.. Then, Prince said, prior to the 1979 game, Lowndes was warming up in their traditional crimson jerseys. Join Facebook to connect with Guy Belue and others you may know. Georgia legend Buck Belue helped lead the Bulldogs to the 1980 national championship and has published a book called " 'Inside the Hedges: The Quarterback's Journey to the 1980 National Championship." He was going to youth league programs, scouting the local talent. We had a fellow by the name of Freddie Steedley who had a mule, and he agreed to put on the overalls and straw hat and ride the mule out to midfield before the game, Prince said. Stan Rome was awesome, too. Not to be outdone, Valdosta would come back with its own persona to counter the country boy image of Lowndes. Belue, who lives in Forsyth County, currently hosts the Buck Belue Show on 680 The Fan. You do well at Valdosta High, and you get a shot to play some college ball. 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. The Plowboys name would serve as a rally point of sorts for Lowndes, establishing and embracing their underdog status, especially against the football WIldcats. Scott. The dream was to wear that Valdosta uniform and do like every other graduate that came through, and that was win a state championship, and we played Clarke Central in Athens and lost 16-14. Andrews was named to four Pro Bowls and earned two second-team All-Pro selections. I really appreciate him letting me come out here and do this, because a lot of coaches wouldnt.. 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]. 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.. Following a Lowndes punt, Valdosta took possession around midfield. You do well at Valdosta High, and you get a shot to play some college ball. Mon - Fri: 7:30 - 4:30. 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. Guy Belue is on Facebook. The first part of the book is my journey through Valdosta and the secrets to all the winning. Belue is a radio talk show host in Atlanta (on 680 AM), but remains a big fan of Wildcat football. But the current Wildcats still know who he is. Benjamin Franklin 'Buck' Belue played American football and baseball at the University of Georgia from 1978 to 1981. He also ran for 75 yards in 10 attempts. 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]. Lowndes led 3-0 after the third quarter, and although Valdosta would score twice in the fourth quarter to win 14-3, it was obvious that things were indeed about to change. GHSF Daily recently named him the best player in Thomasville High history, and the AJC in 2007 ranked him the No. Heset a Bengals record in 1984 with four rushing touchdowns in a game against the Houston Oilers. Published: Apr 25, 2022, 10:44 AM. 25 Georgia high school player of all-time. INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PROGRAMME . I was always a fan of the top players and programs and curious about the way they did it, what scheme they were running. Buck was a great quarterback for maybe the toughest high school program to play forthe Valdosta Wildcats. Benjamin Franklin "Buck" Belue played American football and baseball at the University of Georgia from 1978 to 1981. I really enjoyed working with Mike and Alfrie, and getting to know them, Belue said. 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. He often mentions the Wildcats on his show, and usually calls the station Friday night to give them Valdostas score. He's the host of the Buck Belue Show on Atlanta sports radio's 680 The Fan every weekend from 10:00 a.m. Wildcat quarterback Shelby Wilkes leads the Cats on a three-play drive, highlighted by a 47-yard screen pass to Charlie Albritton that took the ball to the Vikings 6-yard line. Chip Towers covers the Georgia Bulldogs for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 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