At Terrell County High School in the late-80s, 225-pound Frank Harvey remarkably ran a 10.7 in the 100 meters, long-jumped 21 feet, and was one of the most highly-regarded running backs in the entire nation. Yet, when he arrived at Georgia in 1990, the Bulldogs backfield already showcased Larry Ware and Mack Strong, while Garrison Hearst was part of Harvey’s incoming class. In 1992, eventual Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Davis was added to the mix, resulting in Harvey perhaps being underutilized for his entire four-season career.
Still, from 1990 through 1993, Harvey rushed for nearly 600 yards, gained almost five yards a carry, caught 17 passes, and scored nine touchdowns. His collegiate career was highlighted by a 113-yard rushing performance against Florida in 1992, which included an 80-yard touchdown run—the only 100-yard rushing outing by a Bulldog against the Gators in a seven-game span (1990-1996).
More so, Harvey might be the perfect example of a blue-chip recruit who worked hard and did everything asked of him, yet because of circumstances essentially beyond his control, his football career had a less than favorable outcome—nonetheless, he is fully satisfied with such results. I recently caught up with Frank from his home in Albany, Ga.:
PG: Frank, besides Georgia, what other schools did you consider attending? And, in the end, why did you decide to be a Bulldog?
FH: I also truly considered Auburn, Florida State, and South Carolina. In the end, it came down to Georgia and South Carolina. I had met some guys at some all-star events, became good friends with them, and most of them were going to Georgia. So, Georgia won out simply because of those friendships I had made.
PG: You carried the ball in the season opener of your true freshman year (LSU in 1990—first clip in video below), but you were immediately taken out. By the end of the season, you had carried only 15 times. There was the notion that you probably should have been redshirted. At the time, did you think you should’ve been?
FH: I don’t think I really thought about it. I mean, Garrison [Hearst] obviously had the ability, and he’d prove that for years at Georgia and then in the NFL. But, I don’t think the reason I didn’t get many snaps was because of my lack of ability. Coach Goff (head coach Ray Goff) and the other coaches used who they thought gave them the best chance to win games. I did whatever I was asked to do, and I did it to the best of my ability. So, I never have had any complaints about that year.
PG: In 1991, Georgia and new offensive coordinator Wayne McDuffie changed the offensive scheme from the standard I-formation to a pro-set attack, giving the Bulldogs a scatback and “running back” (essentially a fullback) instead of a fullback and tailback, like before. Did this change affect you at all?
FH: Well, I was moved from tailback to that running back/fullback position. I really didn’t want to move, so I had some anguish about it, and thought I’d contribute better to the team from the tailback position. But, honestly, I was a team player, and I just did whatever the team needed me to do. I knew [the running back position] wasn’t going to get a lot of carries, and [Mack] Strong had already established himself as a fullback—and he’d be on the field more than me. But, I took that with a grain of salt, and just did the best I could as a fullback.
PG: Did you ever become disgruntled concerning your playing time while at Georgia?
FH: You know, I had some friends telling me back then that I was this, or I was that—that I deserved more playing time. And, I’ll admit, I did quit the team (during his freshman year)—but not many people knew about it. When I decided to quit, I made it home but, on the very same day, my mom made me go back to UGA. My mom instilled in me that you finish what you start. I originally wanted to go to Georgia—that’s what I chose—so I was staying, and I decided to always accept my role [on the team]. And, I’m sure glad I did.
PG: Was your 80-yard touchdown run against Florida in 1992 your biggest on-field moment as a Bulldog?
FH: Some might assume it would be, but it actually came during a home game in Athens against Ole Miss earlier that same year. I had a tough run for a touchdown from about 15 yards out late in the third quarter. That touchdown came in a victory, and I was really proud of it. I would probably feel different about the 80-yard run in Jacksonville if we had won the game (Florida won, 26-24). That play didn’t do much for me after we lost the game.
