Pre-game notes:
Nov. 20, 1999 – 3:30 p.m.
Groves Stadium – Winston-Salem, N.C.
ALL-TIME RECORD
Now in its 107th season of intercollegiate football, Georgia Tech has an all-time record of 591-399-43 (.593). Entering the 1999 season, Tech ranked 20th among Division I-A teams in all-time victories.
HEAD COACH GEORGE O’LEARY
Now in his fifth full season as Georgia Tech’s head coach, George O’Leary was officially named the Institute’s 10th head coach on Nov. 28, 1994, three weeks after being elevated from defensive coordinator to interim head coach.
The 1998 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year, O’Leary originally joined the Tech staff in 1987 and spent five years as defensive coordinator under former head coach Bobby Ross. He then coached two seasons (1992-93) under Ross with the NFL’s San Diego Chargers before returning to Tech as defensive coordinator in January of 1994.
A 30-year veteran of professional, college and prep coaching, O’Leary has a record of 35-23 (.603), including a 25-16 (.610) mark in ACC games.
HAMILTON IS NATION’S TOP PASSER
Quarterback Joe Hamilton LEADS THE NATION in passing efficiency with a rating of 182.8, which is just off the NCAA record of 183.3, set last season by Tulane’s Shaun King. In nine games he has completed 68 percent of his passes for 2,438 yards with 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Also Tech’s second-leading rusher with 604 yards and six touchdowns, Hamilton ranks third nationally in total offense with 338.0 yards per game.
JACKETS HAVE WON 17 OF LAST 20
Georgia Tech has won 17 of its last 20 games. The only losses were against Florida State, twice, and at Virginia.
TECH LEADS NATION IN SCORING, TOTAL OFFENSE
Georgia Tech leads the nation in both scoring and total offense this week. The Jackets are averaging 510.7 yards per game, ahead of second-place Stanford (482.1). In scoring, Tech’s 41.6 points-per-game average is ahead of Virginia Tech (39.4).
Georgia Tech is the only team in the nation that has scored at least 30 points in every game this season.
Tech ranks 10th nationally in rushing (233.4) and 18th in passing (277.2).
HAMILTON GOES FOR NATIONAL MILESTONE
Already the Atlantic Coast Conferences all-time leader in total offense with 9,888 yards, quarterback Joe Hamilton needs just 112 yards to become the first player in ACC history, and the 16th in NCAA Division I-A, to top 10,000 yards. Hamilton would be the only player in Division I-A with 10,000 total yards that include at least 1,500 yards rushing. He has rushed for 1,628 yards.
Hamilton also owns the ACC records touchdown passes (60) and passing efficiency (148.1) while ranking second in ACC history in career TDR (73), and fifth in passing yards (8,260).
Hamilton needs just 182 yards passing to eclipse Shawn Jones’ Tech career record of 8,441.
FOUR STRAIGHT SELLOUTS
Georgia Tech’s game against Clemson last Saturday, which drew a crowd of 46,085 was the third of four consecutive sellouts at Bobby Dodd Stadium/Grant Field this season. Tech’s home games against North Carolina and NC State were also sold out, and the season finale against Georgia on Nov. 27 is a sellout. The last time Georgia Tech had four consecutive sellouts was in 1961 for games against Duke, Auburn, Florida and Georgia.
RECEIVING RECORDS ON THE LINE
Flanker Kelly Campbell has a chance to break all of Georgia Tech’s season receiving records. The speedy sophomore has 58 catches for 964 yards and one touchdown. He needs seven catches, 10 yards and one touchdown to break the Tech single season record in all three categories. Last week against Clemson, Campbell caught two touchdown passes to tie the Tech record of nine, held by Dez White (1998) and Jimmy Robinson (1972). White also set the season yardage record of 973 last season, while Harvey Middleton set the season record for receptions with 64 in 1996.
Although White has fewer catches this season as he draws more double coverage, the Biletnikoff Award candidate needs just one touchdown to tie the Georgia Tech career record. White has 13 career touchdown catches – including eight of 50 yards or more – just one behind record holders Gary Lee and Buck Martin.
THE SERIES WITH GEORGIA
Georgia Tech and Georgia have met 93 times, including every year since 1925 (74 consecutive years). Georgia leads the series 52-36-5. Tech’s 21-19 win last season snapped a seven-game winning streak by the Bulldogs. The last four meetings have been decided by a total of 15 points.
In Atlanta, Georgia leads 27-25-4, including a 27-24 win in 1997. Tech’s last win over the Bulldogs at Bobby Dodd Stadium/Grant Field was a 33-22 victory in 1989.
