https://ramblinwreck.com/jack-in-the-box-pat-swilling-an-appreciation/
The “Black Watch,” the nickname Lindsey conferred upon his defense that fall, glorified big hitters and rewarded them, too. The prize: A thick black stripe painted down the middle of Tech’s otherwise all-gold helmets. It went only to the heaviest of hitters — especially middle linebacker
Ted Roof, the heart and soul of the Black Watch; and to No. 99, Swilling, its most talented and dangerous Watchman.
That autumn, the Black Watch enabled the Jackets to go 9-2-1, losing only to Virginia and Auburn, tying Tennessee and beating Georgia for the second year in a row. Behind Swilling and Roof, the Black Watch allowed just 10.7 points per game that year, holding opponents to seven points or less five times.
Georgia Tech finished second in the ACC (5-1 in conference play) and went to its first bowl in seven years. In the All-American Bowl in Birmingham, Tech rallied to beat Michigan State 17-14, finish 18th in the final UPI poll and post its best record since
Bobby Dodd’slast team went 9-2 in 1966.