GCMB Poll: Best UF Linebacker of all time

[Okeechobee Joe]

Right I was shocked that the list did not include Ortega and Cameron.

Doug Dickey had some great linebackers linebackers at the University of Tennessee. Paul Naumoff, Frank Emmanual, Jackie Walker, jack Reynolds and Steve Kiner (from Tampa) were All-Americans.

The tradition continued after Dickey came back to Florida. Ralph Ortega, Glen Cameron, and Sammy Green were at UF during the years 1971 through 1975. They were hard hitters who were fun to watch.

 

[GatorJ]

2 Gators

 

[ThreatMatrix]

I voted for Wilber but I don't know that he's the best LB in the group.
Wilber gets a lot of love for that USC game but why? While we had made progress since 0-10-1, we had no signature wins in '80 or '81. By '82 there was a sense amongst us Gators that the sleeping giant was awakening. We opened the season with the last minute win against Miami on the spectacular James Jones one-handed catch. We were brimming with confidence and bravado. But that was a regional affair, was it even televised? Now we had USC, college football royalty, coming to our house, and on national TV. They say it was brutally hot that day but I don't remember the heat. I remember Wilber. A crazed Tasmanian devil living in the Trojan backfield. With each tackle, with each sack, he sealed the Gator victory. But more than that he cemented Florida as a force to be reckoned with, in front of the entire country. The giant was awoken on that day.

 

[stephenPE]

Wilbur was definitely the man, but it is very difficult comparing the pass rush big play guys to the others. I fondly remember David Little, maybe because he was one of the few bright spots in those days (other than some huge late hits by Tony Lilly :) (Of course I do suffer memory loss from those days.) Just solid LB play on every down.

Marshall and Lilly both played in the Senior Bowl in Mobile. THe completely dominated the North on def. Between them they must have made 2 dozen or more plays. Both could have been MVPs. Of course some small WR from bama won it.

 

[Gatordiddy]

There's another comparison between Davis and Marshall:

Davis: 201 tackles - 20 for loss - 5.5 sacks - 1 INT

Can't find much on his college stats from the 80s but:

Marshall: 23 sacks - 58 tackles for loss - 4 INTs

So I'm going to throw out some stats and then ask...from a strictly UF perspective, why wasn't this guy at least on the list?

"He was a member of the Gators' best-in-the-Southeastern Conference (SEC) football teams that posted identical 9–1–1 overall win-loss records in 1984 and 1985. He was also a first-team All-SEC selection in 1986 and 1987, and a first-team All-American and team captain in 1987. His fifteen forced fumbles, forty-nine career tackles for a loss and twenty-five quarterback sacks still rank first, fifth and fourth, respectively, on the Gators' all-time career records lists."

21st overall Draft pick - 1988
Can you name him?

 

[Frozen Gator]

Doug Dickey had some great linebackers linebackers at the University of Tennessee. Paul Naumoff, Frank Emmanual, Jackie Walker, jack Reynolds and Steve Kiner (from Tampa) were All-Americans.

The tradition continued after Dickey came back to Florida. Ralph Ortega, Glen Cameron, and Sammy Green were at UF during the years 1971 through 1975. They were hard hitters who were fun to watch.

It was a heck of a game "Back in the Day" at Tampa Stadium. Ralph Ortega and Glenn Cameron for Florida, Randy White for Maryland. You could hear the hitting in the nose bleed section just like you were on the field. The debut of Tony Green was the difference as he made some nifty runs and returns for the Gators.

 

[Theologator]

Wilber! Wilber! Wilber!
When the whole stadium is chanting your name you must be doing something right.

The star of that game? Linebacker Wilber Marshall, who flew around the field to collect 14 tackles and sack USC quarterback Sean Salisbury 4 times. His performance earned him national recognition when he was named the Defensive Player of the Week by both Sports Illustrated and the Associated Press.

And did it by totally abusing All-American and eventual NFL All-Pro Don Mosebar.

Wilber is the only one on the wall. Scoreboard.

Scot Brantley is the only one to ever have his number retired.

David Little, Mike Petersen, Siler... it's quite a list.

 

[Theologator]

So I'm going to throw out some stats and then ask...from a strictly UF perspective, why wasn't this guy at least on the list?

"He was a member of the Gators' best-in-the-Southeastern Conference (SEC) football teams that posted identical 9–1–1 overall win-loss records in 1984 and 1985. He was also a first-team All-SEC selection in 1986 and 1987, and a first-team All-American and team captain in 1987. His fifteen forced fumbles, forty-nine career tackles for a loss and twenty-five quarterback sacks still rank first, fifth and fourth, respectively, on the Gators' all-time career records lists."

21st overall Draft pick - 1988
Can you name him?

I had to look it up so I won't spoil your question.

Hint: He was excellent and carried on a tradition that made UF OLBU in the 80's and a develop a reputation for draft busts at the position.

 

[78]

Thanks for reminding me of Ortega and Cameron. I knew I would forget someone. It's too late to edit the list, but I'd probably replace Bostic with Ortega, who was first-team All-America in 1974 and is a member of UF's Hall of Fame.

 

[GatorJ]

So I'm going to throw out some stats and then ask...from a strictly UF perspective, why wasn't this guy at least on the list?

"He was a member of the Gators' best-in-the-Southeastern Conference (SEC) football teams that posted identical 9–1–1 overall win-loss records in 1984 and 1985. He was also a first-team All-SEC selection in 1986 and 1987, and a first-team All-American and team captain in 1987. His fifteen forced fumbles, forty-nine career tackles for a loss and twenty-five quarterback sacks still rank first, fifth and fourth, respectively, on the Gators' all-time career records lists."

21st overall Draft pick - 1988
Can you name him?

I had to look him up. Marshall is a historical reference for me since he played when I was in elementary school.

This guy played when I was in middle school and I'm not familiar with him. Thanks for bringing him up!

 

[78]

Clifford Charlton, yet another outside backer. We're loaded with them. Huey Richardson is another, even more decorated outside guy who I left off the list.

 

[CGgater]

There have been a LOT of great Gator LBs who gave us a TON of awesome highlights and memories. However, there's Wilber... and there's everyone else.



Edit: For context, I remember watching Brantley and Little while I was in Middle School. Those were my early years, going with my dad to Florida Field. I can't compare the LBs mentioned prior to the final dickey years (even then, it's a blur) because I didn't see them. I'm thankful for all Gators who wear the Orange & Blue!!

 

[BruceWayne]

My immediate reaction when I saw the title of this thread was "Crowder". The guy was an absolute beast. I'm 32yrs old so I never saw Wilbur play. My dad has told me from childhood that Wilbur was the best. But I voted for Mike Pete. He is the best in my opinion. Led the league in Tackles several times after a great career here too.

 

[BruceWayne]

Ben Hanks and Batesy were my favorites when I was a kid though. We have been lucky as Gator fans to see so many good LBs over the years.

 

[Wuerffel4Pres]

Ben Hanks and Batesy were my favorites when I was a kid though. We have been lucky as Gator fans to see so many good LBs over the years.

"We goin' to the Sugar Bowl! The Sugar Bowl!":D

 

[Jake from State Farm]

How many Stars were they?

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Bates and Hanks were both bluechippers. I wasnt aware of ranking systems existing back then though. We definitely had to fight the other then elite schools to get them.

Bates geta flak for being not real strong vs the run but was good in coverage. We were usually up by 4 or 5 scores and thats what we needed, a Mike who could run and cover.

 

[BMF]

Wilber. Close it down.

Yep. It's not even close!