Macon Touchdown Club

On Monday night, November 19th, the Macon Touchdown Club will welcome Coach Ralph Friedgen as our feature speaker.

Coach Friedgen was most recently the special assistant coach for Rutgers after serving as the offensive coordinator in the 2014 season. He was the head coach at the University of Maryland, College Park from 2000 to 2010. After the 2010 regular season, it was announced that Friedgen would not be returning for the 2011 season, ending his ten-year run as head coach. Affectionately known as “The Fridge”, Friedgen was previously an offensive coordinator at Maryland, Georgia Tech, and in the National Football League (NFL) with the San Diego Chargers.

As always, we will meet at The Methodist Home For Children, in The Rumford Center. The address is 304 Pierce Avenue, and the meeting begins at 6:30 pm.

Guest Fee is $30.00, and includes dinner, club activities, recognition of local high school athletes, recognition of a local high school and the speaker.

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On Monday night, November 12th, the Macon Touchdown Club will welcome Coach David Dean of the University of West Georgia as our feature speaker.

By any measure David Dean’s first season as head football coach at the University of West Georgia was a success. Dean arrived in Carrollton in January 2017, on the eve of signing day, and led the Wolves to nine victories and a return to the NCAA Division II Playoffs.
Were there up-and-downs, and some disappointments? Certainly, but from start to finish, Dean put his stamp on a veteran roster and veteran coaching staff. The result was a Wolves team back in the national picture in Division II football.
Dean was no stranger to the Carrollton campus when he returned to UWG last season. He brought with him a resume that would rival any coach in the nation. As an assistant or as a head coach, David Dean and his football teams are winners.
A former wide receiver at Georgia Tech, Dean got his introduction to the wars of Gulf South Conference football in 1988 when he began a four-year run on the staff at Valdosta State. In 1992 Dean moved to Carrollton for an eight-year run on the staff at West Georgia. That stint included the first winning season at the Division II level, the first NCAA D-II Playoff berth, and the program’s first two Gulf South Conference titles.
Dean departed UWG following the 1999 season, joining the staff of Chris Hatcher at Valdosta Sate. He spent seven seasons as the Blazers’ offensive coordinator, a run that included the 2004 NCAA Division II Championship.
In 2007 Dean ascended to the head coaching post at VSU. He had to assemble a coaching staff almost from the ground up as all but one fellow staff member moved on. The results were positive as Valdosta State posted a 13-1 record and won the program’s second national championship.
Five years later, Dean was back in the winner’s circle again. This time the Blazers lost twice in the regular season, but they were untouchable in the playoffs, averaging 42 points a game during a postseason march to a second national title.
That second national title with the Blazers put Dean in rare company. College football has been played in the state of Georgia since the 1890s, and during that time only three football coaches in this state have won multiple national titles. Erskine Russell won three FCS crowns at Georgia Southern, while Paul Johnson followed him in Statesboro with a pair of championships of his own. The other coach on that very exclusive list is David Dean.
Dean’s run as head coach at Valdosta State covered nine seasons. Beyond the two national crowns, his Blazer teams posted an impressive record of 79-27, including a mark of 42-19 in games played with the nation’s best Division II conference, the Gulf South. His teams advanced to the NCAA Playoffs six times, and Dean’s postseason head coaching record is 12-4.
The success of Dean’s Valdosta State program resulted in numerous individual plaudits. He captured American Football Coaches Association Division II Coach of the Year honors following both national titles. He was also named 2007 Coach of the Year by Schutt Sports, AFCA Regional Coach of the Year, and GSC Coach of the Year in 2010.
Beyond his individual success, Dean’s VSU players captured the highest of honors. His VSU teams had 18 Division II All-America selections, while 10 players signed National Football League contracts. Dean also coached three players who earned GSC Freshman of the Year honors, two league players of the year, and one national defensive player of the year.
Clearly, David Dean has been linked to success throughout his 30-year coaching career. At UWG or at UWG’s biggest rival, the results are irrefutable: David Dean is a winner. His teams win and his program flourishes.
Dean is a native of DeKalb County in the metro Atlanta area. He was born in Decatur, and enjoyed a stellar high school career for the Avondale Blue Devils. Dean arrived at Georgia Tech as a walk-on in 1982, but was awarded a scholarship the following season. He played wide receiver for the Jackets through the 1985 campaign.
Married to the former Stacie Stott, the Deans have three daughters: Caroline (21), Allison (19), and Natalie (13).

http://www.uwgsports.com

As always, we will meet at The Methodist Home For Children, in The Rumford Center. The address is 304 Pierce Avenue, and the meeting begins at 6:30 pm.

