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"Almost everybody who played in that (1974) game, you may not have been close friends with them, but you knew who they were," Grefseng, the Banks linebacker, says. "That Banks-Woodlawn game our senior year, that was all about Tony and Jeff Rutledge," Hendrix says. Welcome. It was Geralds, Nathan would say later, who talked him out of quitting football, and for that, Nathan remained forever grateful. It all built up to Nov. 8, 1974, when Woodlawn, which had won 11 games in a row, met its old nemesis Banks, which was riding a 34-game unbeaten streak, at Legion Field. The next Christmas, Santa Claus brought Tony his first official football. Jeff Rutledge, who played at Alabama after he graduated from Bank High School, is pictured here during the 1976 Alabama-Notre Dame game in South Bend, Ind. And while most college players today are bigger, faster and stronger now than they were during Nathan's college days, Legg has no doubt that, had Nathan come along four decades later, Nick Saban would find a place for him with Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake in the Crimson Tide's current running back rotation. Tony is a very revered guy here in our community, here in our church community.". He completed 30 of 42 p*es for 363 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 12 yards for the game-tying touchdown with only 24 seconds remaining. Based in Dallas, Texas with over 20 years of experience in concept, design, art direction, and production of print and web materials including: magazine / newspaper ads, brochures, collateral, direct mail, email graphics, logos, signage, and web graphics. That same night, Banks' 35-game unbeaten streak came to an abrupt end when Rutledge blew out an ankle and the banged-up Jets lost 34-27 to West End. Another one of football's coaching greats, Don Shula of the Miami Dolphins, drafted Nathan in the third round of the 1979 NFL Draft, and even though it was a long way from Birmingham or Tuscaloosa, Miami was like a home away from home for Nathan. So, when Tony was in the 10th grade, and he came home one day and told his mother he had left the Woodlawn High School football team, she replied, in no uncertain terms, no, he had not. The two schools were just 10 minutes and less than four miles apart. In May 2013, Rutledge was hired by Valley Christian High School in Chandler, Arizona as a full-time staff member and also to lead the football program. ", RELATED: Turning back the clock at Legion Field. "It really did.". In the 1980s, Banks High School -- home of those mighty Jets for all those years -- was closed as part of a city schools reorganization and it became Banks Middle School. 2. Nathan scored Woodlawn's only touchdown on a 13-yard run in the fourth quarter. A creative problem solver with refined approach to crisis communications and media management. are hard-pressed to remember the final score. If all of the gates had been open, they would have had 60,000 people.". Anyone can read what you share. He is married to his wife Laura and has 3 children.[7]. He was just a humble high school athlete. So I ended up saying, 'Thanks, coach, but no thanks.' Jeff Rutledge Biography. Dunn and Anthony Murray and that would go on to make it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, losing to eventual champion Indiana. On fourth down with a yard needed, he was sent by head coach Bill Parcells for a potential decoy play. As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team. I think Tony could definitely play today. His two older sisters went to Banks, but after the Birmingham schools were desegregated, he was zoned for Woodlawn. He received his degree from Alabama in Business Administration and in 2011, was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Quarterback Jeff Rutledge played 13 seasons for 3 teams. The following Friday night, Woodlawn closed out its season on a cold, rainy night at Fair Park, defeating Carver 12-0. "That's why, for two years, we had a lot of focus and attention on Woodlawn. Last year, Nathan was inducted into the Dolphins' Walk of Fame, immortalized alongside such legendary Dolphins as Dan Marino, Bob Griese, Paul Warfield, Larry Csonka and Nick Buoniconti in the sidewalk outside Miami's Sun Life Stadium. Newman serves as a criminal court judge in Miami-Dade County, and six years ago, he hired Nathan to be a bailiff in his courtroom. