Lamb’s family ties connect senior QB to Bulldogs program
There are some perks that come with being Ray Lamb’s grandson.
Taylor Lamb’s visits growing up to the hall of fame Georgia high school coach’s house in Commerce might include a drive over to UGA because “Papa” worked with the Bulldog football program as coordinator of high school relations.
He served in that capacity for 19 years under Ray Goff, Jim Donnan and Mark Richt before retiring in 2011. Current Georgia coach Kirby Smart and former offensive coordinator Mike Bobo became close to him when they played for the Bulldogs.
“I’d be running around the facility when I was little with Coach Richt and Bobo,” Taylor Lamb said. “I remember going to a couple of bowl games, having fun down there at Sea World and just being around the program when I was little.”
Lamb isn’t so little anymore. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound fifth-year senior is the starting quarterback for Appalachian State, which visits Georgia Sept. 2 in the season opener.
“I’m excited to watch the game,” Ray Lamb said. “It will be an uphill battle for App State but they’re pretty good.” App. State, QB, Sr.
The Lamb name is synonymous with football in the region.
Ray Lamb, now 81, won three state titles during a 35-year coaching career at Warren County and Commerce before his job at Georgia where he served as a liaison between the athletic department and high school coaches.
He now golfs about three times a week and in the fall stays busy going to games where he has a rooting interest.
His son Bobby, Taylor’s father, is head coach at Mercer. His other son, Hal, coaches at Calhoun High where Taylor led the program to back-toback Class AA state title game appearances, winning as a junior. His son-in law, Michael Davis, is Calhoun’s offensive coordinator.
Ray’s late brother, Sammie, was a high school coach in Georgia and South Carolina. Tre Lamb, Taylor’s cousin, is quarterbacks coach at Mercer. Ron Duncan, Ray’s nephew, is head coach at Screven County.
“It’s been a family affair for sure,” Taylor Lamb said.
“When we have family reunions, there’s a lot of football talking going on,” Ray Lamb said.
Smart said he’s “very close,” to Ray Lamb who played golf with Kirby’s father Sonny, a former high school coach. Bobo’s father, George, who was also a high school coach, got his first coaching job as defensive line coach under Lamb at Commerce after student teaching.
“Coach Lamb was like almost like a surrogate father when I was here in college,” Smart said. “He and my dad were close. He and coach Bobo were close. Mike and I have been close, living together in college. He was kind of here for us during that, through the good and the bad.”
Smart called it “an extremely deep,” football family.
Ray gives priority to see Taylor play so he makes the four and a half hour drive to the mountains to see Appalachian State games.
“I’d rather watch them playing than watch them coaching,” he said.
Taylor Lamb is fifth in Sun Belt Conference history with 63 career touchdown passes. Rated as a two-star recruit, his scholarship offers included lower level FBS programs.
“I went to a Georgia oneday camp but I went because there were other coaches that asked me to come from other schools,” he said.
Lamb has designs on being the next family member to join the coaching profession.
“He’s a typical coach’s son, a gym rat,” Ray Lamb said.
Taylor would like to be a graduate assistant next year at a college program.
“He wants to go coach somewhere and there’s been some consideration there to help him break into the profession that we’re all in,” Smart said.
“That’s what I want to do,” Taylor Lamb said. “It would be hard to imagine life without it. That’s the path I’m taking.”
Lamb redshirted in 2013 when Georgia blew by Appalachian State 45-6 in Sanford Stadium, but he was part of a near upset at Tennessee to open last season, falling 20-13 in overtime.
“We thought we were going to go in there and win the game and unfortunately we didn’t,” Lamb said. “I think it also gave us some confidence coming into this year, playing anyone on our schedule. The older guys already had confidence and it gave the young guys a little more confidence. They’re not going to be frightened by anything, they’re not going to be shook by anything. We’re here to play football and that’s the mindset we’re taking right now.”
Two weeks after that Tennessee game, Miami came to Boone and ran away with a 45-10 win.
“It was probably the biggest home game in App State history,” Lamb said. “We got 35K here and it was packed. We came out and they punched us right in the mouth and we punched back. We just couldn’t get the breaks we needed.”
Ray Lamb still drops by Georgia practices every now and then but has kept his distance since a spring practice visit given the Bulldogs would be gearing up for a season that starts with Appalachian State.
“Kirby told me I wasn’t welcome until after the App State game,” Ray Lamb said with a coach’s understanding.
Bobby Lamb’s Mercer team opens up with a Thursday game next week so he’ll be able to see his son quarterback Appalachian State in Sanford Stadium.
“We’ve got so many family members wanting to go,” Ray Lamb said, “I’ve got to get my tickets.”