The series began in 1893, when the Rambling Wreck travelled to Athens and won, 28-6, for the first football victory in school history.
LAST MEETING
The last two games between Georgia Tech and Georgia have featured dramatic endings.
Last season in Athens, Brad Chambers’ 35-yard field goal with just two seconds left lifted 17th-ranked Georgia Tech to a 21-19 victory over 12th-ranked Georgia, capping a 14-point fourth-quarter comeback for the Yellow Jackets, who defeated their arch-rival for the first time since 1990. Chambers, who booted a 49-yarder with 5:01 left, capped a 52-yard, 10-play drive engineered by Tech quarterback Joe Hamilton, who completed 15 of 24 passes for 170 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 54 yards.
In 1997 in Atlanta, Mike Bobo’s eight-yard touchdown pass to Corey Allen with eight seconds left gave Georgia a 27-24 victory. Georgia’s score came one play after a controversial pass interference penalty nullified what appeared to be a game-saving interception by Tech’s Travares Tillman. The touchdown negated a 14-point Tech comeback, including a three-yard touchdown run by Charles Wiley with just 48 seconds left that put Tech ahead 24-21.
HAMILTON EARNS THIRD ACC OFFENSIVE BACK OF THE WEEK AWARD
For the third time this season and sixth time in his career, quarterback Joe Hamilton was named ACC Offensive Back of the Week after Tech’s win over Clemson. He previously earned the award for games against top-ranked Florida State and Maryland.
In Tech’s 45-42 win over the Tigers, Hamilton tied the Tech record with five touchdown passes, equalling the mark set by Eddie McAshan vs. Rice in 1972. Hamilton collected 410 yards of total offense–the second-best game of his career and the most yards ever against Clemson’s defense. He completed 22 of 30 passes for 322 yards, including touchdown strikes of 42, 28, 12, nine and three yards, while rushing for 88 yards.
HAMILTON'S BEST GAMES:
Florida State: 387 passing, 405 total offense, 4 TD passes, 5 TDRMaryland: 387 passing, 474 total offense, 4 TDRClemson: 410 total offense, 5 TD passes
OFFENSE AMONG ACC’S ALL-TIME BEST
If Georgia Tech can maintain its current offensive output, the Yellow Jackets would become only the fifth team in ACC history to average better than 500 yards of total offense per game, and only the fourth school to score more than 40 points per game.
Tech currently leads the nation in both scoring and total offense. The only ACC team to lead the nation in either category is Florida State (scoring in 1993).
TOTAL OFFENSE W-L Year PGFlorida State 10-2 1995 550.7Florida State 12-1 1993 438.0GEORGIA TECH 7-2 1999 510.7Duke 8-4 1989 501.7Virginia 8-4 1990 501.5SCORING W-L Year PGFlorida State 10-2 1995 48.4Florida State (led nation) 12-1 1993 43.2GEORGIA TECH 7-2 1999 41.6Virginia 8-4 1990 40.2
OFFENSE KEEPS ROLLING
Georgia Tech’s high-powered offense has averaged 38.5 points over the last 20 contests. Not coincidentally, Tech has won 17 of those 20 games.
Tech has been held under 20 points just once in the last 25 games, a 34-7 loss to Florida State last season. The Jackets have failed to score at least 30 points only four times during that stretch while topping 40 points 12 times.
The Jackets have scored over 30 points in a school-record 10 straight games.
SMOKING TOBACCO ROAD
Georgia Tech has won eight of its last nine games in the state of North Carolina. Beginning with the 1995 season, Tech has recorded three wins over Duke (1995, 1997 and 1999), Wake Forest (1995 and 1997), and NC State (1996 and 1998) and one against North Carolina (1998). Tech’s lone defeat on Tobacco Road during that stretch was a 16-0 loss at North Carolina in 1996.
DYKE NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
Georgia Tech punter Dan Dyke, who maintains a perfect 4.0 grade point average in Aerospace Engineering, has been named to the GTE Academic All-District III football team, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Dyke, a sophomore from Winter Springs, Fla., leads the Atlantic Coast Conference and ranks fourth in the nation in net punting with a net of 40.9 yards per punt. His average of 44.8 yards per kick would rank second in the ACC and among the top ten nationally, but Techs high-powered offense does not give him enough attempts to qualify.
