Hit one of our posts on the web site here tonight, while trying to get to or back to another post and saw this news on former Eastern Guilford Wildcat and Elon College Fighting Christian runninghack Bobby Hedrick passing away at age 57…This is the first I had seen or heard of it and I played against this man back in high school and we are both the same age….This one of those crazy ones since Bobby Hedrick is one of the top runningbacks back in college football history and he led Elon College to the NAIA National Championship…
I remember well facing Bobby Hedrick when he was at Eastern Guilford and I made my home at Western Guilford and our defense met him we probably allowed him about 50 yards rushing, if that…He was a great runner, there is no doubt that and he had some very good coaching in college from Red Wilson and Jerry Tolley, that is for sure…Still remember seeing and hearing about all of his college rushing numbers and thinking this kid has really stepped up his game from back in high school and he did….
He was one of those Guilford County greats by the time he got to college and here’s what they are saying about Bobby Hedrick and his outstanding numbers from is days at Elon College and this part is coming in from the Elon University athletics web site….
Hearing about something like this does really blow you away…
REMEMBERING #44 BOBBY HEDRICK
Former Elon running back Bobby Hedrick ’83 passed away at the age of 57 on Sunday, Nov. 1. Hedrick is one of five Elon football players to have had his number retired and helped the maroon and gold capture the 1980 NAIA National Championship. In that title game against Northeastern Oklahoma, Hedrick ran for 186 yards. He finished his career with 5,604 rushing yards. At the time, only Tony Dorsett (Pitt) had rushed for more yards in all of college football. Hedrick ran for 60 touchdowns and holds program records for career rushing yards, as well as carry marks for a game, season and career. His 5,604 rushing yards are more than 1,200 yards more than any other Elon running back has ever amassed. He was inducted into the Elon Sports Hall of Fame in 1990. A sticker with his #44 will don the Elon helmets for the remainder of the season.
That’s a hard one to swallow. He was very good! When we (WG) played Eastern Guilford my senior year, Bobby ran up and down the field on us! He buzzed right through our defense. A defense that posted 8 shutouts that year. We found ourselves down 21-0 at halftime. We did finally regroup and came back to win 28-21. Once he got in the open field, he was gone! And now it’s hard to believe he’s gone.
Excellent thoughts there from Hornet 77…