Football Eyes Redemption for #GTWhiteOut

Sept. 29, 2014

THE FLATS – Georgia Tech (4-0, 1-0) returns home for its ACC home opener under the lights of Bobby Dodd Stadium as the Yellow Jackets host the Miami Hurricanes (3-2, 1-1) for #GTWhiteOut. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

RUN JT, RUN
Redshirt sophomore Justin Thomas ranks second among FBS quarterbacks in rushing yards per game (110.8), and has rushed for 302 yards in the last two games.

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday marks the 20th series meeting and the 11th as ACC Coastal Division rivals. Georgia Tech leads the series 10-9, but the Jackets have lost five straight.

EATING UP YARDAGE
Through 14 games, redshirt sophomore QB Justin Thomas has 677 rushing yards, with 302 yards coming in the last two games. This season, Thomas has 443 rushing yards, which ranks 13th on Georgia Tech’s single-season list for QBs. Thomas needs 257 yards to become the  5th Georgia Tech QB to rush for 700 yards in a season. His 677 career rushing yards ranks 10th all-time for QBs at Georgia Tech and he needs 323 yards to become only the 6th 1,000-yard rushing QB in Georgia Tech history.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE
DeAndre Smelter has 339 total receiving yards through four games, including three 100-yard outings. In his first season with the Jackets in 2013, Smelter had only 345 receiving yards in 13 games.

SCORING STREAK
Georgia Tech has played 215 consecutive games without being shut out – the eighth-longest active streak in the nation. The last time the Yellow Jackets were blanked came Oct. 18, 1997 – a 38-0 loss at No. 3 Florida State. Georgia Tech hasn’t been shut out at home since Nov. 30, 1957 – a streak of 353 consecutive home games at Boddy Dodd Stadium.

NET-WORKING
Senior B-Back Zach Laskey has recorded only THREE negative carries (only four yards lost total) in 278 career rushing attempts – or 1.1 % of his career rushing attempts. In 2014, he has lost one yard on 61 attempts (316 net yards). In 2013, he lost two yards on 84 rushes (485 net yards) and one yard in 2012 on 133 rushes (697 net yards).

KING OF BLOCKS
Junior DB Chris Milton is tied for the FBS lead with two blocked kicks this season. He has five in the last two seasons. He ranked second overall in 2013 (3), and was the only player in the nation to block three punts.

@GTATHLETICS LAUNCHES #SOCIALSWARM FAN TEAM
A team of 10 social media fan ambassadors has been selected to be a part of the #SocialSwarm for Georgia Tech’s ACC Coastal Division matchup Oct. 4 vs. Miami at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The game will kick at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The fan team is comprised of GT students, faculty, alumni and season-ticket holders that will add another layer to Georgia Tech’s robust social media presence on game day.

Below is a roster for Georgia Tech’s first #SocialSwarm Fan Social Media Team. Fans are encouraged to follow our #SocialSwarm team, ask questions and engage with them leading up to kickoff and throughout the game.

Adam Prather (@AJP125) – Adam is an avid Georgia Tech fan.

Bill Todd (@billtoddgt) – Bill is a professor in the Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech and is a 1971 GT alumnus.
Bo Brewer (@BoBrewer) – Bo is a GT alumnus, season-ticket holder, helluva engineer, Braves fan, coffee addict, and an occasional runner.
Brandi Gilbert (@FunnerRunner13) – Brandi is a #GeorgiaTech fanatic, college football junkie, social media enthusiast, self-proclaimed “selfie queen” on an avid runner.
Chrissy Warrilow (@AtlantaWxGirl) – Chrissy is a GT alumna, Weather.com meteorologist, Georgia Peach and a Proud Yellow Jacket.
Elizabeth Baker (@ElizabethBaker3) – Elizabeth is a GT alumna, marketer, photographer, sports fanatic, TV enthusiast and a travel aficionado.
Georgia Tech Students (@GTStudents) – This is the voice of Georgia Tech students. Next week’s guest tweeter will be announced soon.
Grace Snell (@GraceLSnell) – Grace is a GT alumna and former GT cheerleader. She is a member of the LuluLemon R&D team.
Grant Heffley (@gdheffley) – Grant is a GT student, and is currently a writer and “social media guy” at From The Rumble Seat.
Wade Rogers (@WadeRogersGT) – Wade is a marketing student at Georgia Tech and is also studying sports.

#SocialSwarm was developed in order to grow relationships between the Georgia Tech Athletic Association and its various social influences. #SocialSwarm is a place for fan ambassadors to share their unique views throughout the stadium in-game and engage with other GT fans, students and alumni.

THE Paul Johnson RADIO SHOW
The Paul Johnson Radio Show returns for the 2014 season and will be held Monday nights from 7-8 p.m. at Hudson Grille Midtown (942 Peachtree St NE). Hosted by the “Voice of the Yellow Jackets” Brandon Gaudin, the one-hour live call-in show can be heard statewide on the GT IMG Sports Network. If you can’t attend, you can call and ask Coach a question at 866-477-7020. You can also submit questions on Twitter using #GTRadio or through the GT Athletics Facebook page.

The first 25 Georgia Tech students to show their BuzzCard at each of the Paul Johnson Radio Shows will receive either a free dessert or free wings. Additionally, there will also be a GT burger special for $5.95 and free valet parking.

DOWNLOAD GEORGIA TECH GAMEDAY APP (Download: App Store | Google Play)
Georgia Tech Athletics joined forces with IMG and SportsLabs to develop the Georgia Tech Gameday app to keep Yellow Jackets fans connected to the action while on campus or watching from home. The Georgia Tech Gameday App will replace the current official app for Georgia Tech Athletics.

The Georgia Tech Gameday App is packed with robust social, on-campus and stat-driven features that enhance the gameday experience by delivering: free live game audio; real-time Instagram and Twitter feeds from the team and fans; the official game-day guide with key times, events and need-to-know information including stadium maps and parking to plan the day; live conference and Top 25 scores, real-time stats; opt-in alerts for weather updates, pre-game events, play-by-play information and more.

For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on Twitter (@GTAthletics), Facebook (facebook.com/GTAthletics), and Instagram (@GTAthletics) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.