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Posted 02/16/2009 at 08:16 PM
When senior running back Fred Taylor scored four touchdowns to lead Florida to a stunning 32-29 win over top-ranked-and-previously-unbeaten FSU in 1997 at The Swamp, I dubbed him "Four-Touchdown Fred."
To this day, that remains the greatest college football game that I've seen in person. It is probably the sweetest victory at The Swamp during Steve Spurrier's 12-year tenure, if not the best home win in Florida's storied football history.
Today Taylor was released by the Jags, who got 11 great years from the Belle Glade native who came out of high school with Gator teammates Reidel Anthony and Johnny Rutledge.
Fred's not done. He'll hook up with another team -- possibly the Pats -- and try to get a Super Bowl ring. I think he has several good years left, especially if in a reduced role, so he's note done yet.
But even if he were to hang it up now, Fred's got this remarkable stat that makes him a serious Hall of Fame candidate. Only four RBs in NFL history have a better career yards per carry average than Taylor's 4.6 YPC. Those names are O.J. Simpson, Jim Brown, Tiki Barber and Barry Sanders.
He's not and never was "Fragile Fred" like some called him after he struggled to recover from a injury to his groin muscle that completely ripped away from the bone a few year's back (What male wouldn't struggle with that?!).
Even since '97, he's been Four-Touchdown Fred. The Jags won't be the same without him.
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