One Old Dawg's Tailgate with Frank Lankewicz

Thank you for dropping by One Old Dawg’s Tailgate where this week Jerry Varnado  interviews Frank Lankewicz, a senior on the 1964 University of Georgia football team who went on to play for the Wheeling, West Virginia Ironmen in the Continental Football League. And stick around for Jerry Varnado's comments on the upcoming Tennessee game. 

Frank, tell us how you got started in football and your high school career?

I started when I was eight years old in the midget league in Butler, Pennsylvania. I played in that league until high school. I’d played football and baseball all my life. I could have signed a baseball contract but decided to come to Georgia. I enjoyed my high school career at Butler Senior High, where we were called the Golden Tornadoes. We had good coaches, and one of my favorites was Red Uram. He wasn’t the head coach but coached the back field. My senior year, we only lost one game to Beaver Falls in the next valley. (Frank comments these were steel mill and coal mining towns). Joe Namath played for them. His team beat us by a touchdown, and he was outstanding. (One Old Dawg makes a note that UGA’s first game in 1964 was against Alabama where Joe Namath was quarterback). I had good seasons in high school and played in an All-Star game my senior year. I played in the Big 33 game—a contest which was supposed to be between the top thirty-three players from Pennsylvania and the top football players in the United States. The game was held in Hershey, Pennsylvania. But that particular year, they cut out the rest of the U.S. for travel reasons, so it was an all-star game between East and West Pennsylvania. Ray Rissmiller played for the East, and I played for the West. (Ray was another senior on the 1964 Georgia team). I played fullback and missed MVP by a couple of points. After the game, I got with Joe Namath who was there pitching for a western Pennsylvania All-Star game. I rode back to Pittsburgh from Hershey with him and a trainer from Maryland who drove us. I asked Joe where he was going to school and he said, “I think I’ll go to Maryland.” I told him I thought I’d go to Georgia. The next time I saw him he was playing for Alabama. I had twenty-nine football scholarship offers, and I narrowed it down to Georgia, Notre Dame, and Miami, but chose Georgia.

What is your most memorable play from the 1964 season?

Coach Dooley came in 1964, organized everything, and we wound up going to the Sun Bowl. Texas Tech was the toughest team we played, but we won. We contained their All-American, Donnie Anderson, and I scored a touchdown (One Old Dawg comments it was the winning touchdown).

What is one important lesson you learned from your time as a college athlete?

I think college athletes should take advantage of the situation and get an education. I came back and got a master’s degree between my pro seasons, and then took post graduate courses. Athletes should understand the great opportunity they have to get an education. I have a grandson, Ulysses, on a javelin scholarship.

Frank, who were your inspirations or role models?

Red Uram, my high school coach was my biggest inspiration. I was doing all sports, swimming, basketball, track, football—twelve letters. So, one day, Coach Uram comes up to me, grabs me by my face mask and says I have to make up my mind whether I want to play baseball or football. So, I decided to play football. He was also a gymnastics coach, and I did a little gymnastics, too.

(Red Uram went on to be a conditioning coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 70’s and 80’s and won four Super Bowl Rings with the Steelers).

What advice would you give to someone just beginning their college football career?

Do the best you can at football, but always get back to that education. The football only lasts so long. Learn good communication skills, speaking and writing, along with your education. (One Old Dawg adds that many of the players he’s interviewed emphasize the importance of getting an education.)

Thank you, Frank, for taking the time to answer our questions. We loved hearing your story.

And now, One Old Dawg weighs in with thoughts about the upcoming game with Tennessee.

Things did not go well for the Bulldawg nation last Saturday. Sure, it was a terrible disappointment, but we must not hang our heads in despair, we are still in the hunt. We don’t have time for grief, Tennessee is coming to town this Saturday and they are also in the hunt. If we don’t beat Tennessee our chance of making the twelve team playoff drops to near zero. The Dawgs have owned Smokey for seven years, the smallest margin of victory was 14 points in 2022. You can bet they are chomping at the bit to hand us our third loss. So, we focus on what is ahead, not the past. These Blue Tick Hounds are playing for keeps and are surely looking to give us some payback for the last seven years.

I am reminded of James 1:2-4 (NIV):” Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops Perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  We should not see temporary setbacks as failures, but opportunities for growth. Our goal, a national championship, is still reachable, so we have not failed at this point. We have been and are being tested, but if we learn from these losses and press on with perseverance toward our goal we can still come out the winner. So, Gooo… Dawgs! Sic ‘em.

We include this week a One Old Dawg sighting, here from the Athens Touchdown Club Program in October:

That's it for this week. Only three more regular season games this year and we'll be here for all of them. See you next week with more "mostly true Bulldog lore."

Who is One Old Dawg?

Jerry Varnado played defensive end at the University of Georgia on Vince Dooley’s first three teams, which included an SEC championship in 1966, placing Georgia fourth in the nation. He helped coach the UGA football team while in law school, and practiced law for over a decade. Later, after a series of tragedies, he gave his life to Jesus Christ. After much soul searching, he left his law practice and has preached the gospel for forty years. He’s still at it every Sunday.

Inducted into the Valdosta/Lowndes County Sports Hall of Fame, he is also the recipient of the Athens Athletic Hall of Fame Fosky Henderson Award for community service. He is a past president of The Athens Touchdown Club and is now the chaplain. He has been an FCA chaplain for the Athens Academy Football Team for ten years.

He is the proud father of four children, and one sweet girl now with Jesus, as well as Bapa to two of the best grandkids ever.