Guest Fee is $30.00, and includes dinner, club activities, recognition of local high school athletes, recognition of a local high school and the speaker.

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On Monday night, November 5th, the Macon Touchdown Club will welcome Brodie Croyle, former Alabama quarterback and current Executive Director of Big Oak Ranch, as our feature speaker.

It is “Alabama” night for the Club on November 5th with former Crimson Tide quarterback Brodie Croyle giving his insight on what is happening at the Capstone. Croyle played at Alabama from 2002-2005 starting two games as a freshman and 11 as a sophomore, despite suffering a separated shoulder in the fifth game of the season. In the third game of his junior season he suffered an ACL injury and missed he remainder of the year. Fully recovered as a senior, he started all 12 games leading the Tide to a 10-2 record, including a win over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl and a number 8 national ranking. He was the MVP of the Cotton Bowl. Due to his proclivity to injury, he dropped to the third round of the NFL draft and was chosen by the Kansas City Chiefs where he was a part-time starter from 2006 until 2010.

Brodie Croyle is Executive Director of Big Oak Ranch, a Christian home for abused, neglected, orphaned and abandoned children. Big Oak Ranch consists of three ministries: Big Oak Girls’ Ranch in Springville, AL, Big Oak Boys’ Ranch in Gadsden, AL and Westbrook Christian School in Rainbow City, AL. Brodie, his family and the staff at Big Oak are grounded in one purpose – to relieve the suffering of children. Big Oak Ranch has been focused on doing just that since 1974, with nearly 2,000 children calling it home.

Brodie’s calling at Big Oak Ranch is founded in the words of Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

http://www.bigoak.org

As always, we will meet at The Methodist Home For Children, in The Rumford Center. The address is 304 Pierce Avenue, and the meeting begins at 6:30 pm.

Guest Fee is $30.00, and includes dinner, club activities, recognition of local high school athletes, recognition of a local high school and the speak

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On Monday night, October 29th, the Macon Touchdown Club will welcome Legendary Coach Jim Donnan as our feature speaker.

Donnan boasts more than 30 years coaching experience as an assistant and head coach.

He began his coaching career at North Carolina State as an assistant from 1969-1971, just four seasons after his playing days were done for the Wolfpack. From N.C. State, Donnan made stops at Florida State, North Carolina, Kansas State and Missouri.

In 1985, Donnan joined the staff of Barry Switzer at Oklahoma. During his five seasons in Norman, Donnan helped coach the Sooner wishbone offense to three consecutive 11-1 seasons and a national championship. After his time at Oklahoma, Donnan was hired to be the head coach at Marshall. During his tenure with the Thundering Herd, Donnan compiled a 64-21 record, highlighted by five straight 11-plus win seasons and the 1992 Division 1-AA national championship. Donnan was named Division 1-AA Coach of the Year twice.

In 1996, he was hired by the University of Georgia as head coach. During his time in Athens, Donnan amassed a 40-19 record. He was the first coach in the history of the program to lead the Bulldogs to four consecutive bowl games.

Donnan was fired after the 2000 season. In 2009, Donnan was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Coaching History Team Years
Head Coach Georgia Bulldogs 1996-2000
Head Coach Marshall Thundering Herd 1990-1995
Offensive Coordinator Oklahoma Sooners 1985-1989
Assistant Coach Missouri Tigers 1981-1984
Assistant Coach Kansas State Wildcats 1978-1980
Assistant Coach North Carolina Tar Heels 1974-1977
Assistant Coach Florida State Seminoles 1972-73
Assistant Coach North Carolina State Wolfpack 1969-1971

As always, we will meet at The Methodist Home For Children, in The Rumford Center. The address is 304 Pierce Avenue, and the meeting begins at 6:30 pm.

Guest Fee is $30.00, and includes dinner, club activities, recognition of local high school athletes, recognition of a local high school and the speaker.

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On Monday night, October 22nd, the Macon Touchdown Club will welcome Coach Chris Hatcher, Head Coach of Samford University as our feature speaker.

