You also talk about the other coaches at Valdosta, especially offensive coordinator 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]. 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. Joe Wilson had accomplished two of his three goals. I wanted the freedom to do what I wanted to do, you know? This University of Georgiarelated article is a stub. Belue is widely considered one of the best quarterbacks in Valdosta 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. 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. I had other friends there, too, just like they did that day in that room. Simmons was considered undersized for the NFL and went in the sixth round. In 1977, Wilsons second season, he made good on his assurance to Martin that he was finally going to beat Valdosta, and on his boast to Hyder that he was going to whip your [butt], by leading the Vikings to an incredible 7-2 win over the Wildcats in front of a frenzied Lowndes home crowd. Buck goes shopping with his daughter at the Braves Store in SunTrust Park.It is obvious they are not on the same page when it comes to jersey shopping.. Today's interviewee is Buck Belue, sports talk show host for 680 The Fan, quarterback for Georgia's 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 Georgia's 1980 season and his athletic career. How did Bazemore make a quarterback out of you? And I have so many great memories of him taking time to help coach me up. Also, I was motivated by writing about the 1980 season and about the guys that never got the credit. So, I felt like I needed to respect (Auburn) by taking a look at it. The Cats still maintain that designation. In the 1977 game, there were no fights, but there was a bounty placed on Buck Belue not to hurt the Valdosta QB great, but to take a piece of his number 8 jersey off his back and to the Lowndes sideline. 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. In 1977, Valdosta Daily Times sports editor Mike Chason, a native of south Georgia and recent graduate of Valdosta State University, wrote a story for the paper comparing the pro sports teams of Atlanta to the sports scene in Valdosta. One of the motivations for doing the book was to talk about Valdosta High School and the football program through the years, and Ive had so many people, whether theyre Bulldog fans or not, ask questions about how Valdosta won all those games. 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. Coach Wilson would be saying we can throw to this running back because weve got this linebacker on him. 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. You mentioned that you saw many of the players that were on the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame ballot or were voted in. High 84F. 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 talented running back rushed 21 times for 414 yards and 6 TDs, leading Lowndes to a 71-35 victory. Joe told Martin, Ill give you three reasons: One, Ill give you a winning season, which youve never had. Im just so thankful my quarterback coach was Joe Wilson. Books can be ordered at InsideTheHedges.com or in person at one of Belues appearances. Prince said thats when Joe Wilson decided he would accept an invitation to go over and meet with Martin. The first part of the book is my journey through Valdosta and the secrets to all the winning. He spent much of the camp working with Valdostas current quarterbacks, Mike Turner and Alfrie Johnson. We just rolled with it and said the timing is the timing. Sales have picked up over the summer as Belue often with family in tow has embarked on a book-signing tour around Georgia and in Bulldogs strongholds outside the state. For twenty years, he co-hosted Buck and Kincade mostly during mid-days with John Kincade. Ive known Coach Tomberlin for a long time. Valdosta missed a two-point try in the third quarter and a 31-yard field goal with 1:23 left. Hyder became head coach your freshman year. VHS is one of only 39 schools in Georgia . They worked on it all week. 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. How would you contrast and compare those iconic coaches? On their annual Fourth of July vacation to Florida last week, the Belues made stops at the Marshside Grill in Brunswick and the Coachs Corner in Savannah to peddle books. I talked with Coach [Jim] Hughes about that later. He and his wife had an apartment next to the school, and I would go over to watch film with him. Holcomb oversees the Wildcat Football Museum and sits on the Board of Directors for the Valdosta Touchdown Club. I hope that will help them this season. ITG Next is your go-to source for high school sports media coverage in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and across the country. He was totally unselfish, too. Buck Belue is the only Quarterback to start all four years at Quarterback for Valdosta High. Heads up to Atlanta area high school quarterbacks and receivers: I'll be hosting my annual QB Passing Camp this July, again. I admired these athletes. Belue set the state record for career passing yards with 5,214, which he accumulated as a four-year starter at Valdosta. Todd Holcomb has been a contributor to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1985. Lastingers vision was to bring the two fan bases together all week long for community-wide events. ], 4. 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 . I knew coverage, I knew techniques, things that it seemed like these other quarterbacks didnt understand at the time. I was wise beyond my years because of them. They were very different. 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. I really appreciate him letting me come out here and do this, because a lot of coaches wouldnt.. I showed them some drills that helped me, and I hope theyll help them as well. 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.[10]. Stan Rome was awesome, too. Don Shula's Miami Dolphins went undefeated and won the Super Bowl. A defibrillator is a device used to treat a person who has suddenly gone into cardiac arrest, and possibly save their life. He was the 1977 AJC Class 3A back of the year. He won 12 of his 18 games against Valdosta. Closed on Weekends. [Rome, a 6-foot-4 tight end, set a national record for receiving yards in a season. 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. 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.. Benjamin Franklin "Buck" Belue played American football and baseball at the University of Georgia from 1978 to 1981. Between plays, we would stand there and listen to Coach Rudolph break down the responsibilities of each defensive player for the play we just ran. 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. 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 players gathered together on the steps of the old McWhorter Hall athletic dormitory and seethed. He was a member of the Redskins Super Bowl champion in 1988. What is your favorite part of The Valdosta Daily Times? There was some of that thought process going on. In practice, it was always the 1s against the 1s. