Swarn also had speed and was a track athlete. In high school he was a six-time state qualifier (Class AAA) running for Mansfield Malabar’s 1600 m relay team in 1980 (6th place), 1981 (2nd), and 1982 (2nd) and their 400 m relay team in 1981 (2nd). As an individual, he finished 5th in the 200 m (22.42) and 2nd in the 400 m (48.63) in 1982. He was also nice to me one time during practice.
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In '85, I attended our game against EMU at Ypsi. It was a miserable, cold, wet day. It had rained for most of the week. Eastern had played at home the week before. The field was a disaster. Lots of mud, not much grass. Our run game was very good so Eastern did nothing to prepare the field in an effort to slow our run offense down.
Swarn was unbelievable. He rushed 41 times for 326 yards. Even in those conditions, he played like it was a fast track. I remember thinking that he looked as good on the 41st carry as he did on the 1st. One of the best rushing performances I have ever seen. Actually, it was probably the best. Obviously, I was impressed!
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Yeah I was at that game too. (pretty sure Dick was there as well). That field was an absolute mess…never saw a college field like that… completely muddy with almost no green grass left showing.
I remember talking to Coach Hatgas a couple of minutes after the game as well.
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Yep, I was at that game also. My lovely wife refused to go. I had on a big red parka. I just went down onto the field and stood back just enough not to bother anyone.
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Swarn, Dan D, Andy Schillinger, Terry Morris, Mike Marhofer, Gary Gussman, Sheldon White, Pete Mather, Tom Graham-those were some great teams in my Miami days!
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I was there too. To me it looked like everyone else was slipping and sliding and he ran just like the conditions were perfect.
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and Steve Fitzhugh and Andy Marlatt.
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Definitely Marlatt!
Almost everyone you listed, including Fitzhugh and Marlatt, spent time in an NFL camp either as a draftee or undrafted free agent. That was a talent-loaded Miami team.
I was there.
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One of the best times I ever had at a Miami sporting event!
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Welcome!
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I am kinda amazed how many of us were in Ypsilanti that rainy night back in 1985 to see Swarn run for 326 yards. I lived in Midland, MI in the mid 80’s and my Fortune 500 company was full of MAC grads. I went to most every Miami away game at Michigan MAC schools in those years, especially nearby CMU where one of my best buddies was formerly the back up QB to Gary Hogeboom in his college days.
That timeframe of 1985-89 was the only time after I graduated from Miami that I lived in the Midwest somewhat near Oxford.
Fun days including going to the LSU win in 1986 and the Cal Bowl that same year. After the glory days of the 70’s when I was at Miami I kept expecting a return to greatness. We got close in '86 and we always will have the LSU game…one of my greatest Miami football memories of all time for me.
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2003 was great as well
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Agree and my second favorite Miami away game that I ever attended was that year (2003) in Evanston. For those of the faithful here that attended, all will remember a “sea” of red in the stands that day. Likely the biggest away crowd Miami has ever garnered…I would say 8,000+ Miamiains were there to see Big Ben and company thrash the Wildcats.
I ran into a number of Miami alums there I had not seen in over 20 years… .so much fun!
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I was at the Purdue game in ‘73 when we came behind in the second half to win and started the magic run of ‘73,’74, and ‘75. I was also at the exciting come from behind win at UK in ‘78. We trailed at halftime and a UK asked me if we were playing Morehead next week. I said nope… Michigan State and he started laughing.
And I was at the Cal Bowl, too, in ‘86. Went out for a beer the night before the game with Bob Hitchens. We’d known each other in a Miami class or two. Bob Babich and a couple of his buddies from San Diego were staying in the room next to mine at the hotel. RIP to both Bobs.
You have always.got around to many more games than me, Nescadad! I was at Purdue game around '80 or '81 when Mark Hermann was their QB. We had a 3-0 lead until we let Hermann take them down the field for a TD right before half. We had dominated the game up to then by intercepting him 3 times already and missed two short FG’s. Can’t do that and be losing 7-3 at half to favored opponent.
I told my Purdue hosts that the game was over right there and was unfortunately correct as we lost 28-3. Jim Young was the HC at Purdue then and he called 3 time outs in the final minute of the game so they could score again. I started yelling “bush league” and the Boiler fans around me did not appreciate me too much!
Several years ago, I was speaking to a friend who was very involved with Michigan’s football program. We were talking about the recent Miami/Purdue game and his caustic comment to Young. The week after the MU/PU game, Michigan played Purdue. Bo steamrolled them. As the teams were running off the field, the Michigan staffer knowing Miami and Bo, ran up to Young and told him, “That’s what you get for screwing Miami last week,” referring to the 3 time outs to score in a game that had been over for awhile.
True story.
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What a great story, Mightymu! Thanks for sharing!
Funny how relating a seemingly insignificant moment from a game long ago can trigger an other interesting comments or a personal story…much like the George Swarm 326 yard game against EMU in the mud, and how many here on the board were at that game.
It truly was a low class move by Young. My host (colleague and friend who was a PU alum) was embarrassed by it.
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Oddly, Young is a BGSU alum who was an assistant coach for Bo at Miami from ‘64-‘68. He followed Bo to Meechigan and was Bo’s DC for four seasons.
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