Academic All-District selections, who are now eligible for the GTE Academic All-America team, must have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher and be a starter or key reserve. District III is made up of all Division I-A and I-AA schools in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
TECH RANKED IN 23 CONSECUTIVE POLLS
Georgia Tech is ranked No. 14 in this week’s Associated Press and No. 12 by ESPN/USA Today polls. Tech has been ranked as high as No. 7 twice this season. The last time the Jackets were ranked higher was the 1991 preseason, when Tech was sixth in the USA Today coaches poll.
This week marks the 23rd consecutive AP poll in which the Yellow Jackets have appeared. That is Tech’s longest string since the 1955-57 seasons, when the Jackets were ranked in 28 consecutive polls. The longest streak in school history is 34 consecutive polls from Oct. 1, 1951 through Sept. 20, 1954.
COOL HAND LUKE
True freshman placekicker Luke Manget has quietly put together an excellent season. The Conyers, Ga., native has made six straight field goals and has hit eight of 11 for the season, with a long of 49 against NC State. His 36-yarder against North Carolina with just five seconds left forced overtime, in which Tech won the game.
Manget has been perfect on 46 PATs, tying the Tech season record set last fall by Brad Chambers. He leads Tech and ranks sixth in the ACC in scoring with 7.8 points per game.
His total of 70 points is the sixth best by a Tech kicker, 14 points behind Scott Sisson’s 1990 school record of 84.
HAMILTON a FINALIST FOR UNITAS AWARD
Georgia Tech quarterback Joe Hamilton is one of five finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, presented annually to the nations top senior quarterback by the Frank Camp Chapter of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation.
Along with Hamilton, the group of finalists includes Tee Martin of Tennessee, Chad Pennington of Marshall, Tim Rattay of Louisiana Tech and Chris Redman of Louisville.
Hamilton is also one of 25 semifinalists for the Davey O’Brien Quarterback Award.
PUTTING ALVIN ON THE MAP, LITERALLY
Joe Hamilton’s hometown of Alvin, S.C, outside Charleston, is so small that it doesn’t appear on the map, but the Georgia Tech quarterback is helping to change that, literally. Tech graduate Sherwood Bridges of North Augusta, S.C., sent a letter to South Carolina governor James Hodges noting that Alvin does not appear on the map issued by the South Carolina Department of Tranportation and asking that the omission be corrected, due to the success achieved by Hamilton. He received a response from the South Carolina Department of Tranportation stating that although Alvin has not been included on the South Carolina Highway Map as far back as 1956, it will be shown on the 2000 South Carolina Highway Map, which will be available in February.
GREGORY STEPS IN AT TAILBACK
Sean Gregory began the season as Tech’s third-team tailback but is now the starter after season-ending injuries to starters Joe Burns and Phillip Rogers.
The sophomore from Homewood, Ill., has made the most of the opportunity. He has topped the 100-yard mark in each of his four starts, gaining 150 yards against Central Florida, 113 against NC State, 119 versus Virginia, and 101 last Saturday against Clemson. He became the first Tech to rush for 100 yards in three straight games since Jerry Mays in 1989.
Gregory is Tech’s leading rusher with 686 yards on 126 carries (5.4-yard average) and a team-leading 10 touchdowns, including the game-winner against Duke on a 19-yard run with 2:56 left. He ranks sixth in the ACC in rushing (76.2 yards per game).
MORE HAMILTON HEROICS
For the sixth time in the last 13 games, quarterback Joe Hamilton led the Yellow Jackets on a game-saving drive in the fourth quarter as Tech downed Duke, 38-31. After the Blue Devils took a 31-28 lead early in the fourth quarter, Hamilton moved Tech in position for the tying field goal with 7:12 left and then drove the Jackets 70 yards on four plays for the winning touchdown with 2:56 to play. He opened the winning drive with a 36-yard completion to Kelly Campbell.
One week earlier, Hamilton led Tech to a 31-24 win over North Carolina in the first overtime game in school history. After Tech took over on its own two-yard line with 1:10 to play, Hamilton engineered a seven-play, 79-yard drive for the game-tying field goal by Luke Manget. He completed three passes for 73 yards and had a six-yard run on the march. Then in overtime, Hamilton scored the winning touchdown on a six-yard run.
Last season, Hamilton led game-winning, fourth-quarter drives against Virginia, Clemson, Georgia and Notre Dame.
DYNAMIC DUO
Junior Dez White and sophomore Kelly Campbell form one of the most dangerous receiving duos in the nation, and the best in school history. The pair have combined for 92 catches, 1,654 yards (17.9 average) and 13 touchdowns.
