GATOR GRIDIRON
ROGER FRANKLIN WILLIAMS
Gator Greats Carlos Alvarez, John Reaves and Mac Steen headline the kick-off edition of the 2011 Old School Gator Series with Roger Franklin Williams on 540 WFLA. Alvarez was recently elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. The program will be taped on Monday August 1 from 6pm-7pm at Del Frisco's Orlando. Gator fans and 540 WFLA listeners are welcome to attend the taping and stay for dinner afterwards with Carlos, John, Mac and Larry Williamson, a key senior leader on the famed '69 Gators. Video highlights will be posted here on the Gator Gridiron blog and at
www.YouTube.com/oldschooldelfriscos.
The program will highlight Alvarez Hall of Fame career at Florida, the extraordinary accomplishments of Alvarez and his fellow Super Soph, All-American quarterback John Reaves, and the historic season of the famed 1969 Gators. The '69 Gators entered the season as a preseason member of the infamous Bottom-20 and picked by some "experts" to finish last in the SEC. After blitzing Playboys' pre-season No 1 Houston 59-34--- a game where Reaves hit Alvarez with a 70 yard bomb to start the game and proceeded to shatter every UF and SEC single game passing record--- the '69 Gators went on to post the best season in Gator history to that point; a 9-1-1 record capped with a stunning 14-13 Gator Bowl victory over regular season SEC Champion Tennessee, while shattering virtually every UF and SEC passing, receiving and total offense record .
While the legend of the Super Sophs---Reaves, Alvarez, TB Tommy Durrance, who also set a new SEC record for touchdowns and scoring in '69, and FB Mike Rich, plus numerous other Sophs who made major contributions on both offense and defense---defines the '69 Gators to many, the truth is that the team was primarily built around a large group of veteran players, including one of the most outstanding Senior classes in Florida Football history. Senior OT Steen was offensive captain and 3-year starter. Coach Ray Graves said, "Steen is as good of an offensive tackle as we have had since I've been here". In addition to a first team All-SEC season, his leadership, along with defensive captain Tom Abdelnour, both on and off the field, was a crucial element in the historic and enduring success of the '69 Gators. Williamson was a senior DB whose contributions as a role player and member of the Leadership Council has been credited by teammates as important to the success of the '69 Gators.
Video highlights will be posted here on the Gator Gridiron blog and at
www.YouTube.com/oldschooldelfriscos and, of course, all Gators and college football fans are encourage to attend.
