Junior Year Box Set

Our first stop at the University of Georgia was the Butts-Mehre building, which housed the practice facilities and coaches’ offices. We were taken to the top of a staircase. The area below the landing was open, and they projected a video of Georgia football highlights on the wall. Alan pointed to the metal staircase leading down and how they had little letter G’s cut out. As we toured the building, you would look up and see the lighting was behind a giant black G with red and silver trim.

The lower level housed the players’ headquarters. That was where the locker room, training room, weight room, meeting rooms, and players’ lounge were located. The locker room opened out onto the practice field complex with four full-size football fields.

The second floor was where the coaches had their offices and meeting rooms. There was a trophy case there as well. The third and fourth floors housed the athletic department’s offices.

Alan fell in love with their video room. Our tour guide explained how they would have the whole game uploaded within fifteen minutes of the final gun. We had to drag Alan out and check his pockets. We were taken to a casual conference room with couches that overlooked the indoor practice facility. We met Darrel Rodgers, the Director of On-Campus Recruiting.

“Welcome to the University of Georgia. My staff and I’ve had extensive discussions with your coaching staff. Coach Hope has some great things to say about each of you academically, athletically, and character-wise. Based on those conversations, we have customized your visit to meet your specific needs. So, at this time, we’re going to split you up.”

Alan and Brandon accompanied me as I was led to the meet the offensive coaches. I ended up in a meeting room with Carl Freeman, Offensive Coordinator and Quarterback Coach. What we learned was there were 38 alumni in the NFL. Two were quarterbacks: Matthew Stafford and Aaron Murray. They had said that my visit would be customized for me. Everything Coach Freeman talked about was how they could best prepare me for the NFL.

We were then whisked away to see a video of football highlights. The recruits who were on official visits were shown to the locker room, where they were presented with football jerseys. Then in rapid succession, we saw dorm rooms, met academic advisers, listened to a panel of football players tell us about Georgia, and finally, at three, we were set free for a couple of hours.

We were directed to the Hilton Garden Inn, located in the North Campus. We checked in and asked where we might get some filling food since the doughnuts were long gone. They sent us to the Mellow Mushroom. It was a pizza and hoagie shop. We ordered a couple of large pizzas and ate giant pretzels while we waited.

“So, what do you think?” I asked.

“I like it. It compares favorably with Michigan and Michigan State,” Jim said.

The other guys agreed, but we wanted to see more of the campus. They had kept us in the football facilities all day. While that was important, there was more to college than football. After we scarfed down a couple of slices of pizza, we walked the North Campus. We quickly figured out that we were not at Michigan or Michigan State. If you liked girls with long hair that was mostly dirty blond and were cute, then Georgia was for you.

We almost missed the 6:15 pickup for our trip to Sanford Stadium. They fed us dinner in the President’s Suite, and then it was time for the game.

This was a big game for both teams. It would go a long way in determining the eventual SEC Champion, and it had National Championship implications. Number 8 Georgia was favored at home over number 13 Alabama. Being in the stands, you could feel the rivalry. It was clear that the Georgia fans anticipated they would win decisively over their hated rival. I admit to getting caught up in all the rabid fever the Georgia followers had at the game. Ninety-two thousand fans can generate a lot of noise. I think anyone would be intimidated to walk in and play them at home.

To their credit, the Alabama Crimson Tide wasn’t fazed. The first quarter was a feeling-out period and ended with a 3–0 lead by the visitors. Three minutes into the second quarter, Georgia tied the game. Georgia had lost the last two meetings and wanted to get one in the win column. The last game they’d played was for the SEC Championship three years ago. The series was among the oldest in football, starting in 1895. Generations of fans on each side had grown up hating the other.