Former Gators Kevin Carter and Nat Moore Take Their Places in Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame
Friday, October 28, 2011 | Women's Basketball, Football, Scott Carter
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – One of the popular storylines for this year's Florida-Georgia game is that Gators coach Will Muschamp once wanted to play for the Gators but ended up becoming a co-captain for the Bulldogs.
Former Gators defensive lineman Kevin Carter can relate. Carter once wanted to be a Bulldog but instead became a three-time SEC champion with the Gators.
Carter was one of four former players inducted Friday afternoon into the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame. He was joined by former Gators running back Nat Moore, Georgia linebacker John Brantley (yes, that's his name, and no, he's not related the Gators' Brantley clan), and former Bulldogs center Bill Saye.
They were honored at a luncheon outside EverBank Field on Friday for their contributions to one of college football's great rivalries.
Looking as if he could still play following a 14-year NFL career, Carter shared a story about wanting to play for the Bulldogs when he first started high school in Tallahassee. However, when legendary coach Vince Dooley announced he was retiring from coaching after the 1988 season, Carter changed his mind.
He shared the story with Dooley, who was in attendance and seated near the podium on Friday.
“He was one of my heroes,'' Carter said of Dooley. “Coach Dooley was coach when I became a Georgia Bulldog fan. I was a big Herschel Walker fan. I was on my way to becoming a Georgia Bulldog until I got in the recruiting process. I want to let you know that when you stepped down, that's when my decision changed.''
Carter also shared stories about learning lessons at Florida that he continues to rely on today to guide him in his latest career as a TV sports broadcaster. He said the Florida-Georgia game remains special to him 20 years after he played in his first one.
“It was like having a bowl game in the middle of the season,'' Carter said.
Meanwhile, Brantley also shared a story of changing allegiances. He was born in Ocala and grew up in Wildwood idolizing former Gators linebacker Scot Brantley.
When it was time for college, Brantley was told by the Gators' coaching staff that they were not interested in recruiting him. Instead, he landed at Georgia and became a solid linebacker for the Bulldogs.
“I grew up a diehard Gator fan,'' said Brantley, who opened his speech by clarifying that he was not Florida's starting quarterback in case anyone was confused. “Coach Dooley and his staff, they saw something in me. Florida didn't see anything in me. That's a great lesson in life.''
Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown opened the ceremony, telling the crowd that the city is fortunate to be able to showcase itself each October during the annual Border War.
“Jacksonville is a football city,'' Brown said. “Florida and Georgia is one of the biggest reasons why. This is not a game -- this is an event worthy of the biggest marquee. We've seen big things happen here, big names, legends really.''
Moore has remained close to Florida's program the past two decades as part of the Gators' radio broadcast team. He played in two Florida-Georgia games in the early 1970s and thanked former Gators coach Doug Dickey for offering him a football scholarship. Moore was a basketball standout at Miami-Dade South Junior College prior to enrolling at UF.
“He took a chance on me,'' Moore said. “I really wanted to play football. I thought I had some talent and because of that, they gave me an opportunity. I want to say thank you to the University of Florida for what they did 40 years ago.''
