Leesburg Yellow Jackets Football News: Dominating on the D... September 24, 1979

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Dominating on the D... September 24, 1979

Without the ball Gators were tough in 7-7 tie

By Kevin Hawkins

of the Leesburg Commercial

September 24, 1979

GAINESVILLE - Florida Coach Charley Pell and his fightin' Gator understudies are still in quest of their first win after a lackluster offensive performance Saturday night at Florida Field left the Gators in a mere 7-7 tie with Georgia Tech.

In fact, had it not been for a perfectly timed interception of Tech quarterback Mike Kelly by Gator left end Tim Golden midway through the first period, Florida would have wound up the game with a zero on its side of the scoreboard.

But likewise, if Yellow Jacket linebacker Lance Skelton hadn't blocked a Florida punt deep in Gator territory 1 1/2 minutes into the third quarter, Tech would have had nothing to account for, which could likely have left the ballgame in a 0-0 tie.

Neither team showed more than a faint sign as to what an offense can do. Total offensive yardage combined accumulated to a paltry 389 yards, Florida taking credit for 214 of those.

A third of the 214 came in the last 10 minutes of play, after the insertion of freshman quarterback Tyrone Young, Many local prep players remember the 6-4, 191-pound star from his passing and running days at nearby Ocala Forest.

After starter Tim Groves was pulled midway through the third quarter in favor of John Brantley, who in turned pulled a hamstring, Young got his chance, moving the Gators 25 yards upfield before being forced to punt.

After Tech was again unable to do anything in four downs, Florida received one final chance, starting the drive at the Yellow Jacket 48-yard line. Young led the Gators to the Tech 23. There the Gators face a fourth and five with 13 seconds showing on the clock.

Enter kicker Brian Clark, faced with a 39-yard field goal, and plenty of time to think about it as Tech added a psychological timeout to Florida's planned one.

Seconds later, exit Clark, after just having what would have been the winning boot blocked in his face, thus leaving the match dead locked.

"I was disappointed we didn't come out on top," said Pell after the home-opening loss. "Anytime we don't win, I consider it a setback, I don't consider it a major setback, though by any means. It was a tie ballgame. Georgia Tech tied us."

As Pell reflected back on the game, he just couldn't seem to "think of anything good, except the defense," which allowed Tech a total of only 175 yards. last week, Alabama allowed nearly that much, 160 yards, to Georgia Tech through the air alone.

"I thought the defense was superb. I thought they rose to the occasion time and time again," said Pell. "Give credit to lineman (Dock) Lychio, (Robin) Fischer and (David) Little for coming up with big play after big play."

Adding to the superb defensive effort was former Leesburg Yellow Jacket Bubba Pratt, who after just coming off elbow surgery, saw his share of action during the course of the game.

"Really not much you could say about it (the game)," says Pratt. "All the way around, we (defense) put out a super effort."

Young described his first encounter as a Gator quarterback in terms of "a highly emotional game."

Now that he has been out on the field, guiding the Gators up and down the field, most people believe that he has "done it", played in his first game. According to Tyrone, wrong.

"I really don't consider it being done," said the solemn, unshaken youngster. "Our team has to improve, and we're going to improve, I have to improve, I feel there are fields to still explore. The thing that is on top of my mind is winning and if we didn't win, I'm not proud of my performance."

Bubba thought differently about the soft spoken, talented Young.

"I thought he did a super job," said Pratt. "I thought he came in, kept his composure and did a great job. He handled himself very well, gave us a little class. He going to be really good."

Pell agrees but he also believes that the Gators are going to have to work extra hard this week, to be ready for Mississippi State Saturday.

"We're going to take the things we did well, and build on them and take the things we did badly and work like the dickens on them," says Pell.

Thats a start anyway.

Resources

Kevin Hawkins

of the Leesburg Commercial

www.dailycommercial.com

September 24, 1979

Listen live on my790am or www.my790am.com Saturday February 25, 2012.

Former Leesburg High School and Florida Gators Football standout Bubba Pratt will make his first appearance on The Lake County Sports Show February 25, 2012.