Georgia Tech will see eight former standouts inducted into the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame during an induction ceremony Saturday at the College Football Hall of Fame.
The eight Yellow Jackets - John Davis, Mackel Harris, Eddie Lee Ivery, Billy Lothridge, Pepper Rodgers, Lucius Sanford, Ken Swilling and Pat Swilling - are part of a 40-member class for 2023.
Here’s a closer look at Tech’s honorees:
John Davis
Davis was a four-year football letterman at Gilmer High and the 1982 Class AA Lineman of the Year, as named by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Davis was a four-year starter at Tech and first-team All-American in 1985 by The Sporting News. Davis’ most memorable game came in 1984 in a 28-21 victory over Clemson. Playing center that game, Davis was named Sports Illustrated’s offensive player of the week and earned the nickname “The Refrigerator Mover” for his ability to negate Clemson star noseguard William “The Refrigerator” Perry.
The Houston Oilers drafted Davis in the 11th round of the 1987 NFL Draft and was best known for his time with the Buffalo Bills from 1989 to 1994.
Mackel Harris
Harris was the state’s fastest football player and the ringleader of Americus’ undefeated state championship teams in 1974 and 1975. He was a four-year standout at Tech and, as a freshman in 1976, tallied 109 tackles and was the recipient of the Clint Castleberry Award, given to Tech’s rookie of the year.
Harris finished his career with 390 tackles and spent a brief time in the NFL with the Denver Broncos and Dallas Cowboys before beginning a career at Life University School of Chiropractic Medicine where he is currently the school’s director of recruitment and multicultural affairs.
Eddie Lee Ivery
Ivery was a starter at running back and safety at Thomson and rushed for 1,701 yards, averaging more than 10 yards per carry, for a 6-4 team as a senior.
Ivery became Tech’s all-time leading rusher (3,517 yards) and finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1978. The highlight of that season was his 356-yard performance against Air Force where he scored on runs of 80, 73 and 57 yards.
Ivery was selected by the Packers with the No. 15 overall pick in the 1979 NFL Draft. He played eight seasons, appearing in 72 games with 50 starts. He earned his undergraduate degree from Tech in 1992, worked in Tech’s athletic department and then helped coach at Thomson in his retirement.
Billy Lothridge
Lothridge, best known as the 1963 Heisman Trophy runner-up to Roger Staubach, was a high school star at Gainesville where he was a three-year starter and two-time first-team all-state player in the 1950s.
At Tech, Lothridge was the Jackets’ starting quarterback over his three varsity seasons. He passed for 2,394 yards and rushed for 746 yards in his career. Lothridge ranked fourth nationally in points scored, averaged 40.8 yards per punt and was twice named to the All-SEC team.
The Dallas Cowboys of the NFL and Oakland Raiders of the AFL both drafted Lothridge and he signed with the Cowboys and played nine NFL seasons, mostly as a punter and mostly with the Atlanta Falcons.
Lothridge died in 1996 at age 54.
Pepper Rodgers
Rodgers excelled in football, track and baseball at Brown High School in Atlanta. He was a two-time all-state quarterback who led the Rebels to the Class 2A championship in 1949.
Rodgers was the backup quarterback of Tech’s 1952 national championship team. As a senior on the 1953 team, Rodgers was named MVP of the 1953 Sugar Bowl after throwing three touchdown passes and leading Tech to a victory over West Virginia.
After graduating from Tech, Rodgers was a 12th-round NFL Draft pick in 1954. Rather than signing, Rodgers spent five years in the Air Force and then became a college coach at Kansas (1967-70), UCLA (1971-73) and Tech (1974-79).
Lucius Sanford
Sanford was a letterman in football, track and basketball at Atlanta’s West Fulton High. He was a four-year football starter and a 1973 first-team all-state pick.
At Tech, Sanford was a four-year starter (1975-1978). He recorded 14 tackles in his debut against No. 2-ranked Notre Dame and his 124 tackles that season set a school freshman record that still stands. He finished as Tech’s career tackles leader (433).
Sanford was a three-time All-South Independent selection and first-team AFCA and Sporting News All-American in 1977. The Buffalo Bills selected him in the fourth round of the 1978 NFL Draft and he played 10 years in the league, nine with the Bills.
Sanford joined the Georgia Tech Athletic Association staff in 1998 as director of student life after a nine-year career in the financial industry and he is currently the executive director of Georgia Tech’s Letterwinner Association.
Ken Swilling
Ken Swilling made first-team AJC all-state as a defensive back and first-team Georgia Athletic Coaches Association all-state as a running back as a senior in a wishbone offense in 1987 for Stephens County.
Swilling went on to become a four-year starter, two-time All-ACC pick and 1990 All-American at Tech, which he helped lead to a 1990 national title. Swilling was a seventh-round NFL Draft pick and played one NFL season.
Pat Swilling
After committing to Auburn, Pat Swilling flipped to Tech where coach Bill Curry called him a “game changer.” He was a four-year starter and a key piece of a defense that adopted the nickname “Black Watch.”
Swilling set an NCAA single-game record with seven sacks against North Carolina State in 1985 and graduated as Tech’s all-time sacks leader (23).
The New Orleans Saints selected Swilling in the third round of the 1986 NFL Draft. He was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1991 and was twice an All Pro (1991, 1992).
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