Now entering his third season at Samford, Hatcher boasts a career record of 134-67 in 17 years as a college head coach, having previously coached at Murray State, Georgia Southern and Valdosta State.

Last season, Hatcher led the team to a 7-5 record and a spot in the NCAA Division I-FCS Playoffs. The 7-5 record marked the program’s sixth-straight winning season, the longest streak in program history.

Under Hatcher’s tutelage, quarterback Devlin Hodges set school records for single-season completions (375), attempts (530), passing yards (4,088) and touchdown passes (36). Hodges was named the SoCon’s Offensive Player of the Year and a third team All-American at the conclusion of the season.

As a unit, the Samford offense ranked third among all FCS schools in passing offense, averaging 349.4 passing yards per game. The offense also ranked sixth in the nation in red zone offense (90.2%), 11th in team passing efficiency (155.24), 12th in scoring offense (35.1 ppg.) and 14th in total offense (446.2 ypg.).

In his first season at Samford in 2015, Hatcher put his stamp on the Bulldog program. Samford finished the season third in the nation in passing offense (332.9 ypg.), seventh in the nation in total offense (479.7 ypg.) and seventh in fourth down conversions (66.7%). Hatcher’s special teams also stood out, ranking fifth nationally in kickoff return average (24.34 ypr.).

Hatcher led the Bulldogs to a 6-5 record that first season, ending the season with a pair of impressive Southern Conference road wins at Wofford and Mercer. The 2015 team also produced a pair of All-Americans in cornerback James Bradberry and place-kicker Anthony Pistelli.

http://samfordsports.com

As always, we will meet at The Methodist Home For Children, in The Rumford Center. The address is 304 Pierce Avenue, and the meeting begins at 6:30 pm.

Guest Fee is $30.00, and includes dinner, club activities, recognition of local high school athletes, recognition of a local high school and the speak

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On Monday night, October 15th, the Macon Touchdown Club will welcome Coach Paul Johnson of Georgia Tech as our feature speaker.

Entering his 22nd season as a head coach, three-time Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year Paul Johnson is in his 11th season as the head coach at Georgia Tech.

Utilizing his patented spread option offense – one of the most innovative offensive schemes in all of college football – Johnson has led the Yellow Jackets to eight bowl appearances, three bowl wins, three ACC Championship games and 75 victories. He is the fourth-winningest coach in Georgia Tech history in terms of both wins (75) and winning percentage (.581). The only coaches that have compiled more victories with the Yellow Jackets – John Heisman, William Alexander and Bobby Dodd – are all in the College Football Hall of Fame and only Dodd won more games in his first 10 seasons on The Flats (82).

In 21 seasons as a head coach, including ultra-successful stints at Georgia Southern (1997-2001) and the U.S. Naval Academy (2002-07), Johnson has compiled 182 victories, making him the fourth-winningest active coach in NCAA Division I FBS, behind only Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly (240 wins), Alabama’s Nick Saban (218) and Kansas State’s Bill Snyder (210). Johnson’s 21 seasons as a head coach are the fewest of the four (Kelly – 27, Snyder – 26, Saban – 22).

Johnson is the longest-tenured current coach in the ACC, as he was hired at Georgia Tech one week before David Cutcliffe was hired at Duke. Only 12 FBS coaches have been at their current school longer than Johnson, whose career at Tech has spanned longer than any head coach since Dodd retired after 22 seasons in 1966.

In addition to the three ACC Coach of the Year awards (2008, 2009, 2014), eight bowl appearances (2008-14, 2016), three bowl victories (2012, 2014, 2016), three ACC title games (2009, 2012, 2014) and 75 wins, Johnson’s long list of accomplishments at Georgia Tech includes:

• being named 2008 National Coach of the Year (CBS Sports);
• four nine-win seasons (2008, 2009, 2014, 2016) – Tech had just seven nine-win seasons in the 51 years immediately preceding Johnson’s arrival;
• two of the nine 10-win seasons in program history (2009, 2014);
• one of the five 11-win seasons in program history (2014);
• six first- or second-place finishes in the ACC Coastal Division – the only other ACC teams that have finished first or second in their division as many times in the last 10 seasons are Clemson (8), Florida State (7) and Virginia Tech (7);
• leading the ACC and ranking among the top 10 nationally in rushing offense every season;
• leading the nation in rushing offense twice – 2010 (323.3 ypg) and 2014 (342.1 ypg);
• compiling seven of the top 10 seasons in school history in terms of rushing offense;
• compiling six of the top 10 seasons in school history in terms of total offense;
• scoring at least 30 points in a game 63 times (going 51-12 in those contests);
• a 9-5 record (.643) at home against nationally ranked opponents (including three wins over top 10 teams);
• a current NCAA Graduation Success Rate of 82 percent, the highest in Georgia Tech football history – prior to Johnson’s arrival at Tech, the football program’s Graduation Success Rate dipped as low as 48 percent.

