ATLANTA (Sept. 12) — Georgia Tech tailback Joe Burns is out for the remainder of the season after suffering a broken right ankle in Saturday’s game against Florida State.
Burns, a sophomore from Thomasville, Ga., sustained the injury after making a 14-yard gain in the fourth quarter.
“It was a heartbreaker,” said Tech head coach George O’Leary. “He took the pitch on the option and turned the corner, but he got caught from behind and his leg buckled as the guy came over the top.
“He’ll be out for the year. Hopefully we can put in for a medical redshirt year because it occured before the third game.”
Listed as a co-starter with senior Phillip Rogers, Burns is Tech’s third-leading rusher and second-leading receiver with 87 yard rushing on 14 carries (6.2-yard average) and seven catches for 96 yards and one touchdown. As a true freshman in 1998, he led the Jackets with 474 yards rushing and five touchdowns.
