As part of the celebration of the 100th season of Florida football, gatorzone.com will run a series of historical features throughout the preseason and the 2006 campaign. The series will give Gator fans an appreciation and understanding of the past teams and players that helped build the Gator football program.
During preseason practice, readers can learn about ground-breaking Florida teams of the past on Tuesdays and Thursdays with the “Great Teams and Eras” series. In addition to those stories, each Friday from the beginning of preseason practice until the season's first game will feature a look at one of Florida's legendary players as part of the “Gator Greats” series.
Once the season is underway, the look back in time will continue on Tuesdays and Thursdays with “Rivalries and Series” and “Great Games” entries relevant to the week's opponent. Occasionally, additional stories will be unveiled on Wednesday of game weeks when the opportunity arises.
As the 2006 football season approaches, take some time to sit back and reflect on the teams, players and moments that all lead up to this, the 100th season of Florida Gator football.
'69 Gator Squad Revisited
By: Norm Carlson
Nobody who follows Gator football fortunes could ever forget that brash band of youngsters who shook the collegiate football world one September afternoon in 1969. Few teams in Gator history have produced more excitement.
The 1969 season started out with a bang. Houston, number one team in the nation in many preseason publications, came to Florida Field, on September 20, 1969. To say the inexperienced Gators were underdogs would be an understatement. But, it took only three plays for the young Gators to introduce themselves. The first pass of sophomore quarterback John Reaves' career went 50 yards in the air, hit fellow soph Carlos Alvarez in stride and resulted in a 70-yard touchdown.
It was all the momentum the youngsters needed. Reaves then passed two yards to Garry Walker for a score, 21 to Alvarez for another, 46 to Tommy Durrance for one touchdown and three yards for another. In between the aerial scores, sophomore defensive back Jimmy Barr intercepted a pass and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown. It was 38-6 at halftime, and 59-34 at game's end.
Reaves opened his career with a conference-record five touchdown passes, 18 completions in 30 attempts, and 342 yards. The backfield of quarterback Reaves, flanker Alvarez, fullback Mike Rich and tailback Durrance gained instant celebrity status in the state of Florida, as did Andrew Cheney and a host of other previously unknown young folks, who were to go on to be part of the “Super Sophs” legendary Gator team.
While the sophomores became the center of attention of the '69 team, they were not the entire story. Florida was blessed with a seasoned group of talented lettermen, especially at the line of scrimmage.
The offensive line, which was dubbed “Haynes Hornets” in honor of their offensive line coach, Jimmy Haynes, was an exceptional group. Three-year starting center Kim Helton was joined by guards Mac Steen of Melbourne and Donnie Williams of Lake City, and tackles Wayne Griffith of Miami and Skip Amelung of Ft. Lauderdale.
There were also soon-to-be All Americans Jack Youngblood and Steve Tannen, end David Ghesquire, linebackers Tom Abdelnour and Mike Kelley and defensive backs Mark Ely, Jack Burns, and Skip Albury.
In Jackson, Miss., the Gators beat Mississippi State, 47-35, as Reaves threw for 326 yards and Alvarez caught a dozen passes. The blocking of a veteran offensive line was outstanding. Helton, Amelung, Steen, Williams and Griffith didn't allow a sack.
Then FSU fell in Gainesville, 21-6, as defensive tackle Robert Harrell earned National Defensive Lineman of The Week honors. He spent all afternoon in the Seminole backfield knocking quarterback Bill Cappleman to the ground.
Harrell explained his success to Tom McEwen of the Tampa Tribune: “I just folded back my ears and hauled my tail in there.”
They came from behind, went for two, and overcame a sluggish performance to down underdog Tulane, 18-17, in Tampa Stadium.
The group got revenge for a startling loss in 1968 to North Carolina by pounding the Tarheels, 52-2. Vanderbilt was a 41-20 victim in another five-TD passing performance by Reaves. They stumbled against Auburn and tied Georgia, then came back to swamp Kentucky and Miami to earn a trip to Gator Bowl to face Southeastern Conference champion Tennessee.
All-America defensive back Steve Tannen blocked a punt early in the game, which linebacker Mike Kelley returned for a touchdown, and a TD pass ended the season as it began… Reaves-to-Alvarez. One of the most famous battery combinations in Gator history finished off the league kings. The result was a 14-13 victory over the Vols.
Florida went on to a regular-season record of 8-1-1. It was a fitting climax to Graves' final season as a coach at Florida. His 70th win in his final game stood as a school history until his Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Steve Spurrier, came along in the form of the head ball coach for the Gators.
“This group of players was a special one,” recalls Graves. There are so many successful players in various fields who played for that team that it makes me proud to be associated with the Gators.”
There have been several teams that fans remember with special fondness. Certainly, this team is one of those.
