Carlson’s Gator Tales: Win vs. Georgia Preceded First Bowl Appearance
Thursday, October 30, 2014 | Football
By Norm Carlson
Assistant Athletics Director/Gator Historian
The long, proud story of the University of Florida's bowl history started when the 1952 Gators earned an appearance in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville against Tulsa in what turned out to be the most exciting post-season game in the nation that season.
Coach Bob Woodruff's team finished the season with an 8-3 record, the best at UF since the 1929 group came in at 8-2. No previous team dating back to 1906 managed more than that many victories in a season.
As would become typical of Woodruff-coached teams, it was built around defense and the kicking game. The offensive objective was to avoid mistakes, create field position and feature the running game.
He had the perfect quarterback to make good decisions in Doug Dickey, game-breaking long distance threats in halfbacks Buford Long and J.(Poppa)) Hall, a raging bull at fullback in Rick Casares and a solid, efficient offensive line coached by one of the best in the business in Hobe Hooser.
Charlie LaPradd was a first-team All-America choice at defensive tackle and Joe D'Agostino earned All-SEC first-unit honors. Bubba Ware anchored the group at linebacker. It was a tough unit that blanked Georgia, 30-0, in the biggest win recorded by Florida against the Bulldogs in the history of the series up to that point.
That was year Georgia featured an All-SEC player and All-America candidate at end in Harry Babcock, who was leading the nation in receiving coming into the game. The Bulldogs, with Zeke Bratkowski at quarterback, were leading the nation in passing.
Early in the game, Babcock was running downfield when Gator linebacker Arlen Jumper smashed him in the nose. When Babcock retaliated, both players were ejected. It wasn't an even trade as Georgia's passing game went to pot and their offense was throttled.
“I sat on our team bus listening on the radio and laughed about who got the best end of that deal,” Jumper said later.
Woodruff, who was the first Gator coach to have a career winning mark against Georgia, also came up with a huge win in 1958, and it, too, was an odd contest. Georgia dominated the game with several long drives, four of which crossed the UF 10-yard line. All the Bulldogs had to show for it was six points.
Late in the game, the Gators only had two first downs to show for their efforts and were backed up to their own 24-yard line. Quarterback Jimmy Dunn faked a pitchout, cut between tackle and end and ran 76 yards for a TD. Billy Booker's PAT made it 7-6., the final score that day.
Coach Woodruff, hardily known for his sense of humor, met UGA coach Wally Butts at midfield and asked: “How did you like our offense, Wally?”
That team also won the first meeting with FSU, 21-7, and went to the Gator Bowl. It was the final hurrah for Woodruff, whose team faltered in 1959. He was fired at the end of that season after winning only five games.
