Georgia football: Former QBs who should have won a ring as a Dawg
Eric Zeier
Eric Zeier is one of the most decorated quarterbacks in Georgia football history and SEC history. By the end of his Bulldog career, Zeier had become Georgia and the SEC’s all-time career passing yards leader with 11,153 yards. Those records have since been broken, but at the time, it held tough. He also had three games in which he passed for over 440 yards.
His junior and senior seasons were his best statistically as a Bulldog, but the teams he played on just weren’t that great. Georgia finished 5-6 in 1993 and 6-4-1 in ’94.
Zeier was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 1995 NFL Draft and spent six seasons in the league. He joined the Georgia Bulldogs Radio Network in 2008 and continues to be the color commentator for Georgia football games alongside Scott Howard.
Even though the Georgia teams of the 1990s aren’t remembered with many fond memories, the 1992 team stands out as the best from the decade. On offense, Georgia had weapons like Zeier, Garrison Hearst, Terrell Davis, Andre Hastings, and Brice Hunter. The offense averaged 31 points per game, which ranked in the top 10 in the country.
Hearst would finish the season with 1,547 rushing yards,19 touchdowns, and third place in the 1992 Heisman Trophy voting. Zeier, who was a sophomore in ’92, completed 58.5% of his passes for 2,248 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Georgia had no trouble with any of their opponents in 1992 except for two teams. I’m sure you know which ones I’m talking about: Tennessee and Florida. Georgia lost a heartbreaker to Tennessee at home, 34-31. Despite the loss, the Dawgs were still in the running to win the SEC East division thanks to three straight SEC losses by the Volunteers.
All Georgia had to do was defeat Florida in Jacksonville. Georgia came into the game ranked No. 6, but that meant nothing to the 22nd ranked Gators, who built up a 23-7 lead by the second quarter. Zeier helped Georgia bring the score to 23-17 at halftime.
The Bulldog defense held Florida to just three points in the second half. Zeier led a Georgia drive with less than five minutes in the fourth quarter that ended with a 35-yard touchdown pass to Brian Bohannon, bringing Georgia within two. Sadly, the Florida offense would run out the clock to win the game 26-24 and end the Dawgs’ hopes of going to the SEC Championship.
Georgia finished the season 10-2 and defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes, led by QB Kirk Herbstreit, in the Citrus Bowl. Even though a 10 win season is nothing to be ashamed of, this 1992 team will always be one of the top “what-if” teams in Georgia football history.
A handful of points kept Zeier and this team from going undefeated and playing for an SEC title and potentially a National Championship.