It was 30 years ago this week. The 8th ranked Georgia Bulldogs, under the guidance of legendary coach Vince Dooley, came into the Auburn game not only highly ranked, but picked to win easily. Auburn, a pre-season top ten pick, had struggled in virtually every southeastern conference game it had played. Underperformance seemed to be the hallmark of this Tiger team. Trying to get his team excited, Coach Doug Barfield put the Tigers on the field wearing orange jerseys that day.
A young running back from Sulligent, Alabama literally stole the day from the Bulldogs. Young Joe Cribbs rushed for 250 yards that day, and Auburn tied the highly ranked Bulldogs 22-22. Cribbs would finish the season as a first team all-SEC running back with 1205 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns.
Joe Cribbs went on to play running back for the Buffalo Bills, earning the title of Rookie of the Year as well as being named to the Pro Bowl. But his God-given athletic abilities aren’t where Cribbs gives credit first.
“I grew up in the Baptist church in Sulligent. I was a church member as long as I can remember.” Cribbs goes on to say that he credits his mother, grandmother and several aunts and church members for laying his foundation that would be critical in how he responded to the fame of football, and the responsibilities of being a husband and father. He puts it this way, “I have maintained my relationship with God that was established when I was a youth. My faith has enabled me to do some great things athletically. I have always felt God gave me some special talents. I was always small, but it seemed the more I gave Him all the glory on the football field, the more successful I was on it.”
Joe Cribbs has never lost sight of the responsibility that came with fame. “I am so conscious of being a role model. I would not allow myself to be in a situation that would reflect negatively on God, on my family, on my teammates or on me.”
Cribbs left football in 1989. He began to focus on helping his wife Vanessa raise their three children. In 2005, he established the Joe Cribbs Youth Foundation. As the Founder and Executive Director of this outreach ministry designed to assist at-risk youth in poverty stricken rural Alabama, he sees his new role as the latest opportunity Christ has presented to him to Glorify God.
Two of his closest friends also have foundations and ministries. This past May they had a joint golf tournament in Columbus, Georgia to raise money for their respective ministries. Those two friends are David Pollack, former University of Georgia standout (The David Pollack Ministries), and Jeremiah Castille, former University of Alabama and NFL standout (The Jeremiah Castille Ministries).
The Auburn faithful will remember with fondness the outstanding day Joe Cribbs had against Georgia on November 18, 1978. But really….it is what he has done AFTER football that we should remember.
War Eagle
WJLaneSR
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