Led by the record-setting passing combo of quarterback George Godsey and receiver Kelly Campbell and big-play defensive ends Greg Gathers and Nick Rogers, 18 starters return to lead Georgia Tech on its quest for a fifth straight bowl berth and a place among the nation’s elite in 2001.
Under the direction of Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award winner George O’Leary, the Yellow Jackets promise to be explosive on offense and aggressive on defense.
The Yellow Jackets, who completed spring practice April 9, return more starters – nine on defense, seven on offense and both kickers – than any other team in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Tech welcomes back 47 lettermen, including 35 of the top 44 players on offense and defense.
“We have a chance to be a good football team,” said O’Leary, who has posted a record of 45-28 in six seasons on the Flats.
“I think we’re more athletic and have more depth,” continued the Tech head coach following spring practice. “But you can’t get ahead looking in the rear view mirror, you have to keep getting better. We have three months now to get ourselves better physically before we come back July 31?that’s when the freshmen come in.”
Godsey, a senior from Tampa, Fla., is firmly entrenched as the starting quarterback after a spectacular junior season in which he passed for 2,906 yards and 23 touchdowns. He missed spring practice after sustaining a knee injury in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, but will be ready in June.
In Godsey’s absence, sophomore Andy Hall edged redshirt freshman Mark Logan for the backup job.
“George Godsey missing the spring was a bad thing for him but a good thing for the football team,” said O’Leary. “We had to go with the guys we had, and they got a lot of reps. More pressure was put on them to get it done and get it done right because there wasn’t someone else waiting in the wings.
“I think all the quarterbacks improved this spring. Andy Hall showed a lot more maturity and poise than he did last year. Obviously he has the athletic talent. We tried to put a lot of pressure on him because that was where he needed the most work, and I thought he had a good spring.
“Mark Logan is probably where Andy was last spring. At times, when he knows what he’s doing, he shows poise and can make plays, but there are too many uncertainties right now. But he got better this spring.”
In addition to its starting quarterback, Tech returns virtually all of its key pass-catchers and ball-carriers, led by Campbell and tailback Joe Burns.
Campbell, a senior all-America candidate from Atlanta, caught 59 passes for 963 yards and 10 scores last fall. Also dangerous as a rusher and return specialist, he averaged 152.9 all-purpose yards per game and led the nation with an average of 18.9 yards per play.
Campbell, a two-time all-ACC selection, headlines a cast of receivers that also includes juniors Kerry Watkins and Will Glover and sophomores Nate Curry and Jonathan Smith. That quartet combined for 143 receptions, 2,107 yards and 20 touchdowns and averaged 14.7 yards per catch last fall.
“The receiver corps is a good group, and the competition there is only going to make everyone better,” said O’Leary.
Tech’s top four tight ends also return, including senior Russell Matvay, who was one of seven different Yellow Jackets with 20 or more catches last fall.
Tech is equally potent on the ground, led by Burns, who is coming off a season in which he rushed for 908 yards and 12 touchdowns while catching 26 passes for 242 yards.
Senior Sean Gregory, who has 1,208 career rushing yards, sophomore Jermaine Hatch and junior Sidney Ford, who collectively averaged better than 4.6 yards per carry in 2000, give Tech excellent depth at tailback. Redshirt freshman Jimmy Dixon also throws his hat in the ring after an impressive spring.
The heart of Tech’s attack last fall was an offensive line that led the ACC in fewest sacks allowed, but the Yellow Jackets must replace consensus first-team all-America tackle Chris Brown and all-ACC guard Brent Key, a pair of four-year starters and team leaders.
Senior center David Schmidgall (6-2, 275), an unsung but very dependable player, is Tech’s top returnee, and right tackle John Bennett (6-5, 290), a freshman all-America, and left guard Raymond Roberts-Blake (6-2, 273) also return to the starting five. Sophomore Hugh Reilly (6-4, 279) and senior Jason Kemble (6-2, 299) ended the spring with starting jobs at right guard and left tackle, respectively.