Campbell (58 receptions, 964 yards, 9 TD) leads the ACC in receiving yards at 107.1 per game, which is fifth in the nation. He is third in the ACC and 18th nationally with 6.4 receptions per game. White (34-690-4) is fifth in the ACC with 76.7 yards per game. His average of 20.3 yards per catch leads the ACC.
White and Campbell have turned in three of the top nine individual receiving efforts in school history. White had 215 yards receiving against Maryland, and then Campbell had 203 versus North Carolina, followed by 190 against Duke.
With two games to play, White and Campbell are the most productive receiving tandem in Tech history.
TOP RECEIVING TANDEMS IN TECH HISTORY1,654 Kelly Campbell (964) & Dez White (690), 19991,464 Harvey Middleton (839) & Derrick Steagall (625), 19971,370 John Sias (902) & Joel Stevenson (468), 1968
KERRY COMES ON
Redshirt freshman flanker Kerry Watkins is Georgia Tech’s third-leading receiver with 25 catches for 345 yards (13.8 average) and six touchdowns.
Over the last three games, Watkins has 14 catches for 172 yards and three touchdowns. Seven of those 14 receptions have resulted in third-down conversions.
A MODEL OF EFFICIENCY
Joe Hamilton owns the top pass efficiency rating in ACC history at 148.1, ahead of former Florida State quarterback Thad Busby (144.89).
Hamilton’s numbers over the last three seasons are even more impressive. Since the beginning of his sophomore season, the Alvin, S.C., native has an efficiency rating of 156.1. During that time, he has averaged 223.2 yards passing and 267.2 yards of total offense per game while completing 63 percent of his passes. Hamilton has thrown 53 touchdown passes and just 23 interceptions over the last 31 regular-season games.
KELLY’S BIG PLAYS
In Tech’s wins over North Carolina and Duke, flanker Kelly Campbell has totalled 18 receptions for 393 yards, a school-record two-game total. The previous high was 343 yards on 13 catches by Derrick Steagall against Virginia and Duke in 1997. In addition to his impressive numbers, Campbell made the key catches on game-winning drives in both contests.
In the Jackets’ 38-31 win over Duke, the speedy sophomore had a career-high 11 receptions for 190 yards. He set up the game-winning touchdown with a 36-yard reception to the Duke 34.
The previous game against North Carolina, Campbell caught seven passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns in the Yellow Jackets 31-24 overtime victory. He caught touchdown passes of 47 and 59 yards, and then on Tech’s final drive for the game-tying field goal, he had two receptions for 67 yards. The first came on the first play after the Jackets took over at their own two-yard line with 1:10 left. Campbell caught a short pass over the middle and raced to the Tech 34. Two plays later, he caught a 35-yard pass down the right sideline to the UNC 25-yard line.
Campbell’s 203 yards receiving against UNC equals the fourth-best single-game total in school history, while his 11 catches against Duke is also the fourth-best single-game figure in Tech annals.
Campbell also enjoyed a big day against top-ranked Florida State with seven catches for 141 yards with touchdown catches of 56 and 22 yards. The latter, a spectacular, one-handed catch in the end zone, brought the Jackets within six points with 1:35 to play.
TECH HIT WITH SEASON-ENDING INJURIES
Georgia Tech has lost its leading tackler, linebacker Matt Uremovich, and its top two tailbacks, sophomore Joe Burns and senior Phillip Rogers, to season-ending injuries.
Uremovich, who had 51 tackles with four tackles for loss, has a contusion of the spinal cord. He will miss the final five games of the season and then be re-evaluated in January.
Rogers, Tech’s leading scorer with eight touchdowns and third-leading rusher with 310 yards, will miss the remainder of the regular season after a thigh bruise required surgery. Rogers, who had a career-high 82 yards against Duke before the injury, finishes his career with 1,264 yards rushing (21st in Tech history) and 15 rushing touchdowns.
Burns suffered a broken right ankle against Florida State in the second game of the sesaon. Burns rushed for 87 yards on 14 carries and caught seven passes for 96 yards and one touchdown in two games before the injury. Last season, he was Tech’s top rusher with 474 yards.
CRENSHAW CATCHES ON
In his first game at receiver, redshirt freshman Jermaine Crenshaw caught three passes for 33 yards, including a key fourth-down conversion in Tech’s 38-31 win over Duke. With the Jackets trailing 31-28 with less than 10 minutes to play and facing fourth-and-three on the Duke 30-yard line, Crenshaw made a 13-yard reception down to the Duke 17 to set up the tying field goal.
