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2002 ACC FOOTBALL PREVIEW
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OUR 2002 GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKET COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Saturday, October 26, 2002 - Time: TBA
Bobby Dodd Stadium/Grant Field - Atlanta, Georgia
Capacity (41,000)
GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS PRESEASON PREVIEW
(Game Nine)
2001 Record: 8-5, 2001 Atlantic Coast Conference Record: 4-4 (4th Tied)
By the Wahoo Wagon Football Editor Mike Lewis with contributions from Greg Waters
Dubious Distinctions: So close and yet so far. Since 1997 the Yellow Jackets have lost 17 regular season games. 12 of those losses were by a touchdown or less, including two to Florida State (1999, 2000) and three to Virginia (1997, 1999, 2001).
Stellar Stats: Over the last four years, the Yellow jackets have averaged 34.3 points per game and have not ended a season scoring less than 31.2. Georgia Tech is one of just six schools in the nation that have been ranked in the Top 25 of the final Associated Press each of the last five years.
Overview
New Tech football coach Chan Gailey brings considerable experience to the helm of Georgia Tech’s solid football program. After over 25 years of coaching in the college and professional ranks, Gailey’s resume matches up nicely or exceeds anyone from the plethora of present ACC head coaching personalities that have littered the ACC landscape since the late 90s.
What Gailey found upon arriving beneath the Coca Cola logo is a program that has tremendous experience and depth at many positions and an abundance of young talent to launch his tenure. Gailey’s staff will return 15 starters from a 2001 team that many felt underachieved based on preseason expectations. Only FSU (53) outpaces the Yellow Jackets in the number of returning lettermen, as the Yellow Jackets are tied for second with Clemson with 46.
Defense
The most fortuitous event for Gailey’s short tenure at Tech may have been when his first choice for defensive coordinator, Rick Smith, was forced to leave because of inaccurate information found on his resume. As a result, Gailey landed former North Carolina defensive coordinator, Jon Tenuta, who was forced out in Chapel Hill by the obsessive, despotic behavior demonstrated by Carolina’s John Bunting – a head coach that seems to have difficulty dealing with free thinking and strong personality assistants.
Tenuta’s job in Atlanta will be enabled greatly by 9 returning starters (assuming DB Cory Collins overcomes his off-the-field difficulty). The team is anchored by All-ACC defensive end Greg Gathers (Sr. 6-1 275), the school record holder in career sacks (30) and tackles for a loss (56). Gathers and three solid linebackers (Recardo Wimbush (Sr. 6-1 218), Daryle Smith (Jr. 6-2 230), and Keyaron Fox (Jr. 6-3 220) should flourish in Tenuta’s attacking 4-3 style defensive scheme. The trio combined for 250 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 6 sacks and 11 quarterback pressures last season. Tenuta’s defense is the dream of any pass rushing DE or attacking-styled linebackers.
The ‘Wreck also welcomes back a secondary unit with 3 of 4 returnees and a highly touted redshirt freshman (Reuben Houston) that has the potential to be much improved from the level of play seen in past years. Cory Collins (Sr. 5-11 199) has started the last 19 games and finished 2001 with 74 tackles, 2 interceptions and 9 pass breakups. Two time All ACC free safety Jeremy Muyres (Jr. 6-3 205) is a ferocious hitter who ended last season third on the team in tackles and added 3 interceptions. Marvious Hester (Sr. 5-11 180) started every game last year for the Jackets and finished the season with three picks and breaking up a team leading 12 passes. Jonathan Cox who started five games in 2000 and played in 10 games last season will go into fall camp with the lead for the final cornerback spot.
Joining Gathers on the front four at the two tackle positions will be senior Gary Johnson (6-1 275) and sophomore Alfred Malone (6-4 290). Johnson had an impressive 2001 season with 48 tackles including 10 tackles for loss as the starter. Malone started 9 games last season and contributed 16 tackles. Either junior Hobie Holiday or the promising young talent, sophomore Tony Hargrove, will fill the other end spot.
The Yellow Jacket’s defense was becoming quite respectable in 2001, 28th in nation in points allowed (22.2), 2nd in the ACC in both rush defense (117.1) and pass defense (216.2), and 32nd nationally in total defense. The problem with the Yellow Jackets was making the big stop at the key times.