With the Yellow Jackets, he has coached:

• three first-team all-Americans – Michael Johnson (2008), Derrick Morgan (2009) and Shaquille Mason (2014);
• the 2008 ACC Offensive Player of the Year (Jonathan Dwyer);
• the 2009 ACC Defensive Player of the Year (Morgan);
• 15 first-team all-ACC honorees;
• 19 National Football League draft picks, including five selected in the first two rounds;
• six players that have rushed for 1,000 yards in a season a total of seven times – Dwyer (2008), Dwyer and Joshua Nesbitt (2009), Anthony Allen (2010),
Justin Thomas (2014), TaQuon Marshall and KirVonte Benson (2017).

Despite featuring two 1,000-yard runners and compiling the most 400-yard rushing games in a season in Georgia Tech history (4), the 2017 season was a frustrating one for Johnson and the Yellow Jackets. Tech went 5-6 in ‘17, marking only the third time in Johnson’s 21 seasons as a head coach that his team didn’t advance to the postseason. Making the 5-6 campaign especially frustrating was the fact that Georgia Tech led by 13 points or more in four of its six losses and saw the opponent score the winning points in the final 82 seconds of regulation or overtime three times. In fact, the Jackets were literally just three plays away from being 8-3 instead of 5-6 and came up two plays short of winning the ACC Coastal Division and making their fourth ACC Championship game appearance in 10 years.

However, if history is any indication, the frustrations of 2017 will lead to a bounce-back campaign in 2018. Following each of the previous three sub-.500 seasons of Johnson’s head-coaching career, his teams have rebounded to win at least eight games the following year.

One of those bounce-back seasons came in 2016, when Johnson led Georgia Tech to a 9-4 overall record, a six-win improvement over its injury-riddled 3-9 campaign in 2015 and good for a tie for the largest turnaround in the nation. The 9-4 campaign was capped by a four-game winning streak to close the season, including a 30-20 upset at 18th-ranked and eventual ACC Coastal champion Virginia Tech, a heart-stopping 28-27 victory at archrival Georgia in the regular-season finale and a convincing 33-18 triumph over Kentucky in the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla.

With the win over Georgia, Johnson became only the second Georgia Tech head coach to ever claim three wins over UGA in Athens, joining Dodd (5). He is also just the fourth coach in Tech history with as many as three wins overall versus Georgia, joining Dodd (12), Alexander (7) and George O’Leary (3).

The terrific 2016 campaign came on the heels of an uncharacteristic 3-9 in 2015. Tough luck contributed to the subpar year, as 16 different Yellow Jackets combined to miss 80 games due to injuries and six of the Jackets’ nine losses came by eight points or less. However, 2015 did provide one of the most iconic moments in Johnson’s coaching career, when the Yellow Jackets returned a blocked field goal 78 yards for a touchdown as time expired to give them a 22-16 win over No. 6 Florida State, snapping the Seminoles’ 28-game ACC winning streak.

In 2014, Johnson led the Yellow Jackets to one of the most prolific seasons in school history, an 11-3 campaign that included an ACC Coastal Division title, a 49-34 victory over Mississippi State in the Capital One Orange Bowl and No. 7 final ranking in the Amway Coaches Poll. Georgia Tech led the ACC in 11 different statistical categories in ’14, including rushing offense, scoring offense, passing efficiency and turnover margin, and led the nation in third-down conversion percentage (.579) and blocked kicks (6). Tech also set a school record with six defensive touchdowns, en route to its winningest season since its 11-0-1 national title campaign in 1990, and Johnson was named ACC Coach of the Year for the third time in seven seasons.

