One Old Dawg on fifty years and his remembrances of Coach Vince Dooley

Big doings this weekend. Friday night, a bunch of Old Dawgs from the 1964 University of Georgia football team will gather with their coaches to reminisce and celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of that team as well as it’s being Vince Dooley’s first year at UGA. At the UGA-Tennessee game, they’ll all make an appearance on the field at half time.

This week, One Old Dawg talks about his Coach,  Vince Dooley, the man that changed the direction of University of Georgia football and who made such a difference in Jerry Varnado’s life.



One Old Dawg's Wife, Coach Vince Dooley, One Old Dawg, Jerry Varnado at a gathering before the UGA-Troy game

On Coach Dooley’s knowledge of the game of football:

“The first year Vince Dooley was here, many people misunderstood him and didn’t know what he was like, particularly players, because he had the good sense to let his assistant coaches do their jobs. He was always there, but he didn’t do a lot of one on one coaching with players on the field.

I had the fortunate experience of playing for Coach Dooley for three years, but I also served as a graduate assistant coach for three years. I found out then, he indeed did coach, but he did it in staff meetings. He was the mastermind behind the Georgia Bulldogs. He set guidelines and parameters for what we were going to do, and let the assistants execute them. He was an astute student of the game of football. He knew what he was doing and how he wanted things to go.

The first coaches' meeting I attended, there sat Erk Russell, who was my hero since I played defense, with a notepad taking notes on what Vince said. I knew then Vince commanded respect from people who knew him and knew how much he contributed to the ongoing growth and development of a winning football team.”

On Coach Dooley’s fairness:

“My junior year, I ruptured a disc, had to have surgery, missed half the season and all of spring practice. In the summer, because of muscle spasms, I couldn’t work out much to get in shape for the next year. At fall football practice, Coach Dooley told me I’d reported overweight.

‘What do you mean Coach, overweight? I’ve been trying to gain weight the whole time I’ve been at Georgia.’

He said, ‘You’re reporting weight is 188.’

I was at 196. ‘Reporting weight? I didn’t know I had a reporting weight.’

‘Nobody gave you reporting weight in the spring?’

‘No, sir.’

He sat there and thought a minute. ‘Well, you’re still overweight; you’ll need to go to the 6:30 P.E. class for two weeks.’

This made me angry, because I was disciplined for not doing something I didn’t even know I was supposed to do. But later, when I started coaching, I understood. He knew he wouldn’t be able to explain why I didn’t receive the same treatment as others who reported overweight. If he didn’t discipline me, it would seem he was inconsistent. And who knows, I could’ve forgotten I was supposed to be 188 pounds. Plus, I wasn’t in good shape, and those P.E. classes got me ready to play.”

On how much Coach Dooley cared about players:

“I learned when I coached how much Vince Dooley cared about his players. He had a personal interest in them and did things we didn’t know about. Again, because he didn’t have one on one contact, many players didn’t realize how much he cared. We’d have discussions in coaches meetings about players and difficulties they might be having, and it’s then I saw he wanted players to be successful in football, in the classroom, and in life.

He was always liberal in giving graduate assistant jobs to those who needed them. The graduate assistant job is what enabled me to go to law school.”

On Dooley’s dedication:

“After the midday game on Saturday, sixteen millimeter film would be flown to Atlanta by helicopter to be developed. Later a helicopter brought it back, landed on the practice field next to the coliseum, and the film taken to Vince Dooley’s house.

After games, there’d be a party at the Dooley’s for recruits that were in town.  Since I lived near Vince when I practiced law, often, a friend and I would go over to the Dooley’s at 10:00 after everyone left to watch the film with him, and help him break it down for The Vince Dooley Show, which aired on Sunday afternoon. He’d leave about midnight and go to the UGA television station. Anytime you wanted to find Vince, you could find him at the Five Points Waffle House around 4:30 on Sunday morning after he filmed his show. Then he’d go home, change clothes, go to 8:00 mass and then come to practice at 9:30. Our Sunday morning practices were more of a training, than practice— just a little exercise to get players loosened up. Vince had it early Sunday so players could still attend church. I don’t know when he ever went to sleep.”

On Vince Dooley’s encouragement:

“In the early 1980’s, a friend from Valdosta asked me to be a lay speaker at a downtown church one Sunday. When I was in Valdosta, I visited a friend there, and didn’t know Vince was staying at their home. The Dooley’s daughter was a cheerleader at Valdosta State and they were there to see them play for the small college championship. What I didn’t know is they’d made plans to hear me speak as well. They went to 8:00 mass and then came to church to hear me. It’s also interesting to note Wright Bazemore, my high coach was there as well as my freshmen coach, Ken Cooper.

After the service, Wright Bazemore stood in a line for ten minutes, to speak to me, and took my hand and said, ‘Doc, I want you to know, I’m proud of you as I’ve ever been of any of my boys.’ It really meant a lot to me.

Later on, I ran into Barbara Dooley.

One Old Dawg and Barbara Dooley before the UGA-Troy game

She said, ‘As soon as the service was over, Vince looked at me, and said, “Jerry is really an evangelist, isn’t he?”’

Keep in mind that at that point in time, I was still a lawyer. I wasn’t a preacher. And I was beginning to deal with a sense of calling to preach. To have Vince Dooley recognize a quality in me that lent itself to preaching was one of several factors which led to me leaving my law practice and entering full time ministry.”

So, in many ways, Coach Vince Dooley’s influence has moved far beyond the football field in One Old Dawg’s life. Many players would have this same testimony. Coach Dooley’s life of integrity, commitment, faith, and service reminds us of a verse in Psalm 1, “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” (Psalm 1:3) So here’s to you, Coach. Congratulations on your fiftieth year anniversary. Deepest and heartfelt thanks from One Old Dawg to another.

As to the game this weekend, One Old Dawg says that if he never hears “Rocky Top” again, it would be just great. And he doesn’t think we’re going to be hearing it much this weekend, because his Dawgs are ready to roll all over the Tennessee volunteers.

One Old Dawg will be there to cheer them on. Look for him. He’ll be with all those loud people wearing fifty year old game jerseys with his big old “88’” on them. They’ll be a raggedy crew, but smiling from ear to ear, so proud of their Old Dawg.