In the third quarter, he had catches on consecutive plays. On second-and-17, he made an eight-yard reception and then on third-and-nine, he caught a pass for 12 yards and a first down. A former quarterback who moved to receiver at midseason, Crenshaw was pressed into action with injuries to two other receivers.
GATHER-ING TACKLES
True freshman defensive end Greg Gathers continues to make big plays for the Yellow Jackets, coming up with a sack and two other tackles for loss in Tech’s 31-24 overtime win over North Carolina.
Gathers had a sack for a seven-yard loss and then two other tackles for five yards in losses, helping the Tech defense force four consecutive three-and-outs to set the stage for the Jackets’ comeback. On UNCs final possession of regulation, after the Tar Heels got the ball at the Tech 10-yard line, Gathers was in on the fourth-down stop that allowed the Jackets to get the ball back with 1:10 left.
Tech’s third-leading tackler with 50 hits, Gathers leads the Jackets with 14 tackles for loss, including four sacks.
THREE TRUE FRESHMEN START ON “D”
Georgia Tech’s starting defense includes three true freshmen in defensive end Greg Gathers, linebacker Recardo Wimbush and free safety Jeremy Muyres. Against Clemson, the Jackets actually started four true freshmen, with Muyres at outside linebacker and Cory Collins at free safety.
Gathers and Wimbush have started every game, and Muyres moved into the lineup against North Carolina. Another true freshman, cornerback Selwyn Scott, started the season opener against Navy.
Before this season, the last time Tech started as many as three true freshmen was 1983, when several different rookies were in the lineup at various times, including cornerback Reginald Rutland, tackle John Davis, tailback Cory Collier, safety Anthony Harrison and flanker Gary Lee.
DANGEROUS DEZ DOES IT ALL
Biletnikoff Award candidate Dez White ranks second in the ACC and 14th nationally in all-purpose yards. He averages 153.4 yards per game and 20.3 yards per play, which leads the ACC.
White’s average of 20.3 yards per catch also leads the ACC, and he is fifth in the league in receiving yards per game (76.7). His average of 23.1 yards on 27 kickoff returns ranks second in the league and 37th nationally. He also lines up in the backfield at times, carrying the ball 10 times for 67 yards (6.7 average).
HAMILTON SHATTERS TOTAL OFFENSE MARK AGAINST THE TERPS
Joe Hamilton shattered the Georgia Tech single game record with 474 yards of total offense to lead the Yellow Jackets to a 49-31 win over Maryland. With 387 yards passing on 19-for-31 passing and 87 yards rushing on 13 carries, he erased the previous mark of 412 yards by Darrell Gast in a 1987 loss to Duke.
Hamilton, who had three touchdowns passing and one rushing on a spectacular 41-yard run, tied the career best of 387 yards passing that he set two games earlier against Florida State. He passed for 257 yards before halftime to set a Tech record for passing yards in a first half.
WHITE IS RIGHT
After catching just nine passes in Georgia Tech’s first three games, split end Dez White had a breakout game in the Yellow Jackets’ victory over Maryland. White caught five passes for 215 yards against the Terrapins, with touchdowns of 80 yards and 29 yards.
White’s 215 yards is the third-best receiving effort in school history, behind his own school-record 243 yards last year against Virginia and Derrick Steagall’s 223 yards against the Cavaliers in 1997.
GATHERS NAMED ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Freshman defensive end Greg Gathers was named ACC Rookie of the Week for his performance in Tech’s win over Maryland. One of two true freshmen to start for the Tech defense, Gathers had four tackles for loss for 13 yards as he helped Tech hold the Terps to 89 yards rushing. Gathers made six tackles and also had a quarterback pressure.
O’LEARY CLIMBS COACHING CHART
With a record of 35-23 in his fifth season at Georgia Tech, head coach George O’Leary ranks fourth in victories by a Tech coach. The only Rambling Wreck head coaches with more wins are the Hall of Fame trio of John Heisman (102-29-7, 16 seasons), William Alexander (134-95-15, 25 seasons) and Bobby Dodd (165-64-8, 22 seasons).
O’Leary’s winning percentage of .603 is bettered only by Heisman (.779) and Dodd (.713).
DAN THE MAN
Entering the 1999 season, punting appeared to be a question mark for the Jackets after the graduation of Rodney Williams, the best punter in school history. But walk-on Dan Dyke has performed admirably. The sophomore from Winter Springs, Fla., has averaged 44.3 yards per punt, which would rank second in the ACC if he had enough attempts to qualify. Tech’s net is 39.4 yards per kick. Ten of Dyke’s 22 punts have been inside the 20-yard line.