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Tony started playing pickup basketball games with some older boys in the neighborhood, and he was good enough that he was recruited to play in a rec league at Huffman Park. In overtime, he hit Art Monk with a vital 40-yard p* on third and 15 to help set up Chip Lohmiller's game-winning field goal. "Up until my eighth-grade year, I had been going to Banks games all my life, watching Jeff Rutledge's older brother, Gary, and Johnny Musso play,'' Ragland says. Charles Tillman Rutledge, Jr. Boiling Springs, SC Charles Tillman Rutledge, Jr., 80, of 2558 Old Furnace Road, passed away Thursday, June 20, 2019, at Spartanburg Hospital For Restorative Care . He has been a Giant since 1982, when he was obtained from the Los Angeles Rams after Phil Simms suffered a season-ending knee injury. Rutledge, first, and then Stan Humphries were knocked out of the game, leaving emergency quarterback Brian Mitchell (a kick returner and former college quarterback) to finish the game. "I remember going back and forth to get more tickets to sell. "We knew each other from grammar school.". After playing in three college all-star games following his senior season, Nathan fell behind in his classes, and he was worried he might flunk out his spring semester. View Jeff Rutledge results in Munford, AL including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. A title search shows that Mr. Rutledge and his wife bought a property in Naramata for $1.15-million on Oct. 31, 2016. "What are you doing with that grip?'" He is currently the head football coach at Valley Christian High School (Chandler, Arizona) in Chandler, Arizona. Wore number 17 for the New York Giants. The week of the game, Jerry Stearns, who was an assistant coach at Woodlawn that year and later became the head coach there, recalls selling advance tickets at the school, something he says never happened before. "But at that time, I had a concussion. His most notable play with the Giants came in Super Bowl XXI in the third quarter. He played college football at Alabama, where he was the team's starting quarterback for their 1978 National Championship victory, and was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the ninth round of the 1979 NFL Draft. ", Tony Nathan breaks free with his tear-away jersey flying in the breeze. Place kicker Ali Haji-Sheikh of the New York Giants kicks a field goal during a game against the New Orleans Saints at Giants Stadium on December 15,. He has established himself as a trusted advisor providing advice and direction to organizations in some of the most heavily regulated . "I told him, me being so far behind, I didn't want to flunk out. (Photo courtesy of Banks High School Facebook page). (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). The main building, built in 1922, was a grand, three-story structure that always looked more like a palace than a schoolhouse. Drafted in the ninth round of the 1979 NFL Draft (246th overall pick) by the Los Angeles Rams, Rutledge played in 14 NFL seasons from 1979 to 1992 for three different teams. said Rutledge. Tony Nathan will sign copies of his new book, "Touchdown Tony: Running With a Purpose," at 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, at the Alabama Booksmith, 2626 19th Place South, Homewood. With the arrival of head coach Tandy Gerelds in 1971, though, and the emergence of Nathan, who had a breakout junior season in 1973, Woodlawn started to level the playing field. When the teams ran back onto the field for the third time, the lower bowl of Legion Field was practically full. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). The regular season game was played in . We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. Rutledge, 58, who was the quarterbacks coach of the Cardinals in their only Super Bowl season, said Alabama never stopped aspiring to the biggest heights in college football since he left. "We have, I think, one of the best alumni associations in the NFL," Nathan says. Rutledge led Montgomery Bell Academy to a 41-17 record from 20022006, with two state titles in 2002 and 2003 and a #15 ranking in the final USA Today Super 25 poll in 2003. Although it was just one moment in time, all of their names -- as well as those of Greg Muse, Jerry Murphree, Bob Grefseng, Denny Ragland, Brad Hendrix, Jerry Stearns and many others -- will always be linked to that November night in Legion Field 40 years ago. They got in the car, and she drove him back to the football field, where she told Woodlawn coach Tandy Gerelds to do whatever he needed to discipline her boy for skipping practice, just as long as he was allowed back on the team. "We dedicated our season to the glory of the Lord, and we played at a much higher level those two years (1973-74) than we probably should have. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Though Rutledge was available, no other team signed him. Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge (born January 22, 1957) is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? But, Knoxville, too, was a little too far from home for Nathan. ''That may make the Giants think,'' said Rutledge. I don't know exactly when, but I'll do it.'". As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team. DailyPress.com. I don't remember that whole week. "But it didn't bother me that I was forced to go to Woodlawn because a lot of my friends were at Woodlawn, too.". Woodlawn students used to yell, ''Rip those Sugar Jets," which was a reference to this brand of cereal. It was Grefseng's only touchdown catch of his Banks career. (Linebacker) Barry Krauss could play today. Woodlawn, meanwhile, had a nice streak going, too, winning 11 in a row since it fell to Banks 17-7 in 1973. "We were out there playing in the mud and the rain," Woodlawn's Ragland says. I knew when I came to training camp that it would be tough. "It was one heck of a game. By Frank Litsky, Special To the New York Times. "Everywhere Tony lined up, there was Greg," Rutledge remembers. It took him 36 years, but Nathan kept that promise to his coach. ''But this is tough on the family. Louise Nathan roasted a raccoon that her husband, an avid hunter whom friends called "Coon Man," had bagged on one of his late-night coon hunts, and they invited Bryant to have dinner with them. The family will receive friends from 12:00-1:30 pm, Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at . (Birmingham News file/Charles Nesbitt). "It's been home a long time," Nathan says. Rutledge, first, and then Stan Humphries were knocked out of the game, leaving emergency quarterback Brian Mitchell (a kick returner and former college quarterback) to finish the game. The purchase date corresponds with most of the transfers from Mr. Slaughter's account, according to the suit. His brother Gary Rutledge was also a quarterback at Alabama from 1972 to 1974. ''My wife is frustrated,'' said Rutledge. Rutledge lived up to his star billing that night, completing 9 of 10 passes for 188 yards and that touchdown to Grefseng. That year, the Cardinals made a late season run and earned a Super Bowl berth, but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-23. Rutledge spent most of his career as a back-up quarterback and a holder on kicks. Jeff Rutledge was born on January 22, 1957 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. I knew it even before that, when Plan B came along.'' This week, Birmingham filmmakers Jon and Andrew Erwin began shooting a movie, "Woodlawn," which takes place during Nathan's days at Woodlawn High School and focuses in on that 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game. "There wasn't anybody that came to see me play or any of the other guys. He is now a bailiff for Miami-Dade County Court Judge Edward Newman, a former Dolphins teammate. "The other thing about the wishbone, if you were a truly good back in the wishbone, you had to block, too,'' says Murray Legg, who, as a defensive back on those Alabama teams, often went up against Nathan in practice. [1], Rutledge played collegiately at Alabama,[2][3] where he was a member of three SEC Championship teams under Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Senior Consultant. Ragland recalls. Jerry McDonald, a split end and defensive back, turned down college football offers and decided to play baseball instead after he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates. in Plant Science from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and a Masters in Agronomy (Weed Science) from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Tandy Gerelds left Woodlawn after the 1975 season to join his father in the family insurance business, but in 1984, he returned to coaching at Deshler High School in Tuscumbia. ", The Banks players huddle around head coach Shorty White during the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game at Legion Field in Birmingham. His wife, Laura, a former Miss . (Sugar Jets was a reference to a brand of cereal from the 1950s and '60s.). Trivia (4) Quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams (1979-1981), New York Giants (1983-1989) and Washington Redskins (1990-1992). ''You gear up for a time when you're going to get together as a family. When it came time to pick a college, Nathan considered going to Oklahoma, where renegade coach Barry Switzer was lighting up the scoreboard with a high-powered wishbone offense that was the talk of college football. "I was like, 'What?'" YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. , money, salary, income, and assets. In May 2013, Rutledge was hired by Valley Christian High School in Chandler, Arizona as a full-time staff member and also to lead the football program. Following his senior season at Alabama in 1978, Banks' Jeff Rutledge went on to play 13 years in the National Football League. It wasn't so much the football I wanted. That game meant that Rutledge got the nod to start the following week on Monday Night against