Other highlights of Johnson’s tenure at Georgia Tech include:

• the 2012 season, which was capped by a narrow 21-15 loss to Florida State in the ACC Championship Game and a 21-7 win over Southern California in the Hyundai Sun Bowl;
• opening the 2011 campaign with six-straight wins, followed by a win over No. 6 Clemson later in the season;
• winning 10 games, claiming the ACC Coastal Division championship, earning a FedEx Orange Bowl berth, finishing No. 13 nationally and being named ACC Coach of the Year for the second time in 2009;
• going 9-4, tying for the ACC Coastal Division title, being named National Coach of the Year (CBS Sportsline) and ACC Coach of the Year despite having 12 starters combine to miss 31 games in his first season at Georgia Tech in 2008.

Johnson was named Georgia Tech’s 12th head coach on Dec. 12, 2007 after six years as head coach at the U.S. Naval Academy.

He took over at Navy prior to the 2002 season, with the Midshipmen coming off the worst two-year stretch (1-20) in the Academy’s 123-year football history. After going 2-10 in his first season at the helm (Navy’s 19th losing record in 21 seasons), Johnson steered Navy back into national prominence, compiling a 43-19 record (.694) with five bowl appearances and two bowl victories in his final five seasons in Annapolis (2003-07).

Overall, Johnson led Navy to a 45-29 record (.608) in six seasons. The Midshipmen never finished lower than third nationally in rushing offense during his six-year tenure and led the nation in rushing in each of his final three seasons at the helm (2005-07).

It took just two seasons for Johnson to lead Navy from a winless season the year prior to his arrival (0-10 in 2001) to a bowl appearance in 2003 (going 8-4 in the regular season before falling to Texas Tech in the Houston Bowl). The Midshipmen were just the sixth team in NCAA history to go from a winless season to a bowl game in two seasons or less.

Johnson was named the Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year in 2004 after leading Navy to a 10-2 record, tying the school record for wins set in 1905, and only the fifth bowl victory in program history, a 34-19 win over New Mexico in the Emerald Bowl. The Midshipmen claimed the sixth bowl victory in Navy history a year later when they topped Colorado State, 51-30, in the 2005 Poinsettia Bowl.

Off the field, Navy ranked No. 1 in the nation in graduation rate during Johnson’s tenure.

In addition to turning around the Midshipmen’s storied program, Johnson’s stint at the Naval Academy is also best remembered for dominating the other two U.S. service academies (Air Force and Army) unlike any other coach in Navy’s all-time annals. The Midshipmen went 11-1 against their fellow academies under Johnson, including a perfect 6-0 against archrival Army. After not winning Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy (presented annually to the winner of the triangular series between the service academies) since 1981, Navy claimed the trophy in each of Johnson’s final five seasons in Annapolis.

Johnson’s head-coaching career began with five seasons at Georgia Southern (1997-2001). Taking over a program that went 4-7 the year prior to his arrival, Johnson compiled a gaudy 62-10 record (.861) in five campaigns at the Statesboro, Ga. school while winning five-straight Southern Conference titles and two NCAA Division I-AA national championships (1999 and 2000).

In all, the Eagles won at least 10 games in each of Johnson’s five seasons at the helm and made three-straight appearances in the Division I-AA national championship game, losing to UMass in the 1998 I-AA title game before winning national championships in 1999 (59-24 over Jim Tressel-led Youngstown State) and 2000 (27-25 over Montana).

Georgia Southern averaged 5.3 touchdowns, 39.7 points, 360.3 rushing yards and 468.8 total yards per game under Johnson’s tutelage and outscored its opponents by a whopping 21.2 points per contest (39.7-18.5) over the five-year span. In Johnson’s five seasons at GS, the Eagles broke or tied 379 school, conference, national and stadium records, won a I-AA-record 39-consecutive home games and produced 31 all-Americans. His most decorated player, running back Adrian Peterson, won the 1999 Walter Payton Award (I-AA Player of the Year) and still remains the leading rusher in Division I history (I-A/FBS or I-AA/FCS) with 6,559 career yards.

In his five seasons at Georgia Southern, Johnson was named the Division I-AA National Coach of the Year four times (1997-2000).

Prior to becoming a head coach, Johnson served as offensive coordinator at Georgia Southern, Hawai’i and Navy. As offensive coordinator at Georgia Southern (1985-86), Johnson mentored record-setting quarterback Tracy Ham, who became the first player in NCAA history to pass for 5,000 yards and rush for 3,000 yards in a career, and helped lead the Eagles to a 26-4 overall record, 36 points and 435 yards per game and back-to-back I-AA national championships.