Dyke, who had no scholarship offers coming out of Oviedo High School, walked on the Tech squad last spring. and beat out freshman Philip Newman in preseason camp. He is a President’s Scholar at Georgia Tech with a 4.0 grade point average in aerospace engineering.
CENTURY MARK VS. CENTRAL FLORIDA
Sophomore Sean Gregory rushed for a career-best 150 yards and two touchdowns, and quarterback Joe Hamilton added a career-high 100 yards rushing and two scores as 12th-ranked Georgia Tech defeated Central Florida, 41-10.
Hamilton, who also passed for 161 yards and one touchdown, became just the second quarterback in school history to rush and pass for 100 yards in the same game. He joined Donnie Davis, who turned the trick against Duke in 1995.
Gregory and Hamilton gave Tech two 100-yard rushers in the same game for the first time since 1996.
JACKETS FALL SHORT AT TOP-RANKED FSU
Joe Hamilton passed for 387 yards and accounted for five touchdowns as Georgia Tech fell, 41-35, to top-ranked Florida State in Tallahassee. Hamilton’s 22-yard touchdown pass to Kelly Campbell brought the Jackets within six points with 1:35 to play, but FSU recovered the ensuing onsides kick to preserve the win.
Tech piled up 501 yards of offense on the Seminoles’ vaunted defense, the most yards by an ACC team since FSU joined the league in 1992. Tech’s 35 points equals the high by an ACC opponent against the Seminoles; NC State lost 48-35 in 1997 in Tallahassee.
EPIC EFFORT VS. TOP-RANKED SEMINOLES
Georgia Tech quarterback Joe Hamilton was named Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Back of the Week after the most productive game of his career, and one of the top efforts in school history, in Techs hard-fought, 41-35 defeat at top-ranked Florida State. Hamilton completed 22 of 25 passes for 387 yards and four touchdowns, all career highs. He also scored on a 19-yard run for 405 yards of total offense, another a career best.
Hamilton, who completed his final 15 passes, tossed touchdowns of 80, 56, 22 and 11 yards. His 80-yard strike to Dez White is the longest completion of his career, while his 22-yard scoring pass to Kelly Campbell brought the Jackets to within a touchdown with 1:35 left.
Hamilton’s passing and total offense yards were at the time the second-best single-game figures in Tech history, bettered only by Darrell Gast, who had 416 yards passing and 412 yards of total offense in a 1987 loss to Duke. His four touchdown passes is one shy of Eddie McAshan’s school-record of five, set in 1972 vs. Rice, while his five TDR ties McAshan’s Tech standard.
HAMILTON HITS 18 STRAIGHT
Quarterback Joe Hamilton completed his first three passes against Central Florida to extend his school-record string to 18 straight completions. The senior from Alvin, S.C., completed his final pass of the first half against top-ranked Florida State and then was a perfect 14-for-14 in the second half. The previous high for consecutive completions by a Rambling Wreck quarterback was 12 in a row by Shawn Jones in Tech’s 1990 win over Georgia.
THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE
Georgia Tech’s 49-31 win over Maryland was the Yellow Jackets’ ninth appearance in an ESPN Thursday night telecast in the 1990s. Tech has a 5-4 record in its ESPN Thursday night games.
In addition to the nine ESPN dates, the Jackets have also played two other Thursday prime-time games in recent years, defeating Virginia, 31-27, in 1983 on TBS and falling to Arizona, 20-19, in 1995 on Prime. Counting Thanksgiving, Techs record on Thursday is 27-17-2.
ESPN THURSDAY NIGHT GAMESYear Opponent Result Att1991 #20 Virginia hW 24-21 42,1921993 #25 Virginia hL 35-14 42,1001994 #7 Arizona hL 19-14 45,1121995 #16 Maryland hW 31-3 44,1371996 Duke hW 48-22 44,1451996 at Maryland aL 13-10 22,5101997 #5 North Carolina hL 16-13 45,1261998 at Clemson aW 24-21 62,0001999 Maryland hW 49-31 44,612
NATION’S WINNINGEST BOWL TEAM
With its 35-28 victory over Notre Dame in the 1999 Toyota Gator Bowl, Georgia Tech improved the nation’s top record in bowl games to 19-8 for a winning percentage of .704. Penn State is second with a 22-11-2 (.657) record.
Tech ranks sixth all-time in bowl victories with 19 and 13th in appearances with 26.