the Philadelphia Eagles in a game that was to become infamously known as the "Body Bag Game". ''My first year in the league, with the Rams, it was hairy because they had so many quarterbacks in camp. Most likely, Tony would not have been drafted by the NFL's Miami Dolphins, and regrettably, he also would have missed out on starting in two Super Bowls, as well as being part of one of the most famous plays in Dolphins' history. As depicted in the upcoming "Woodlawn" movie, droves of players, Nathan included, stepped forward to commit their lives to Christ that night. Later, while at Belmont High School in Mississippi, Gerelds was diagnosed with brain cancer, and he died in 2003, coaching right up until the end. If they cut me and someone picks me up, they would have to get someone else not familiar with their system.'' [2] Rutledge spent most of his career as a back-up quarterback and a holder on kicks. Jeff Rutledge, who played at Alabama after he graduated from Bank High School, is pictured here during the 1976 Alabama-Notre Dame game in South Bend, Ind. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). "There are people who went to that game that I've heard from all my life," Rutledge says. Nathan says. He was a basketball guy.". In the days leading up to the game, both The Birmingham News and the Birmingham Post-Herald played it up as not only a clash of the titans between Banks and Woodlawn but also a Rutledge vs. Nathan showdown. He finished his college career with a 33-5 record as a starter, which currently ranks him as the University of Alabama's seventh all-time winningest quarterback. In April 2010, Rutledge agreed to become the head football coach at Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, Tennessee; where he coached for two seasons, leading the Knights to a 4-18 record. Wasn't it 14-0? "I think back about our team, and I think about the players who played then and who could play now in terms of their strength and speed and ability," Legg says. Now he is not sure what he is. Jeff Rutledge date of birth: January 22, 1957. After the Tide slipped to an uncharacteristic 9-3 in Nathan's sophomore season -- Alabama's worst record in his four years there -- the team bounced back to go 11-1 and finish runner-up to national champs Notre Dame in 1977 and to go 11-1 again and win it all in 1978. "I didn't have to worry about cutting grass because they played all the time.". He was a backup in Super Bowl XIV as a member of the Los Angeles Rams, he was a backup to Super Bowl MVP Phil Simms in Super Bowl XXI as a member of the New York Giants, and was a backup in Super Bowl XXVI as a member of the Washington Redskins. Banks coach Shorty White had assigned Muse to shadow Woodlawn's Nathan everywhere he went, and although Nathan finished with 112 yards on 31 carries, Muse was all over him most of the night. "I wanted some kind of meat to serve him," William Nathan remembers. In a 1982 playoff game with San Diego that became known as "The Epic in Miami," Nathan was the exclamation point on one of the most memorable plays in Dolphins' history -- dashing untouched into the end zone after receiver Duriel Harris caught a pass from quarterback Don Strock and then tossed it back to the streaking Nathan on a legendary hook-and-lateral play that ignited a dramatic Miami comeback. William Nathan asked, referring to Bryant's bag. He was a devoted husband and father and his favorite hobby was fishing. Banks High School - named for school superintendent L. Frazier Banks - opened in 1957 in Birmingham's South East Lake neighborhood and fielded its first football team three years later. American football player and coach (born 1957) Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge (born January 22, 1957) is a former American football quarterback and coach who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. His parents met at the University of Arkansas, and when he was almost four his family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "'And you told me you didn't want me to play this game. That University of Alabama sorority girl who was in the stands at Legion Field that night? He was worn out, and he was just tearing the rest of his jersey off.". Among those 42,000 who came to watch was a freshman sorority girl from the University of Alabama, who was there not because she had any allegiance to either team but just because she heard it was a big game and she wanted to see it and be a part of it. Rutledge earned MVP honors at the 1978 Sugar Bowl and also earned All-SEC honors in 1978 and 1979. You could call it inspiration, you could call it whatever you like. When the Cardinals hired a new offensive coordinator at the end of that season, Rutledge and most of the offensive staff were fired. No One Else Wanted Him. "The Woodlawn guys were like maniacs, and they were roaring all through their pre-game warm-ups. "He looked like he had a jet pack on his back," Baumhower recalls. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. of development through completion. As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team. (Birmingham News file/Robert Adams). "They do a great job of keeping us involved in what's going on and keeping us involved with the fans. 195 lbs (88.5 kg) The athletic teams at Banks adopted the name Jets, and in 1961, the Alabama Air National Guard loaned the school a Korean War-era F-86D Sabre jet, which was painted in the school colors of Columbia blue and scarlet and prominently displayed on campus, making it an inviting target for practical jokers from rival schools. Former Buyer/Planner at Rutledge Properties LLC. Their two-year reign as 4A state champs also ended with a 12-0 shutout loss to eventual champion Homewood in the first round of the playoffs. And I don't know when that will be.'' Jeff Rutledges income source is mostly from being a successful Player. After Friday morning's practice, they will break camp and return to Giants Stadium, where practices are closed to the public. As the teams went through their pre-game drills, Woodlawn's Stearns noticed another assistant, Mike Logan, staring up into the stands with his mouth agape. The Nathans go to the same church, New Testament Baptist Church, with his former Alabama and Miami teammate McNeal and his wife, Rhonda. "Some of the other running backs didn't want to be that lead blocker. A couple of weeks before their game, Banks' White alerted the Legion Field staff to expect a monster crowd. (Birmingham News file/Charles Nesbitt). We definitely love Miami. The quiet, introverted Nathan didn't know quite what to make of all that attention. The unsung hero, though, was a little linebacker named Greg Muse, who had transferred to Banksafter living in Texas. "I don't even know if he realized how good he was back then. He had 274 completions in 526 attempts for 3,628 yards and 16 touchdowns. On fourth down with a yard needed, he was sent by head coach Bill Parcells for a potential decoy play. People around the country were starting to notice him, too. See also [ edit] Rule 5 draft results References [ edit] TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. ", Tony Nathan runs behind his Miami Dolphins teammate Jeff Toews in a game against the New York Jets. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. A few years ago, though, Nathan realized one thing was missing in his life. Perhaps that epic 1974 showdown at Legion Field between Birmingham high-school heavyweights Woodlawn and Banks would have been just another Friday night football game. fatal car accident in tulare county / how to endorse a check for mobile deposit wells fargo / jeff rutledge wife. ", During his senior season at at Woodlawn High School in 1974, Tony Nathan was a Parade All-American and featured in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd." "When people say Tony Nathan, their ears go up. "It was always the biggest game of the year, for both sides," Rutledge says. Jeff Rutledge Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge (born January 22, 1957) is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. By his senior season in 1974, Woodlawn running back Tony Nathan was one of the most sought-after high school football players in America. "It was supposed to be a quick pass but somebody got in there and almost sacked Jeff. His finest moment as a professional player came when as a member of the Redskins he came off the bench in a game versus the Detroit Lions in 1990. I do believe. And when that happened, that movement, I was touched in my heart to do so again.". 1957 He played college football at Alabama, where he was the team's starting quarterback for their 1978 National . Since then, Rutledge has been mostly a backup. Where was Jeff Rutledge born? I bought them last week. It hardly seemed like a swan-song performance. ', "I said, 'I will do that. Meanwhile, Woodlawn High School stands majestically in the same location on First Avenue North, just like it has since 1922, and the football team is still sending players to the NFL, including Chris Davis, the Auburn cornerback who was the last-second hero of the 2013 Iron Bowl. In the spring of 2007 Rutledge got his first NFL coaching job when he was hired as quarterbacks coach with the NFL's Arizona Cardinals,[5] with direct charge over Kurt Warner. And since Banks and Woodlawn were in the same region -- and both were competing in 4A, which was then the largest high school classification in the state -- only one of them would advance. "I think (defensive lineman) Marty Lyons could play today. Rutledge played collegiately at Alabama, where he was a member of three SEC Championship teams under Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. McNeal has been a pastor and counselor at the church, and he and Nathan are close, a friendship that dates back to their playing days at Alabama. "And I didn't like that. (Birmingham News file/Charles Nesbitt). His finest moment as a professional player came when as a member of the Redskins he came off the bench in a game versus the Detroit Lions in 1990. The stoic Nathan even teared up as walked across the Coleman Coliseum stage to receive his diploma from outgoing UA President Judy Bonner. "It was weird," he says. "He's very respected here," McNeal says of his old teammate. 