In eight seasons at Hawai’i (1987-94), he helped lead the Rainbows to their first bowl game (1989 Aloha Bowl), their first Western Athletic Conference championship (1992) and their first bowl win (27-17 over Illinois in 1992 Holiday Bowl). The 1992 squad won a school-record 11 games and finished nationally ranked for the first time (No. 20). At UH, Johnson was named the WAC’s top offensive coach and one of the nation’s top 10 assistant coaches by Sporting News.

Following his eight years at Hawai’I, Johnson went to Navy for a two-year stint as offensive coordinator (1995-96). He helped Navy to a 9-3 record in 1996, its first winning season in 14 years.

Johnson’s coaching career began with roles as offensive coordinator at Avery County (N.C.) H.S. from 1979-80 and at nearby Lees-McRae College from 1981-82. His only position on the defensive side of the ball was as defensive line coach at Georgia Southern from 1983-84.

A Newland, N.C. native, Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Western Carolina in 1979 and a master’s in health and physical education from Appalachian State in 1982.

He met his wife, the former Susan Probst, when both were attending Western Carolina. The couple married in 1980 and their daughter, Kaitlyn, was born in 1993.

Kaitlyn is an accomplished opera singer (soprano) that holds degrees from Rice (bachelor’s degree in vocal performance) and Indiana (master’s degree from the renowned Jacobs School of Music). She is currently in residence with the Arizona Opera in Phoenix, Ariz.

http://www.ramblinwreck.com

As always, we will meet at The Methodist Home For Children, in The Rumford Center. The address is 304 Pierce Avenue, and the meeting begins at 6:30 pm.

Guest Fee is $30.00, and includes dinner, club activities, recognition of local high school athletes, recognition of a local high school and the speak

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On Monday night, October 8th, the Macon Touchdown Club will welcome Chuck Oliver, Southern Sports Today, as our feature speaker.

Chuck Oliver is one of the toughest things to find in this city — a born-and-raised, true Atlanta native. After graduating from Central Gwinnett in 1986, Chuck then attended Auburn University, where he earned his degree in English and began teaching and coaching football.

In 1992 Chuck was hired at South Gwinnett as defensive line coach. During his five-year tenure at South nine different linemen received scholarships, playing everywhere from Auburn to Georgia Southern, from Georgia Tech to Eastern Kentucky. At the age of 29, he “retired” to become a full-time writer and author, penning three books and literally hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles and feature pieces.

In August 2000, AM 790 in Atlanta set about to find the city’s most knowledgeable college football authority and out of hundreds of applicants . . . they selected Chuck. It wasn’t long before the Saturday college football show became Saturdays and Sundays, then a Monday through Friday show during mid-days and finally afternoon drive talking college football in the nation’s 7th largest market.

After anchoring that show, Chuck was offered the chance in 2008 to join 680 The Fan and didn’t hesitate. He and Matt Chernoff now have the most fact-filled, most fun and definitely most quirky four hours on Atlanta sports radio every Monday through Friday from 3pm – 7pm.

Additionally, Chuck was Comcast Sport Southeast’s ACC football expert for 10 seasons, as well as providing color commentary for seven years for the Conference USA “Game of the Week” televised across 11 states each Saturday during football season. He also spent four years as the SEC expert on the post-game show for CBS’ national game of the week, while also providing color analysis on the official radio broadcast for eight Chick-fil-A Peach Bowls. Additionally, Chuck logged 13 years on the selection committee for the bowl game and is also a voting member for the College Football Hall of Fame. Not forgetting his high school coaching roots, Chuck spent five years co-hosting the CSS production “In the Huddle,” a weekly high school football show seen from Louisiana to Mobile and Miami up to North Carolina. He has been nominated for four Emmys.

As always, we will meet at The Methodist Home For Children, in The Rumford Center. The address is 304 Pierce Avenue, and the meeting begins at 6:30 pm.

Guest Fee is $30.00, and includes dinner, club activities, recognition of local high school athletes, recognition of a local high school and the speaker.

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On Monday night, October 1st, the Macon Touchdown Club will welcome Coach Bobby Lamb of Mercer University as our feature speaker.

