Dave McMahon and Patrick Garbin

Welcome to our countdown! Just over two weeks ago, this countdown began and we hope you are enjoying it. In 84 days, Georgia will be facing North Carolina at the Georgia Dome. Each day leading up to the season opener, Patrick Garbin and I will show three unique and creative ways why that number is special to the Dawgs. Notably, Rolling Stone magazine released its “100 Best Singles of 1984: Pop’s Greatest Year,” and No. 84 in ’84 was R.E.M.’s “So. Central Rain.” It's a great song, which made me think back to when the Athens group performed that song on Late Night with David Letterman. At the time, the song didn’t have a title. Still, what I liked was when Dave asked members of the band who else was from Athens, and either Mike Mills or Bill Berry shouted, “Herschel Walker!” My guess is that more so than Michael, Peter, Mike, or Bill, we will have a lot more stats to come on Herschel as we take you for a walk down memory lane. And, speaking of memories, if you have any related to "84," please post them at The Dawgvent.

By Dave McMahon

3 – Every Dawg fan (and Gator fan) remembers the first touchdown Georgia scored in the 2007 Cocktail Party when Knowshon Moreno leaped from one-yard out, and then the majority of the Bulldogs rushed the field and danced in the end zone (some dancing better than others). Anyway, often forgotten is that Florida promptly tied the game at 7-7. Therefore, perhaps as important was Georgia’s second touchdown occurring when Matthew Stafford threw a pass in which Mohamed Massaquoi out-stretched his hands and grabbed the ball for a reception, racing for a score. The play went for 84 yards, and would be the longest completion of Stafford’s Bulldog career, and the longest reception for Mo-Mass, as well. The '07 Georgia-Florida game would go back-and-forth that day, but the Dawgs ended up winning, 42-30.

2 – Speaking of Matthew Stafford, do you remember who caught his first career touchdown pass? None other than tight end Coleman Watson. Watson wore No. 84 and, although far from a starter, found himself in the right spot for a 13-yard touchdown reception with one minute left in the opening game of 2006 against Western Kentucky. Stafford ended up with 564 completions, including 51 touchdown passes. That would be Watson’s only career reception, in which he'll always be remembered for. So, make sure to remember who catches Jacob Eason’s first touchdown… I may be asking that a few years from now.

1 – Here is another Georgia football trivia question that you might not know the answer to: How many yards did Herschel Walker rush for in his first collegiate game? You may be familiar with his memorable 16-yard touchdown in which he ran over Bill Bates but, in the end, Herschel finished the 1980 Tennessee game with just 84 yards. His 84 yards, including his game-long 16-yarder, came on 24 attempts (that's only 3.5 yards per carry), and would be the first of just five career games Herschel did not reach the 100-yard rushing mark officially (he failed to do so in one of three bowl appearances, as well). As a sophomore against the Vols a year later, he rushed for 161 yards. And, see, I told you in the first paragraph I would mention "Herschel Walker"...

84 – by Patrick Garbin

3 – 84 was the number of points scored in the final seasons of two of the greatest halfbacks in UGA football history: BOB McWHORTER and CHARLEY TRIPPI. Playing in only eight games in 1913, McWhorter totaled 14 touchdowns, 11 of which were scored in season-opening wins over Alabama Presbyterian, Dahlonega, and Alabama, resulting in 84 points. Notably, he also passed for three touchdowns in 1913, and became the University’s first All-American that season. Playing in 10 games in 1946, Trippi also totaled 84 points resulting from 14 touchdowns: nine touchdowns rushing, four receiving, and one score via an interception return. Worthy of mention, he also passed for five touchdowns in 1946, and capped that season by becoming the fourth Bulldog in history to earn consensus All-American honors.

2 – 84 was the number of pass attempts both MANNINGS of OLE MISS—Archie Manning (1968-1970) and youngest son, Eli (2000-2002)—totaled in their three career games versus Georgia. Against the Bulldogs, Archie completed 42 of his 84 passes for 589 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. Beginning 30 years later, Eli completed 52 of 84 passes for 497 yards, 2 touchdowns and 4 interceptions during his first three collegiate seasons (Ole Miss did not play Georgia in Eli’s senior season of 2003). The Manning pair’s passer ratings versus the Dogs were rather comparable with Archie having a slight advantage in efficiency with a 115.8 rating to Eli’s 109.9. The oldest Manning also ran a little bit better than his youngest when facing the Georgia defense, rushing for 62 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries. On the contrary, Eli apparently couldn’t run at all, rushing for a net of minus-52 yards on eight carries (or, rather, eight times being sacked/forced to run). Finally, and the most important statistic of them all, Archie quarterbacked Rebels teams which won two of three games versus the Bulldogs, whereas Eli was a lowly 0 for 3, losing each game by an average margin of more than 17 points.

1 –Speaking of Archie Manning, 84 is for the late DAVID McKNIGHT who, from his defensive end position as a senior in 1969, intercepted Manning and returned the errant pass 34 yards for a touchdown. Beforehand, number 84 had been the team’s lone sophomore (while freshmen were ineligible to play) to start a game in the Bulldogs' secondary in 1966. Moving up to the line after a medical redshirt season, McKnight started at defensive end in 1968 and 1969, leading Georgia in interceptions as a senior with four. Weighing only around 175-180 pounds, he remains the lightest front-seven starter in UGA football history since the team fully adopted two-platoon football more than a half-century ago. Above all, McKnight was an absolute team leader with an unrivaled “come-back” attitude. Fittingly, he would eventually get into coaching, heading up Glynn Academy in Brunswick from 1979 through 1985, and guiding the Red Terrors to the Region Finals in two of his final three seasons. From there, he was an assistant under Georgia teammate, Mike Cavan, coaching at Valdosta State College, East Tennessee State, and finally SMU. On March 31, 2015, David McKnight passed away in St. Simons Island having recently turned 69 years old.