At tackle, Tech also adds talented redshirt freshman Leon Robinson (6-4, 290) and junior college transfer Garren Findlay (6-5, 290), while other returnees at guard include sophomore Clay Hartley (6-4, 280) and junior Tim Brown (6-2, 295).
“It’s not rebuilding the offensive line, it’s replacing,” said O’Leary. “I think we filled our needs in the spring, and the line has a chance to be good. We still need to work on building depth there, but I’m happy with the first five.
“Hugh Reilly is going to be a really good player. There could still be a dogfight at left tackle between Jason Kemble and Leon Robinson, and bringing in an older, more mature guy in Garren Findlay is going to help us.”
While Tech’s offense remained explosive and productive last season, perhaps the hallmark of the 2000 Yellow Jackets was the tremendous improvement shown by the defense. That progress should be even more evident this season as Tech returns nine starters, led by the pass-rushing tandem of defensive ends Greg Gathers and Nick Rogers.
Gathers (6-1, 260) and Rogers (6-2, 255), all-ACC honorees who combined for 22 sacks, anchor a defense that ranked 12th in the nation against the run and 20th in scoring defense.
“I think we made strides last year as far as the defense was concerned,” said O’Leary, whose defensive unit is still youthful, with only three seniors starting.
“We’re not where we need to be yet, but I think we have a lot of young players who can run and enjoy hitting people.”
Steady senior Merrix Watson (6-3, 290) returns at defensive tackle, but developing depth on the interior line was an emphasis this spring.
“There’s no one dominant player inside, but collectively they’ve got to go out and give us some good downs,” said O’Leary. “I see more guys we can play next year who can do that for us.”
Tech’s linebackers are young, fast and talented, with junior Recardo Wimbush (6-1, 218) and sophomores Daryl Smith (6-2, 225) and Ather Brown (6-3, 220) returning to the starting lineup and sophomores Keyaron Fox (6-3, 220), Anthony Lawston (6-3, 220) and Sterling Green (6-2, 210) pushing for playing time.
The top returnees in the secondary are safeties Jeremy Muyres, a second-team all-ACC selection, and Chris Young, while Cory Collins, who started the second half of the season, also returns.
At cornerback, Notre Dame transfer Albert Poree earned a starting berth. Junior Marvious Hester held off sophomore Jonathan Cox at the other spot, which should continue to be a battle.
Tech’s special teams should again be among the nation’s best with accomplished specialists in placekicker Luke Manget and punter Dan Dyke and Campbell providing a dangerous return threat.
The Tech coaching staff features some new faces and some old faces in new places. After long-time offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen was named the head coach at ACC rival Maryland, O’Leary promoted Bill O’Brien from running backs coach to the coordinator position. Former Tech player Glenn Spencer joined the staff as running backs coach after three successful seasons as the head coach at West Georgia, and Geoff Collins, a graduate assistant the last two years, was elevated to full-time status as tight ends coach.
On Ted Roof’s defensive staff, Lance Thompson returned to the Flats as defensive ends coach and recruiting coordinator after two years at Alabama. Danny Crossman, in his third year at Tech, moved to defensive backs coach, while Peter McCarty came to Tech from Illinois to coach the defensive tackles.
One area that Tech began to address in the spring is a work in progress.
“You’re still uncertain about the chemistry of your football team,” said O’Leary. “I think that’s very important, so I put a lot of emphasis on making sure we have good chemistry. I think football is about 60 percent mental and 40 percent physical.
“I like the chemistry that we have shown so far. We have 14 seniors, which is three more than we had last year, so hopefully they can collectively take over this football team and get the job done.
“It’s important that everybody understands their role and how they are going to help us win, whether it’s the best player or the worst player.”
Tech’s 2001 schedule features five teams that played in bowl games and eight teams that posted winning records in 2000. The Yellow Jackets open the season against Syracuse in the Kickoff Classic, Aug. 26 in East Rutherford, N.J.
“I like to play an early game against a quality opponent to set a barometer for the next season and create a sense of urgency in spring ball and the off-season workouts,” said O’Leary.
