A third Wildcat quarterback to be storied among these pages of Bulldawg Illustrated, this is Greg Talley, an alumni of Valdosta High School and the University of Georgia … sounds familiar. For two of my previous 2019 columns, quarterbacks at VHS and Georgia (Buck Belue and John Lastinger) have been featured, so why stop there? A few years after these studs suited up in the silver britches, we move into the late 1980s and early 90s when Greg Talley was under center. Now, a permanent resident of his hometown Valdosta, Talley practices law with Coleman Talley. A partner of his and grandfather to myself, Wade Coleman of Coleman Talley, said this in regard to Greg Talley:

“Greg is a fine trial lawyer. When we tried cases together, it was certainly a plus to have a former Bulldog quarterback appearing before Bulldog Nation jurors in south Georgia courtrooms.”

Favorite game at VHS (Valdosta High School)

“As I think back on it, it would be the first game of my senior year when we played LaGrange High School. They were the No. 1 team in the country, and we beat them 16-6. It was a home game, and I remember seeing the 11 Alive truck wheeling onto campus to cover the game. After that, we won our next 14 games to go undefeated, win the state championship, and national championship, but that game is where it all started.”

Your recruitment process

“Recruitment was a lot of fun. I grew up in the late 70s, early 80s, so I had the privilege of watching Herschel Walker, and his quarterbacks were Buck Belue and John Lastinger, former Valdosta High quarterbacks. I idolized those individuals. As soon as Georgia called and offered me a scholarship, there was no question to where I was going. UGA had always been where I wanted to be.”

Buck Belue and John Lastinger’s advice

“They always encouraged me. I was friends with both of their little brothers and grew up playing with them. John’s father, Johnny B, was my little league coach, so as I was around their families, I was always around them too. I was on the same path each of them were on, and I wanted to follow in their footsteps, so it was very neat for me to be around them and them encouraging me. “

Dream Georgia player

“Obviously, the one player that stands out is Herschel. He really changed college football. Georgia has great teams throughout their history, but he really made a difference in the culture, bringing us back to the national level and playing with that would be very exciting.”

Pregame rituals

“This is more of my mother’s deal, but before every Georgia game I ever played in, she would give me a note before the game. If I did not get that note, I was not ready to play that day, but I always got that letter.”

Favorite game at Georgia

“We were out in Starkville playing Mississippi State, and in Coach Dooley’s last season, we completed an awesome comeback win. Tim Worley, at the end of the game, scored, and we topped the Bulldogs from the West.”

FYI, Greg came off the bench and completed a clutch third-down pass to Keith Henderson to set up Worley’s winning TD in the 42-35 Georgia victory.

A quarterback at RBU

“The media speaks of quarterbacks as these ‘game managers.’ To tell you the truth, that is the way we were set up at Georgia, game managers. We ran the I-formation and stacked our backfield with some of the most talented tailbacks in the nation like Rodney Hampton and Tim Worley. I signed to play football here at Georgia with Rodney Hampton, Brian Cleveland, and Larry Ware, and Tim Worley was already here, then after my sophomore season, we sign Garrison Hearst. With this being said, the talent in the running back room was unbelievable, and my role was to just be that game manager.”

Why is Georgia special?

“I could go on forever. The University and Athens as a city is one of those places that gets inside of you and you can never let it out. The Classic City is a special community. Athens cares, and the people give all the support needed in academics and athletics. As we are doing this interview, I am in New York. As I was walking down 7th Avenue rocking my Georgia hat, I cannot tell you how many times someone said, ‘Hey, Go Dawgs!” That is what the University of Georgia is; that right there will tell you everything you need to know about Georgia.”

Georgia in one word

“Awesome … because it has everything.”

Expectations for the 2019 Dawgs

“I have liked what I’ve seen so far. My expectations are: I cannot wait to watch them play in Atlanta.”