PG: Still, although your 80-yard run came in a loss, it truly was a sight, seeing this bullish, 230-pound fullback on Georgia’s first offensive play, pulling away from athletic, speedy Florida defenders into the end zone. Did you ever imagine you could have a run like that?
FH: Honestly, when I came to Georgia, I thought I’d do that several times—but it happened just that once (chuckling). I guess it shows you need to take advantage of the opportunities you get. But, I think what that run might have done was show that I was an all-around good back. And, I remember the coaches would tell me that too. Although I wasn’t getting a ton of carries, I was a young impressionable kid, and the coaches would say to me that they needed me to do other things (blocking, catch the ball out of the backfield, etc.) because we really didn’t have another back that could be that all-around. So, the fact I wasn’t getting a lot of carries was an easy pill for me to swallow.
PG: You began your senior season of 1993 as a starter, but then because of circumstances beyond your control, you weren’t the starter. However, in your final game, you rushed for 44 yards, including a hard-fought 14-yard touchdown, on six carries in a win over Georgia Tech.
FH: Yeah, I started that season as the starting running back. But then, we started to throw the ball even more, so the offense eventually evolved into a one-back set with Terrell Davis at scatback (the offense began primarily featuring a third receiver, instead of its customary running back position). That season was a little bit of a disappointment, so that touchdown run in the win over Georgia Tech meant a lot. In fact, that score was my final play—the last ball I ran at Georgia was for a touchdown.
PG: Pro scouts must have thought you were a good all-around back, as well, because you were one of only three Bulldogs selected in the 1994 NFL Draft. Tell me about your NFL experience.
FH: Yes, I got drafted by the Arizona Cardinals and was on their practice squad when the Cleveland Browns signed me, and I actually was on their team for the last part of the ’94 season. [In 1996] I tried out for the Philadelphia Eagles, was signed, but then later waived. It was an experience I’ll never forget, but it wasn’t what I would have planned for my pro career. That was when hardly any pro teams used a true fullback—few still hardly do. And, I was too big to be a running back, but not big enough to play tight end. But, I’m proud to say, I was drafted into the NFL, went to a training camp, and eventually made a team.
PG: What have you done professionally since the NFL?
FH: I came back home (Terrell County) and worked for the Boys and Girls Club for a while, then worked a little in juvenile probation. Now, I’m a Plant Technician at the Proctor and Gamble manufacturing plant in Albany, Ga. I’ll have been at Proctor and Gamble for 19 years in December. Also, for the last few years, I’ve coached running backs at the Deerfield-Windsor School in Albany (GISA Class 3A).
PG: Coaching, how did you get into that?
FH: I was what is called a community coach, who provided training for some of the local athletes down here. I guess word got to Deerfield-Windsor head coach Allen Lowe about me, and he offered me a job. But, to coach, I needed to first complete my college degree, so I went back to school and got my degree, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Sociology. In fact, Ray Goff came to my graduation!
PG: Please tell me about your family.
FH: I’ve been married to my wife, Stacy, for 23 years. We’ve been together since we started dating when I was a freshman in college. She teaches at a local college. We have three kids: two daughters, Tia and Anitra, and a son, Garrin.
PG: Do you associate yourself with the UGA football program at all?
FH: Definitely, I consider myself a participating letterman. I travel back to Athens a good bit. I attend the lettermen’s BBQ and the lettermen’s flag football game. I used to be in the lettermen’s golf tournaments too, but I’ve since had a couple of surgeries which have really not allowed me to golf. Last football season, I attended every Georgia game except the Rose Bowl.
PG: Wow, so, I bet you’ve run into some Bulldog fans who remember you from when you played (Frank agreed). I’m curious, have you ever had a Georgia fan comment on what could have been regarding your Bulldog career?
FH: Actually, I have, including one fairly recently who said I got “the bad end of the stick” when I was at Georgia. And, I appreciate the fans who may question the way I was used, but I’d want them to understand that Georgia was a great experience for me—very positive—and I wouldn’t change anything.
