It’s no exaggeration to say Deion Sanders is the greatest athlete of all time. Very few rival his accomplishments, which include playing in the World Series and being a Hall of Fame football player. And more than 35 years ago, the late Vince Dooley made one of the biggest mistakes of his career trying to recruit Prime Time before he was Prime Time.
Sanders attended north Fort Meyers High School and ended up committing to play for Bobby Bowden at Florida State University, where he became an All-American. However, his decision was predicated on a few things, which the Seminoles acquiesced. Per David Dorsey of News-Press.com, he wanted to be close to his mother and wanted to play as a true freshman, which wasn’t as common back then as it is now.
The proximity to his mother more than likely took precedence over playing the moment he stepped on campus, but it was a significant factor in his decision. In fact, Dooley’s greatest mistake may have been not being open to letting arguably the best corner in history play as a true freshman.
Deion Sanders discusses his recruiting visit to UGA and when he met the late Vince Dooley.
Coach Prime wasn’t impressed by the Dawgs apparently. pic.twitter.com/U6cnjMzJGo
— Miles Garrett (@MilesGarrettTV) December 10, 2022
Now, Dooley’s accomplishments stand on their own. He’s the winningest coach in program history, amassed a 201-77-10 record while at the helm from 1964 to 1988, winning six SEC titles, as well as the 1980 National Championship. Dooley also spent 25 years as the school’s athletic director from 1979 to 2004, hiring many successful coaches in that period.
However, his most dominant period came in the early 80s with Heschel Walker as the star. In 1980, the Dawgs went 12-0 en route to winning the National Championship. From 1980 to 1983, Georgia posted a record of 43-4-1, the best four-year stretch in program history. He’s a legend around these parts, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, but he missed on one of the greatest recruits in history in Deion Sanders.
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