Tech has the potential to have a strong defensive unit. Tenuta could be the big difference with this group. Depending on the outcome of Collins’ case, the Jacket’s defense could provide the offense with the needed boost until the quarterback position settles down. Many have wondered why the Yellow Jackets defense did not perform better under O’Leary and three different coordinators during his tenure. We may finally see it was clearly more to do with coaching and not a lack of talent preventing the Jackets from achieving better performances.
Offense
Georgia Tech lost a lot of offense to graduation. Their leading rusher, receiver and passer have all departed taking with them 76% of the teams touchdowns, 70% of last years rushing total, 92% of the Tech’s passing output from 2001 and 28% of their receiving total. While replacing quality players such as Kelley Campbell, George Godsey, and Joe Burns will prove difficult, few programs have recruited with the consistent level of excellence Georgia Tech has enjoyed over three of the past four years. Only Maryland returns as many All-ACC performers as the Yellow Jackets (5 – Nat Dorsey, Greg Gathers, Luke Manget, Kelley Rhino, and Jeremy Muyres).
Among Gailey’s challenges will be selecting a new quarterback, finding a reliable running back that can rush for 800 or so yards, and getting the team to work effectively as they adapt to his coaching style and approach. Those challenges are quite minimal when you consider the obstacles many of the ACC incoming top guys had in recent years. The only negative expressed against Gailey is his inability to adjust his coaching style and philosophy to match with the personality of the team. However, based on the positive accounts of how the players responded during spring drills Gailey seems to have found his niche back home in Georgia. That is a very good sign when an experienced team relates well in the opening practice sessions.
When a team loses its two year starting quarterback, the top rusher, and the all-time career leading wideout, immediately the perception is the offense will have a rocky season. Don’t be so sure! The wide receivers are as deep and talented as any in the ACC – a conference with as much quality at the wideout positions as any in the nation. Jonathan Smith (Jr. 5-10 183), Will Glover (Sr. 5-10 180), and Kerry Watkins Sr. 5-11 186) had 136 receptions for over 1800 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. Nate Curry (So. 5-10 186) and Levon Thomas (So. 6-0 195) both return from a year off due to injuries. This group bolsters a number of exceptionally gifted receivers with speed that have the potential to have big years, individually, or collectively. Glover alone was second in the team in receptions with 53 catches, 590 yards, and 4 touchdowns.
The key to success will be can Tech find a quarterback to direct the action. Tennessee junior transfer A.J. Suggs (6-4 220) and a multi-purpose red shirt freshman Darmarius Bilbo (6-3 20) will battle it out for the starting role. Both possess the skill to be outstanding quarterback’s. Suggs is not blessed with an exceptionally strong arm, but is extremely accurate with his throws. He had better than 58% completions as a freshman at Tennessee after being forced into action for four starts as a result of injuries and is our pick to win the job.
The running back situation is more problematic and spring did not shed very much light on matters. Senior Sidney Ford (5-9 205) was expected to be the leading candidate to replace Joe Burns, but missed significant time after injuring his ribs. Sophomore Jimmy Dixon (6-1 211) has excellent talent, but appears injury-prone with a foot problem this spring. Jermaine Hatch (Jr. 6-2 205) who is considered the most athletically gifted of Tech’s tailbacks, was limited to non-contact drills in the spring because of off-season surgery to his knee. Converted safety Tony Hollings (Jr. 5-10 211) could be the starter at tailback in the opener, after he settled down following early spring fumble problems.
Junior Hugh Reilly (6-4 285) is expected to move from the right guard spot he manned a year ago to play center. Reilly started every game last fall and has good size, strength and athletic ability. The likely candidate to fill Reilly’s former position at right guard is Raymond Roberts-Blake (Sr. 6-2 278). A steady player, Roberts-Blake served as both a back up and has started 19 games over his three year career. Kyle Wallace (So. 6-5 280) and John Bennett (Jr. 6-5 290) will via for the open position at right tackle vacated by Jason Kemble. Wallace worked his way into the rotation at right guard by the end of last season. Bennett who was limited to only three starts last season due to a nagging knee injury started every game for Tech back in 2000 and was named First Team Freshmen All American by Football News and was a 2nd Team All American selection by The Sporting News. After being named to the All Freshmen ACC Team by the Sporting News, Leon Robinson (So. 6-4 310) returns as the starter at left guard along side All-ACC candidate Nat Dorsey (So. 6-6 315) to form a very promising tandem on the left side of the Tech offensive line. Dorsey, the first freshman since Dre’ Bly to be named to the ACC First Team was also selected as a First Team All American selection by The Sporting News.
