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http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/23521424/andy-johnson-former-georgia-bulldogs-qb-dies-65 (http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/23521424/andy-johnson-former-georgia-bulldogs-qb-dies-65)


Andy Johnson made the play that broke Vol hearts and perhaps increased the dissatisfaction with Bill Battle. And I got a bird's eye view of it.


In 1973 in Neyland the Vols led UGA 31-28 late in the 4th quarter. The Vols had the ball somewhere around their own 40-45 yard line. On 4th down Battle elected to fake a punt. It failed. Georgia marched down the field and scored the winning touchdown.


But the big and bizarre play came with UGA at about the Vols 10 yard line. Johnson kept the ball and ran around the end heading for the end zone when he fumbled the ball. The ball bounced off the tartan turf and right back into Johnson's hands. He scored and the Vols lost.

I was seated in that end zone and saw the play up close. Vol fans were outraged that Battle faked the punt when a punt would have put UGA deep into their territory. If it had worked, it would have been a great call. But it didn't and the complaining about Battle began to get serious.

Remember it well.

I definitely remember that game. I was 12 at the time.  I remember my dad yelling, "What are you thinking Battle?" I remember the headline in the Bristol paper..."Dawgs chew on Vols boner!" which has a different connotation now than it did in 1973.  Wasn't as dirty sounding back then. Sorry to hear of his passing though.

I was 7 at the time and remember hearing about the fake punt and the Tartan bounce and the calls for Battle's head.  I never really knew it was all about a UGa game until now!  IIRC, the North Texas St game was the next year and that probably sealed Battle's fate.  I think OldVol75 was around for these events.

Never heard a word about it.  Wasn't living in Tennessee at the time.  I didn't follow the Vols until 1982, and didn't follow them closely until 1985.