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. With Coach Bazemore, I just looked at him as an innovator offensively. In three high school seasons, Andrews rushed for 4,252 yards, averaging 7.2 yards per carry, and scored 58 touchdowns. Its been written and put away for five years, then re-written and put away for 10 years and then re-written again. 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. He was unbelievable.. 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. 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. I host The Buck Belue Show on 680 The Fan Atlanta, weekdays 10-11. Rome said in high school, he did. 1 recruit in the country. GO CATS! But it was more than that. Chip Towers covers the Georgia Bulldogs for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In 2007, the AJC ranked Kinnebrew as the No. Everybody was running the Wing-T, and he ran the pro set, throwing the ball. This is the story of the Winnersville Classic, the annual showdown between Valdosta High School and Lowndes High School. 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. How could he do this? Mason Elementary School ; W.G. Belue also details in the book how he. In some cases, the insults would turn from verbal to something more physical. ], 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]. Search and browse yearbooks online! Kinnebrew was named the AJCs Class A Lineman of the Year and was a Parade All-American. That term remained dormant until 1981, when Johnny B. Lastinger, a Valdosta High graduate and the executive vice-president of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce, decided to take advantage of the Winnersville designation. I admired these athletes. [5] Belue also played during the 1984 and 1985 seasons at quarterback for the Jacksonville Bulls of the USFL. 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. UGA star Jalen Carter present at scene of fatal crash, From 2021: Buck Belue, QB of 1980 Georgia national champions, to call the Dawgs before kickoff, Georgia Tech hammers Syracuse as Jackets late-season surge continues, Braves notes: Jared Shusters first spring game, Michael Sorokas progress, Ian Anderson on spring debut: Im not gonna sugarcoat it. Joe wanted us to embrace the country boy label, Prince said. 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. The Valdosta fans had bumper stickers that read, City Slickers and, Mama, dont let your babies grow up to be plowboys, Prince said. Buck Belue Georgia QB. They already had been to Jacksonville, Fla., Macon and Columbus. What was the most memorable high school game that you played? Im just so thankful my quarterback coach was Joe Wilson. 1 high school football player of all-time in a 2007 article. Plus, Buck's Beat Podcast. 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. I remember in the 1981 game, quarterback John Bond took off down the Lowndes sideline and ran for an 80-yard touchdown, Baker said. The book has not been life-altering for Belue. . He set Georgias career rushing record of 6,137 yards. Its great that the Lord Wedgwood Charity offered to give one to a school in my name. Andrews was named to four Pro Bowls and earned two second-team All-Pro selections. We got the ball with about three or four minutes left inside our own 10 and drove down to the 1-yard line with like two seconds left. It was not very good, Georgias home finale ends with a thud vs. Florida, Atlanta Uniteds Franco Ibarra settling into his natural role, GHSA basketball state tournament: Quarterfinals updates from Tuesday, Class 5A girls basketball: Kell 68, Bradwell Institute 54, Timber frame office building at Ponce City Market Atlanta starts to rise, Supreme Court hearing on student loan forgiveness: What it means for Georgians. You need to watch him tonight, and he put on one of the most memorable performances I can remember seeing. There was a golf tournament involving fans and coaches from both teams. At Valdosta, you were heavily influenced by the legendary head coaches Wright Bazemore (1941-42, 1946-71) and Nick Hyder (1973-95). ], 4. Register Batting Jan 26. 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. It includes Brooks County to the west.. Valdosta is the home of Valdosta State University, a regional university in the University . In the spring of 1978, he won the Class A 100-yard dash in 10.02 seconds. What the Georgia receiver did after the catch, easily winning a 75 . Created by Ellen Kennerly Made with Squarespace, 2022 Georgia High School Football Daily. He was redshirted during what would have been his regular sophomore season at Georgia after suffering a knee injury. Sandra Belue's son and his roommate, Scott, had just carved out a piece of immortality. During the banquet, Valdosta police would bring in a black wreath that said, Death to the Wildcats from the Lowndes High Vikings, McGuyrt recalled. [3], Belue also lettered in baseball all four years at Georgia. Occasionally, however, things got a little out of control. "So most days, at the end of the day, I would just jot down some notes from the day. Belue is a radio talk show host in Atlanta (on 680 AM), but remains a big fan of Wildcat football. Find out more. He played four seasons in the CFL and USFL, then became a professional wrestler and the WCW heavyweight champion in 1992. that led to a victory over the University of Florida, which was at one time tied with two other passing plays as the longest passing touchdown in Georgia history. The most improbable win for either team was this one, with Valdosta overcoming a 17-7 deficit in just 1:14 to win the Winnersville Classic over Lowndes. Valdosta City Schools ; J. L. Lomax Elementary School ; Pinevale Elementary School ; Sallas Mahone Elementary ; S.L. 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. Old Friends . You need to watch him tonight, and he put on one of the most memorable performances I can remember seeing. Scott. 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. Host of Buck's Beat podcast. 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. Then in July 2021, Hutson Mason became one of five co-hosts of The Locker Room, leaving Belue with his own show called The Buck Belue Show on WCNN. In baseball, he had a career .356 batting average and became a second-round pick in the 1978 MLB Draft. It turned out it was a bad snap from the center and threw off the timing. He was the quarterback, and he went to Ole Miss. Last season, he was backup to another Valdosta alumnus, All-Southeastern. Toggle navigation "I had no idea that Georgia would win the national title. And when he showed up Friday to host a camp, they came to the field excited to learn from him. Oh yeah, they had a bounty out for Bucks jersey, Baker said. "We just love it. 2022 cohort graduation rate for Valdosta High School . Benjamin Franklin "Buck" Belue played American football and baseball at the University of Georgia from 1978 to 1981. 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. He was the quarterback, and he went to Ole Miss. As a highly recruited back, Rogers went to South Carolina, where rushed for 5,091 yards, including 1,781 as a 1980 senior. 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