Growing up Godfrey

Randall Godfrey grew up the son of a middle school P.E. coach in sports-rich Valdosta, Ga., which is to say he was destined to be an athlete.

“She had me doing pushups and exercising at an early age,” he said of his mother, a lifelong educator. “I had a ball in my hand at all times. At age 6, she signed me up for tackle football, and I fell in love with it.”

Godfrey went on to win every award imaginable as a three-sport athlete for Lowndes. Following an All-SEC career as a linebacker at Georgia from 1992-96, Godfrey spent 12 years in the NFL after being taken by the Cowboys in the second round of the draft.

“I just gravitated to football early in life," he said. "Growing up in Valdosta, that's what everybody wanted to do - play under the lights.”

If being a high school football star in Valdosta means living in the spotlight, imagine following in the footsteps of Randall Godfrey at the University of Georgia.

That’s what RJ Godfrey, one of Randall’s three sons, is doing, only as a member of Georgia’s basketball team.

“I was definitely aware of his legacy growing up,” said RJ, a 6-foot-8 junior forward. “As a kid, I saw all the figureheads – Coach Dooley, Coach Richt, Coach Smart – and I saw how many people my dad impacted. Then I’d watch his highlights and I’d be like ‘Dude was a monster.’ ”

Randall went on to forge his own path, leaving football behind after middle school to focus on basketball. Always a physical player like his dad, RJ grew to his current frame in high school at North Gwinnett, reaffirming he made the right choice.

“There’s pressure when your dad played 12 years in the league, but I tell all my kids to create your own identity,” Randall said. “Whether you go to Georgia or somewhere else, go and create your own legacy and be yourself.”

Just as his mother did for him, Randall made sure his four kids were prepared for the rigors of not only sports, but for the challenges they’d encounter off the field.

“I had this saying: Put your deposit in now and get your refund later,” he said. “I put the formula in front of them. Do this and do that and it’s going to pay off for you. Put in the hard work and the sacrifice and you’ll get the results.”

RJ began his career at Clemson, where he averaged 6 points and 3 rebounds a game, helping lead the Tigers to a spot in the Elite Eight as a sophomore. He transferred to his dad’s alma mater this summer, embracing the spotlight the move inevitably attracted.

“He always made me feel comfortable about all of that,” RJ said. “I’ve had a lot of people tell me ‘I watched your dad play for Georgia and I can’t wait to watch you play now.’ I’m ready to make those people feel good.”

After RJ’s transfer to UGA was official, one of the first calls Randall made was to Anne Sweaney, his former instructor and advisor in FACS. 

It was Sweaney who was so instrumental in Randall returning to UGA in 2008 following his NFL career to complete his degree in housing and consumer economics, fulfilling a promise he made to his mother. 

“She held me accountable and made sure I came back,” Randall said of Sweaney. “She’d always reach out and tell me she had a nice little plan for me. I’m just so thankful for her.” 

When RJ had trouble settling on a major, Randall steered him to Sweaney, who gave RJ a tour of Dawson Hall and essentially recruited him to FACS. He is now a housing management and policy major in the college, the same path his father took. 

“I knew he’d be in good hands if we could get him in there,” said Randall, now a business owner and realtor in Atlanta. “It’s been a perfect fit.” 

RJ had the same reaction to meeting Sweaney as Randall did back in the early '90s. 

“She’s just amazing,” RJ said. “Her love and her passion for what she does definitely drew me to FACS. I knew after that first meeting that I definitely need to be around this lady.” 

RJ developed an immediate attachment to Athens and to his new teammates. The Bulldogs, who last made the NCAA Tournament in 2015, appear poised for a resurgence under third-year coach Mike White after a fresh influx of talent in the offseason. 

“He’s been as big of a change agent for our culture as anyone in the program,” White said of Godfrey. “He has presence, likability, consistency, accountability and he’s a high-level communicator. He’s just a winner.” 

RJ, who plans to pursue a career in coaching once his playing days end, predicted the Bulldogs will “shock some people” this year. 

“I think this team has a lot of promise,” he said. “I’m just glad to be here. Glad to be home.”