6'1", 195 lbs. Experienced backup quarterbacks can be valuable when injuries strike. That 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game would be Shorty White's 100th win at Banks, and his last. ''Maybe it will make them think a bit or at least make their decision tough. Woodlawn never beat Banks during Nathan's three years on the varsity. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. ", Tony Nathan strikes a Heisman-like pose as he tries to avoid a linebacker. The Colonels had something else going for them, too. Rutledge spent most of his career as a back-up quarterback and a holder on kicks. Many of the players on both teams grew up playing pee-wee football together at East Lake and Wahouma parks, and as teenagers, they hung out together at Eastwood Mall. (Birmingham News file). William Nathan was sold, though, and eventually, so was his son Tony. The other day, Rutledge called his wife and told her to wait. Football was going to be it. . One of them said on the phone, 'What did you get me?' His brother Gary Rutledge was also a quarterback at Alabama from 1972 to 1974. "But I was raised in the church anyway. 1972 His brother Gary Rutledge was also a quarterback at Alabama from 1972 to 1974. "We were down 24-zip and nothing was going right, and that was the play that gave us the spark to come back. Rutledge was born to Tony and Cheryl Rutledge in Cullman, Alabama, on April 21, 1989. Even though the Dolphins eventually lost in overtime, the play lives on in Miami lore. The night before the game, Stearns says, members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapters from both teams gathered for a joint meeting at Woodlawn. Internal communications and employee engagement pro with a tech focus and multi-disciplinary background. ", Tony Nathan is joined by his wife, Johnnie, and his daughters Nichole, Natalie and Nadia at his induction into the Miami Dolphins Walk of Fame in 2014. Jeff is an experienced communications and public affairs professional with more than a decade working in government and the private sector. After seven seasons at Vanderbilt, Rutledge became the head coach at Montgomery Bell Academy, a school for seventh to 12th grade boys in Nashville. Coach Bill Parcells will probably keep three this year, but there is no guarantee. He was the starting quarterback on the 1978 National Championship team. Another, a little fireplug of a linebacker who had moved to Birmingham from Texas the year before, became the surprise defensive star of the game. "You go through life carrying that (lesson): If you start it, you better try to be the best at it, and finish what you've got to finish," he adds. "It's . ''It's an odd world, isn't it?'' "We had a ball. In 2006, the Birmingham Board of Education decided to close the deteriorating middle school, too, saying it was unsafe and an eyesore. He was a two-time all-state guard on the Woodlawn basketball team, and as a centerfielder and first baseman on the baseball team, he got drafted by the Montreal Expos. Jeff was in the flooring business and owned Vintage Wood Floors, Inc. Six years later, he led the Tigers to an undefeated 15-0 season and a 4A state championship. "You wouldn't have known him to be any different from any of the other players on the team," Hendrix, who went on to play briefly with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers, says. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. After games, fans mobbed Nathan to get a piece of his jersey. "Before Bo, there was Tony," Ragland says. On one particular visit, Bryant brought his overnight bag, Tony's father remembers. Birmingham police guessed another 20,000 gave up and went back home when they saw the long lines. We have estimated Or was it 17-7? A month ago, Jeff and Laura Rutledge decided that today would be Reunion Day, the day Laura and their three children would leave their home in Mission Viejo, Calif., and fly east to join Jeff for the winter. Out on the field, one of the players, a linebacker who also filled in as back-up tight end, caught the only touchdown pass of his high-school career, in what was by far the biggest game of his career.