Jake Scott To Be Honored Saturday

FOOTBALL

The University of Georgia and The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today that they will jointly honor Jake Scott with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments on Nov. 12 during the game between the Dawgs and Auburn University. Coverage of the game will start at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

"I think it's a team honor more than it is a personal honor, because football is a team sport and if it wasn't for the good players around me at Georgia or the good players around me in Miami, I wouldn't be there," said Scott during a conference call when his induction was announced in May. "I'm just thankful for my teammates. I'm appreciative of what I'm getting but I wish they would've gotten more publicity... I've been real lucky and I'm thankful for it."

The NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute program is a hallowed tradition that began with the inaugural class in 1951, and to this day the salutes remain the first of numerous activities in each inductee's Hall of Fame experience. During the NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, each inductee returns to his alma mater to accept a Hall of Fame plaque that will remain on permanent display at the institution. The events take place on the field during a home game, and many inductees cite the experience as the ultimate capstone to their careers, providing them one more chance to take the field and hear the crowd roar their name.

"One of the most gifted athletes to ever set foot on the college gridiron, Jake Scott was tough, fast and fearless," said NFF President and CEO Steve Hatchell. "He foiled offenses as one of the best defensive backs in the history of the game and wreaked havoc on opponents as an elusive kick returner. It will be a thrill to honor him in front of the Dawg fans on November 12th."

A consensus All-American in 1968, Scott played safety and returned kicks at Georgia from 1967-68, leading the Dawgs to an SEC championship his final year in Athens. In addition to making numerous All-America teams in 1968, he was named the SEC's Most Valuable Player by the Nashville Banner.

A two-time First Team All-SEC pick, Scott led the conference in interceptions in 1967 and 1968. His 16 career interceptions remain a school record, and he is one of three players in SEC history to return two picks for touchdowns in the same game. He led the Dawgs to the league crown in 1968 by intercepting 10 passes (tied for second-most in school history) and compiling 440 punt return yards, which ranks fourth in school history.

A First Team Academic All-SEC performer as a sophomore, Scott bypassed his senior campaign to play for the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League. Scott later played nine seasons in the NFL for the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins and started 123-of-126 career games. The five-time Pro Bowler and two-time First Team All-Pro was named the Super Bowl VII MVP for the undefeated Dolphins squad in 1972. He is Miami's all-time leader in interceptions and punt returns.
Scott was voted to the College Coaches All-Time All-America Team in 1983 and is a member of the State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and the Miami Dolphin Honor Roll.

Considered by College Football Hall of Fame coach Vince Dooley to be the finest athlete he ever coached, Scott was a member of the Quarter Century All-SEC Team and the SEC All-Time Defensive Team. A native of Greenwood, S.C., Scott is retired and lives in Hanalei, Hawai'i.

Scott becomes the 12th Georgia player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Previous inductees (with year of induction) include Bob McWhorter (1954), Frank Sinkwich (1954), Charley Trippi (1959), Vernon "Catfish" Smith (1979), Bill Hartman (1984), Fran Tarkenton (1987), Bill Stanfill (1998), Herschel Walker (1999), Terry Hoage (2000), Kevin Butler (2001), and John Rauch (2003). Hall of Fame coaches who headed the program in Athens include Glenn "Pop" Warner (1951), Vince Dooley (1994), Wally Butts (1997), and Jim Donnan (2009).