Since guiding the Bears through a return to the gridiron in 2013, following a 72-year hiatus, Bobby Lamb has continued to build the Mercer football program into a focal point of Macon and the surrounding Middle Georgia communities.

Lamb enters his sixth season as Mercer’s head football coach in 2018 and will lead a squad that returns 18 starters from the year prior and placed eight student-athletes on the 2018 Preseason All-Southern Conference team. He veteran coach recorded his 100th victory of his career, against Jacksonville on September 8th.

Named the 19th head football coach in program history in 2011, Lamb led the Bears to immediate success in their first season of action in 2013, claiming the third 10-win season of his coaching career and setting the NCAA Division I record for wins by a first-year program with a 10-2 campaign. The 2013 win total also set a school record for victories, surpassing the previous mark (7), which was set by Lake Russell’s 1931 & 1932 squads. For his efforts, Lamb finished third in the PFL Coach of the Year voting & ranked among the top 11 finalists for FCS National Coach of the Year.

Since taking the helm at Mercer, Lamb’s players have excelled as model student-athletes in the classroom and in the community, participating in numerous volunteering initiatives with local schools, educational programs and more. Three Bears – John Russ, Thomas Marchman and Isaiah Buehler – have been AFCA Good Works Team nominees, recognizing them as outstanding community service leaders.

Lamb’s football program has helped the Mercer athletics department rank atop the Southern Conference in academic standing for three consecutive years by winning three straight Barrett-Bonner Awards and leading the league in academic all-conference selections for three straight years as well.

As always, we will meet at The Methodist Home For Children, in The Rumford Center. The address is 304 Pierce Avenue, and the meeting begins at 6:30 pm.

Guest Fee is $30.00, and includes dinner, club activities, recognition of local high school athletes, recognition of a local high school and the speaker.

http://www.mercerbears.com

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The Macon Touchdown Club is having our 8th Annual Boston Butt Sale. The price of the tickets are $35.00. The Boston Butts will be fully cooked and available for pick-up on Sunday, November 18th between 2:00pm and 5:00pm at U Park EM U SELL EM, located at 3306 Vineville Avenue.

The proceeds benefit the Bobby Sanders Memorial Scholarship, awarded by the Macon Touchdown Club. Each year the Macon Touchdown Club awards these scholarships to high school seniors.

Tickets are available through any of the Macon Touchdown Club members.

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On Monday night, September 24th, the Macon Touchdown Club will welcome Legendary Coach Bill Curry as our feature speaker.

For more than 40 years, Bill Curry’s inspirational messages have mesmerized audiences. Using a commanding, passionate, and often humorous delivery, he connects with each listener, leaving a profound impression every time he speaks. Bill’s is an old-school message delivered with contemporary flair.

Bill was a two-time Super Bowl Champion and played in two NFL Pro Bowls. As an NCAA coach, Bill was named National Coach of the Year at Alabama and later became the first head football coach ever at Georgia State. As an ESPN commentator, he regularly shared his thoughts with a worldwide audience of millions. When Bill talks of discipline and success, his life experience is proof-positive of the effectiveness of his methods.

Throughout his career, Bill faced a wide range of mettle-testing adversities. His NFL career was cut short by a catastrophic knee injury. In Super Bowl III, Bill’s Baltimore Colts suffered a humiliating loss in the greatest sports upset of all time. Bill’s coaching career included mind-numbing lows and devastating tragedies. When Bill talks of perseverance and toughness, he speaks with an authoritative voice steeled by his personal experiences.

Bill played for some of the greatest coaches of all time, including Vince Lombardi, Don Shula, and Bobby Dodd. His teammates included legendary players like Willie Davis, Bart Starr, and Johnny Unitas. Bill has studied the lives and methods of his personal heroes from past generations, ranging from Helen Keller and Rudyard Kipling to Theodore Roosevelt and Goethe. When Bill talks of leadership and success, his is a personal message molded by his extraordinary mentors and role models.

Whatever the message you wish to communicate – success, leadership, team-building, perseverance, some other topic in the “Wonder of You” Series, or even an agenda that you help design – Bill will do so in a resounding manner the attendees will never forget.

As always, we will meet at The Methodist Home For Children, in The Rumford Center. The address is 304 Pierce Avenue, and the meeting begins at 6:30 pm.

Guest Fee is $30.00, and includes dinner, club activities, recognition of local high school athletes, recognition of a local high school and the speaker.

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