One Old Dawg's Tailgate with Wayne Swinford

Welcome back to one Old Dawg's Tailgate. We can't believe there are only four more games in the regular season. Jerry Varnado will be sharing his thoughts on the upcoming game with Ole Miss, but first we're glad to welcome Wayne Swinford, another senior from the 1964 University of Georgia football team now celebrating their sixtieth anniversary. So happy you're here, Wayne!

Wayne, tell us how you got started in football and your high school career?

I was born in the country near Munford, Alabama. All we had to do was play sports— we didn’t have cars. I played on a team that was pretty good in high school, we won the state championship my senior year, first time the school had ever worn state. I was a defensive and offensive back. Auburn came up and scouted me on the worst game I ever played. Georgia scouted me on the best game I ever played.

The Georgia coach and Auburn coach met up in the truck stop in my hometown. Auburn told Georgia you’re not going to get him. You couldn’t commit before 6:00 pm that day. I went up there about ten minutes till six and talked to the Auburn coach. Then a Georgia coach came in right after that, and I talked to him. After I spoke with him, I went back to the Auburn coach and told him that I’d made my mind up—that I was going to Georgia. Later I wavered and told my dad I thought I’d changed my mind and wanted to go to Auburn. He said, “No, you’ve given your word. You’re signing with Georgia.”

What is your most memorable play from the 1964 season?

I believe it was a punt return against North Carolina. I didn’t score a touchdown, but I ran about 120 yards to gain only about twenty-five. The crowd loved it. . (Jerry and Wayne have a big laugh here.

Can you remember anything amusing that happened in 1964?

We opened with Alabama in 1964. They beat us 31-3. I had a decent game. They beat us by twenty-nine points, but it could have been sixty points. After the game, Joe Namath sought me out and congratulated me on playing such a good game. I’d never met him before, and he was very cordial. Later that year we met at the all-star game. His comments meant a lot coming from a big star. (One Old Dawg adds that Namath got a larger signing bonus than any previous college player).

What is one important lesson you learned from your time as a college athlete?

I wasn’t too big on rules and regulations, but I learned I wouldn’t get in near as much trouble if I just learned the rules and followed them.

Who were your inspirations or role models in your college career?

Mack Faircloth was number one and also, Melvin Crook. Mack knew my grandmother back in Moultrie, he was a good friend. One time, I was going to quit school and go back home. Mack and Melvin found me on the road hitchhiking home and made me get in the car with them and then talked me into staying. I couldn’t thank them enough later.

What advice would you give to someone just beginning their college football career?

Set a goal and don’t stop short of your goal, whether it’s football or anything else. It’s hard to do. I’m so glad I stayed at Georgia, it’s the smartest thing I ever did. I dropped out of school after fall quarter my senior year; I lacked two quarters to graduate. I had just signed a pro contract with the San Francisco 49ers and wanted to take a break, intending to return after my first season in the pros and finish my degree. As planned, I returned to Athens in January 1966 and attended school in winter and spring quarters to earn my degree. Another one of the smartest things I ever did.

I played two more years in the pros, but a serious knee injury ended my career. After returning to Athens Coach Dooley called me one day in January and asked me to come by his office to visit. At that visit he said, “I understand you want to be a coach?” I said, “Yes sir I’ve been considering it.” He said, “We will give you a job as an assistant coach for one year to get the doors open for you. And we will pay your way to a Coach’s Clinic in Los Angeles where you will have a good chance of finding a job.”  I thought that was very kind of him. But after that first-year coaching, I declined the coach’s clinic and decided I was done with football.

Wayne, tell us a bit more about your son, Jay. (One Old Dawg’s son, Aaron, played soccer with Wayne’s son, Jay).

My youngest son graduated from med school at Southern Cal. The city of Los Angeles offered him a job as a general surgeon at one of its hospitals, and he’s in his second year of residency. He is on his way to a successful and useful career in medicine. I’m so happy for him and proud of him.

Now One Old Dawg has a few words to share:

“Thank you, Wayne, for your contribution to One Old Dawg’s Tailgate and to Georgia Football.

I’m always impressed that biblical truth seems to express itself even in non-religious contexts. It’s not true because it’s in the Bible, it’s in the Bible because it’s true. When Wayne was talking about establishing goals and sticking with them was often hard, this text  came to mind, James 1:2-4 (NIV): ‘Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops Perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.’ Wayne was right, perseverance is a very important virtue for living successfully in this fallen world. Life is often hard and without perseverance many of our goals will evaporate in a sea of difficulty and hardship. So don’t quit, don’t give up, let perseverance finish its work! 

“Now about this Saturday. Ole Miss is not flying quite as high as preseason predictions, but they are still a dangerous team. Last week they put up sixty-three points on Arkansas in four quarters, the highest total the Hogs have allowed this season by twenty-four points, and that was a double overtime game. Our defense needs to hunker down and get ready for a fight. Our offense needs to put it in overdrive, we may need a lot of points to take down these Rebels. Forget those interceptions and dropped passes, we are better than that. Leave them in the past and press on toward the goal, persevere. I’m believing at the final buzzer Ole Miss will find they are Rebels without a cause. This third loss will likely mean a permanent exit from the top twelve, and they will have to settle for a second-tier bowl game. Gooooo Dawgs! Sic’em, woof, woof, woof!”

Thanks, One Old Dawg. We’re believing it too!! That's it for this week, but join us again next Wednesday for more "mostly true Bulldog lore."