We really liked the job Bill O’Brien did as offensive coordinator last season in his first year after taking over for Ralph Friedgen, however, Tech needs more offensive balance between the run and pass. In 2001, the Jackets were the top passing offense in the ACC with 278.9 yards per game, but ranked 5th in rushing (70th nationally) at 139.0 ypg. Having a proven offensive mind such as Gailey to work through different situations will only make O’Brien stronger this year. Few teams will have the baseline of offensive strategy at their disposal as will Georgia Tech. O’Brien learned at the side of the creative Friedgen, while Gailey ran the offensive show for the Steelers, Cowboy, and Dolphins. If O’Brien can get Suggs or Bilbo settled into a comfortable operating situation, the Yellow Jackets should have more than enough weapons to put points on the board and challenge the better defenses in the ACC.
Special Teams
Ranked by college football analyst Phil Steele as the 13th best special team unit in the nation, Georgia Tech will have an edge in this category on virtually every tem they play. When you consider Tech returns two-time All-ACC kicker Luke Manget (Sr. 5-9 176) and the league’s all-time record holder in punt return yardage Kelley Rhino (Sr. 5-7 179) that is quite a base to start from. Rhino returned 48 punts for 515 yards (10.1 per). In kick-off returns Rhino will likely be joined by the electrifying true freshman, I-Perfection Harris, ranked among the top 25 athletes in the nation. Manget was second in the ACC in scoring last season, first in field goals made, and has kick a school record 131 consecutive PATs. Although he may get some competition from Chris Morehouse, Dan Dyke, with a career 42.3 yards per punt average will likely get the nod at punter.
Final Thoughts
So much of Tech’s success will be the result of three factors. First, how quickly Suggs or Bilbo grasp the offense and understand what the staff is seeking from them. Secondly, can the Yellow Jackets establish a running game to take pressure off of the young and inexperience quarterbacks? And finally, can Tenuta’s coaching finally allow the Yellow Jackets defense to play up to their potential? The Jacket defense has the potential to be much better under Tenuta. However, Bill Musgrave’s offense seemed to do quite well against Tenuta’s top ranked UNC defense last season, losing the game on turnovers and not due to an ineffective strategy. Virginia quarterback Matt Schaub will definitely see more blitzing from the Yellow Jackets this season, especially with a group of seasoned linebackers.
There is no reason not to expect an 8-win season from the ‘Wreck. If the Yellow Jackets can steal a couple of tough road wins, Tenuta’s defense performs at a high level, and the quarterbacks play up to their pedigree, a Maryland type season is not out of the question.
By the time the Jackets and Hoos meet the coaches of both teams should know quite a lot their respective programs. The Hoos will have faced four quality opponents (CSU, at FSU, USC, and CU), while the Yellow Jackets will have faced three, with two of those games on the road. The difference in this one will likely be depth and experience, an edge the Yellow Jackets hold solidly over Virginia. Georgia Tech must run the ball against UVA, something they were unable to do in ’01. The Jackets totaled only 74 yards on the ground, while passing for 486 yards on 55 attempts, in a one-point loss inside the Cozy Confines of Scott Stadium.
The Hoos must travel into Bobby Dodd, a place they have not won since Bill Lewis was running the Yellow Jackets program. Winning in Hotlanta is not impossible for the 2002 Hoos, but it will be quite a challenge. Look for Tech to continue their winning ways against the Cavs this season.
GT – 35
UVA - 19
Prediction: 5-3 ACC, 8-4 Overall, Tangerine Bowl
Mike Lewis is the long time football editor for the Virginia Cavalier sports website The Wahoo Wagon. Greg Waters is the producer and co-host of the University of Virginia Sports radio call-in show CavTalk. The program airs from 7:00 – 9:00 PM on Wednesday evenings and originates from the studios of AM 950 WXGI and can be heard on the World Wide Web @ www.cavtalk.com.
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