The Jackets have won five straight bowl games, including the 1997 Carquest Bowl, 1991 Aloha Bowl, 1991 Florida Citrus Bowl and 1985 All-American Bowl. Tech’s last loss in a bowl was a 41-21 defeat by Purdue in the 1978 Peach Bowl.
In 1955, the Jackets became the first team to win each of the four traditional major bowls:Rose, Orange, Sugar and Cottonand Tech remains one of only five schools to accomplish this feat. Alabama (1962), Notre Dame (1975), Georgia (1960) and Penn State (1995) are the others.
BEST BOWL WINNING PERCENTAGE 1. GEORGIA TECH 19-8 .704 2. Penn State 22-11-2 .657 3. Southern Cal 25-14 .641 4. Oklahoma 20-11-1 .641 5. Florida State 16-9-2 .630 6. Arizona State 10-6-1 .618 7. Alabama 28-18-3 .602 8. Mississippi 16-11 .593 9. Auburn 14-10-2 .577 10. Notre Dame 13-10 .565
SCORING BIG ON THE ROAD
Georgia Tech’s 49-14 victory at Navy represented the Rambling Wreck’s second-highest scoring output ever in a road game. The only game in which Tech scored more points on the road was a 71-6 win at Chattanooga on Oct. 11, 1913.
CARMAN EARNS THREE STRAIGHT LINEMAN OF THE WEEK HONOR
Offensive tackle Jon Carman earned ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors for his performance in Tech’s win over Navy. The 6-8, 335-pound senior graded 95 percent with five “RBI” (great plays) as he paved the way for 341 yards rushing and 487 yards of total offense. Tech’s 341-yard effort was its best rushing output since 1993.
That gave Carman the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week award for three straight games. He also earned the honor for the final two weeks of 1998 as he helped Tech to wins over Georgia (241 yards rushing, 411 yards total offense) and Wake Forest (319 rushing, 524 total offense).
SIXTEEN FRESHMEN PLAY
Tailback Sidney Ford became the 16th true freshmen to play for the Yellow Jackets this season, including six who have started.
Defensive end Greg Gathers and linebacker Recardo Wimbush have started every game, while free safety Jeremy Muyres moved into the starting lineup in the fifth game. Free safety Cory Collins and cornerback Selwyn Scott have made one start each. Starting placekicker Luke Manget is also a true freshman.
Other true freshmen who have seen action include tailback Mike Kitchen, fullback Gary Johnson, receivers Will Glover and Anthony Lawston, tight end Will Heller, offensive guard Raymond Roberts-Blake, defensive end Fred Wright, kickoff specialist Philip Newman, and Kelley Rhino on special teams.
GATHERS IMPRESSIVE IN DEBUT
True freshman defensive end Greg Gathers made an impressive debut against Navy. Earning a spot in the starting lineup, Gathers collected nine tackles, including six primary hits. He sacked the Navy quarterback twice for 14 yards, causing and recovering a fumble at the Navy 44-yard line on the second sack. He also had one other tackle behind the line of scrimmage.
BROTHERLY LOVE
This year’s team features two sets of brothers in senior running back Phillip Rogers and sophomore linebacker Nick Rogers, as well as junior receiver Jon Muyres and freshman safety Jeremy Muyres. Last season, the Rogers became the first pair of brothers to play for the Yellow Jackets at the same time since 1986, when Anthony Harrison was a senior starter at free safety, while his brother Danny was a freshman linebacker.
Phillip and Nick Rogers were the first pair of brothers to start for the Yellow Jackets at the same time since Randy and Danny Rhino in 1974.
Recent brother combinations to play for the Jackets:
Rogers: Phillip (TB, 1995-present) & Nick (LB, 1998-present)
Muyres: Jon (SE, 1996-present) & Jeremy (FS, 1999-present)
Williams: Rodney (P, 1995-98 & Marlon (OLB, 1990-93)
Stallworth: Dexter (QB, 1994-96) & Cedric (CB, 1985-88)
Travis: Mike (DB, 1982-85)& Scott (LB, 1990-92)
Harrison: Anthony (DB, 1983-86) & Danny (LB, 1987-89)
Swilling: Pat (OLB, 1982-85) & Darrell (LB, 1988-91)
Malone: Ralph (DT, 1982-85) & George (OLB, 1985-88)
Rhino: Randy (DB, 1972-74) & Danny (DB, 1974-76)
FATHERS AND SONS
Georgia Tech’s freshman class includes the sons of two of the greatest players in Rambling Wreck history. Freshman running back Kelley Rhino is the son of Randy Rhino, the only three-time all-America in Tech history. Randy, a defensive back and punt return specialist, earned all-America honors in 1972-73-74. Kelley’s grandfather, Chappell Rhino, and uncle Danny Rhino also starred for the Rambling Wreck. Freshman cornerback Eric Lavette is the son of Robert Lavette, Tech’s all-time leading rusher. Lavette starred for the Jackets from 1981-84, and his 4,066 yards rushing is the third-best total in ACC history.
