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The Red and Black/Between the Hedges • Friday, September 29, 1989 • 3
Greg Talley: Leading Georgia’s new passing attack
The ball is snapped.
The quarterback rolls to his
right, eludes a would-be tackier
and squirms between two de
fenders for a touchdown. Not too
pretty, but it gets the job done.
The first play of the same game,
the quarterback completed a pass
to the tight end for a 17-yard gain.
This type of well-executed, solid
play has earned Greg Talley the
starting job at quarterback for
Georgia this season.
“Greg’s asset is his under
standing of the game in game-time
situations,” said Offensive Coordi
nator George Haffner. “He knows
what needs to be executed in a
game. I think that reflects his team
personality,” he said.
Speaking of execution, with
Talley at the helm this year,
Georgia has committed only one
turnover in two games, an out
standing accomplishment consid
ering the squad’s youth. At this
time last season, Georgia had al
ready committed three turnovers
with much more depth. This re
flects Talley’s coveted fundamen
tally sound play.
Talley, one of several solid quar
terbacks from Valdosta High
School, including former Bulldogs
Buck Belue and John Lastinger,
doesn’t like to dwell on his indi
vidual performance as much as the
teurn’s performance.
“It’s really hard for me to cri
tique myself," he said. “I’m not
going to try to do everything out
there. All I try to do is take advan
tage of what I am given in a game.
Nothing will really stand out un
less we reach the ultimate goal —
the SEC championship."
With the advent of a pass-
oriented attack, the Georgia
coaching stafT says Talley is the
perfect man for the job.
Talley’s ability to direct the of
fense without making costly mis
takes and turnovers suits GofTs
offense admirably. Talley has yet
to make a turnover this season.
“Over the last year, his strength
has improved tremendously,”
Haffner said. “He had the chance
to run an option in one of the
games on third down and picked up
a first down for us. He has a make ;
up similiar to John Lastinger. He
can complete passes that he should
complete in a game situation. The
guy is a real team player.”
John Lastinger quarterbacked
the Bulldogs from 1981-1983 and
helped take the team to two Sugar
Bowls and a Cotton Bowl. The
Dogs were 20-2-1 with him taking
the snaps.
Talley is excited about the “Air
GofT passing attack but realizes
the need to be patient.
“When you are a quarterback
and the coach says the team is
going to open it up, you can’t help
but get excited," he said. “But I do
know that we will have to take one
game at a time with this. The only
team that exists to us is South Car
olina. If we look at it like that, then
I think we can only get better."
Since Head Coach Ray GofT, a
former Georgia quarterback, has
‘It’s really hard for me
to critique myself. I'm
not going to try do
everything out there.
All I try to do is take
advantage of what I am
given in a game.
Nothing will really
stand out unless we
reach the ultimate goal
- the SEC
championship.’
— Greg Talley.
Georgia quarterback
taken over for Vince Dooley there
has been a shocking change in
Georgia's offensive statistics.
In two games this year, Georgia
has thrown for 274 yards and
rushed for only 253. Talley has
completed 19 of 35 passes for 249
yards. Preston Jones accounts for
the 25 remaining yards. The Dogs
are seventh in the SEC in passing
and eighth in rushing. Last year,
Georgia finished 10th in passing
and first in rushing.
“It’s been really great opening
up the offense this season.” Talley
said. “When I was younger, I was a
big Steve Bartkowski and Roger
Staubnch fan. Those guys had
great arms. I just think this offense
will be great."
Taliey has been a consistent
force so far and the recent balance
of the offense looks like it will be
here for a while.
“We see no reason to change
what we are doing offensively or
defensively right now," GofT said.
“We have a great challenge ahead
of us."
Larry Munson, the familiar
voice of Georgia Bulldogs since the
beginning of time, is likewise im
pressed with Talley’s stamina this
season.
“He’s played way above my ex
pectations,” Munson said “He’s so
poised and smooth out there and
you know the presence of the thin
offensive line is in the back of his
head. Everybody knows Georgia is
throwing more and the way I see it,
he’s the only guy who fits the job."
Talley: Fits mold of winner
Bulldog starter QB initiates ‘Air Goff balanced game,
leads mistake-free offense into game against Gamecocks
By ERIC GARBER
Staff Writer
It’s second down and goal from
the four-yard line. The noisy crowd
anticipates a Tony Rice pass to the
back of the end zone or a John
Elway bullet to a diving receiver.
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