Georgia football: 10 Bulldogs who defined Running Back U
By Josh Yourish
. . Garrison Hearst. player. 527. RBU. Georgia: 1990-92. NFL: 1993-98, 2001-04. Garrison Hearst. 4
Georgia rushing yards: 3,232 Georgia rushing touchdowns: 33
NFL rushing yards: 7,966 NFL rushing touchdowns: 30
The lineage of great running backs at Georgia continues from Hampton to Hearst. He took over as the lead back in 1990 but wasn't very efficient with just 717 yards on 162 carries. However, two years later, he was one of the best running backs in the entire country.
In 1992, Hearst was named the SEC Player of the Year and an All-American for his season with 1,871 scrimmage yards and 21 total touchdowns. He averaged 7.5 yards a touch and 6.8 yards per carry. He was the Doak Walker Award winner as the best running back in the country. His 1,547 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns both led the country.
After that great season, the Arizona Cardinals took Hearst with the third overall pick in the 1993 NFL draft. Hearst had a slow start as a pro but had three 1,000-yard seasons in his first six years, two of those coming with the San Francisco 49ers. However, after 1998, Hearst missed two seasons with avascular necrosis which is a circulatory issue, the same one that forced Bo Jackson to retire from football.
He returned to the field in 2001 and won the Comeback Player of the Year Award with 1,206 rushing yards. He was also named to his second Pro Bowl. The 49ers went 12-4 that year after posting a 10-22 record in the two years without Hearst.