Some prominent father-son combos in Tech history:
SON FATHER
Eric Lavette (CB, 1999), Robert Lavette (RB, 1981-84)
Kelley Rhino (RB, 1999), Randy Rhino (DB, 1972-74)
Randy Rhino (DB, 1972-74), Chappell Rhino (1950-52)
Coleman Rudolph (DT, 1989-92), Jack Rudolph (1957-59)
Jay Martin (SS, 1986-90), Billy Martin (E, 1961-63)
WHITE IN SELECT COMPANY
Split end Dez White is in select company as one of just three players in Georgia Tech history who have returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. The junior from Orange Park, Fla., had a 100-yard return last season against Maryland and a 95-yarder versus Duke as a freshman, joining Drew Hill and Gary Lee.
White’s 100-yard return equals the second-longest return in Tech history. Drew Hill had a 100-yard return against Georgia in 1978, but the Tech record is 102 by Dewey Scarboro vs. Georgetown in 1919.
NO ROOM TO RUN
Stopping the run means usually means success for Georgia Tech under head coach George O’Leary. Since O’Leary took over in 1995, the Jackets have held 18 opponents under 100 yards rushing,including three this season – and Tech is 16-2 in those games.
Game Result Yds (Att.)NC State, 1999 W 48-21 94 (33)Maryland, 1999 W 49-31 89 (36)Central Florida, 1999 W 41-10 92 (29)Georgia, 1998 W 21-19 91 (28)Wake Forest, 1998 W 63-35 61 (26)West Virginia, 1997 (Carquest Bowl) W 35-30 56 (22)Maryland, 1997 W 37-18 99 (41)Florida State, 1997 L 38-0 98 (29)Wake Forest, 1997 W 28-26 55 (22)Central Florida, 1996 W 27-20 52 (36)Duke, 1996 W 48-22 83 (31)Wake Forest, 1996 W 30-10 22 (19)Wake Forest, 1995 W 24-23 30 (17)North Carolina, 1995 W 27-25 68 (24)Duke, 1995 W 37-21 72 (24)Maryland, 1995 W 31-3 -30 (24)Arizona, 1995 L 20-19 13 (28)Furman, 1995 W 51-7 47 (35)
IN THE RED ZONE
On 42 red zone possessions (first down at or inside the opponents’ 20-yard line), Tech has scored points 38 times (90 percent). The Jackets have come away with 33 touchdowns (79 percent) and five field goals.
Tech has allowed its opponents 31 red zone possessions, and they have scored points 29 times (94 percent), includng 23 touchdowns (74 percent).
O’LEARY RUNS THE SHOW
Of the ten best single-game performances by the Georgia Tech defense against the run, George O’Leary has been involved in five of them, either as head coach or defensive coordinator.
Tech’s school record for rushing yards allowed is minus-30 yards against Maryland in 1995, O’Leary’s first full season as head coach. That performance broke the previous record of minus-20 yards set against Maryland in 1990, when O’Leary was defensive coordinator. Other top games in the O’Leary era include 10 yards by Duke in 1991, 13 by Arizona in 1995 and 22 by Wake Forest in 1996.
WINNING RECORDS VS. SIX ACC FOES
The only Atlantic Coast Conference school to post a winning record against Georgia Tech is Florida State. Tech’s all-time records against each ACC school: Clemson, 42-20-2; Duke, 37-29-1; Florida State, 7-8-1; Maryland, 9-3; North Carolina, 16-16-3; NC State, 12-7; Virginia, 11-10-1; Wake Forest, 16-5.
O’LEARY IS TECH’S 10TH HEAD COACH
Even though Georgia Tech has played football for more than 100 years, head coach George O’Leary is just the 10th full-time head coach in Rambling Wreck history.
Only UNLV (7), Houston (8), Florida State (8) and Air Force (8) have had fewer head coaches than Tech, but none began playing football before 1946. By comparison, the Yellow Jackets’ 10 full-time head coaches have spanned a period of 96 years (1904-99). In fact, from 1904 through 1966, Tech employed just three coaches in John Heisman (1904-19), William Alexander (1920-44) and Bobby Dodd (1945-66), all of whom are in the Hall of Fame.