Tech’s early-season slate also features a Sept. 15 trip to Florida State, followed a week later by a home date with Clemson. The Jackets will also host a pair of Thursday night clashes on ESPN against Maryland and North Carolina as well as the season-ending battle with arch-rival Georgia Nov. 24.
QUARTERBACKS
Senior George Godsey returns after exceeding all expectations last season, his first as the starter. In fact, the Tampa, Fla., native recorded the second-most productive season in Tech history with statistics that were bettered only by his predecessor, Joe Hamilton, in his Heisman-runnerup campaign of 1999. Godsey passed for 2,906 yards and 23 touchdowns while throwing only six interceptions in 2000.
The 6-2, 205-pound Godsey sat out spring practice after sustaining a knee injury (torn left ACL) in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. He is expected to begin running and throwing in June and be ready for preseason practice.
In Godsey’s absence, sophomore Andy Hall (6-2, 190) emerged in the spring to grab the number two job, edging redshirt freshman Mark Logan (5-11, 195) . Hall, a sophomore, has good skills and a strong arm, and he displayed improved maturity and poise this spring. In six games last fall, he completed five of eight passes for 39 yards and rushed 15 times for 37 yards and one touchdown. Logan is an athletic quarterback who has shown the ability to make plays but needs to continue to mature.
A.J. Suggs, a transfer from Tennessee, also practiced this spring, but he is not eligible until the 2002 season.
Tech adds three talented freshmen quarterbacks in the fall. Damarius Bilbo of Moss Point, Miss., Dawan Landry of Ama, La., and Rahshan Johnson of Middleburg Heights, Ohio, could get a look in preseason camp, but O’Leary indicated that it would be very difficult for a true freshman to learn Tech’s offense so quickly.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Wide receiver has been one of Tech’s strengths the last two years, a trend that should continue this season. The Yellow Jackets return five of their top six receivers, led by all-America candidate Kelly Campbell. The senior from Atlanta, stands poised to break all of Tech’s career receiving records. He enters his final campaign with 139 receptions for 2,199 yards and 21 touchdowns, including 59 catches for 963 yards and 10 scores last fall. Already Tech’s career leader in touchdown catches, he needs just 27 receptions and 92 yards to eclipse the school records in those categories.
Juniors Kerry Watkins and Will Glover and sophomores Nate Curry and Jonathan Smith also return, making this perhaps the strongest position on the team. Watkins was Tech’s third-leading receiver with 26 catches but was second in touchdowns (6) and first in yards per catch (18.5). He showed his big-play ability with his game-winning touchdown catch against Clemson.
The sure-handed Glover contributed 29 receptions for 286 yards and two scores, while Curry (22-298-2) and Smith (7-80-0) showed great promise as true freshmen.
RUNNING BACKS
All the Yellow Jackets’ key ball-carriers return, led by junior tailback Joe Burns, who rushed for 908 yards and 12 touchdowns. Tech’s most versatile back who can play tailback, fullback or one-back, Burns was also the Jackets’ third-leading receiver with 26 catches for 242 yards and one score. Burns, a 5-10, 205-pound workhorse, had more than three times as many carries as any other Yellow Jacket last season, but look for Tech to display more depth there this fall.
Junior Sidney Ford (5-9, 205) rushed for 246 yards and three touchdowns last fall while leading Tech with a 5.0-yard average. This spring, he emerged second on the depth chart behind Burns, who participated in only one week of spring drills while concentrating on academics.
Talented redshirt freshman Jimmy Dixon (6-1, 200) was impressive in spring practice and is listed third. Senior Sean Gregory (6-0, 211) has 1,208 career yards and 15 touchdowns, including 291 yards last fall. Sophomore Jermaine Hatch (6-2, 205) came on strong at the end of last season, gaining 148 yards on 35 carries over the last five games, but he was hampered this spring by an ankle injury.
While the tailback position is loaded, Tech must find a replacement at fullback for four-year starter Ed Wilder, who seldom carried the ball but was invaluable with his blocking and versatility. Wilder’s backup, senior Ross Mitchell, returns, but he had just one carry last fall. He should be pushed by redshirt freshman Johnathan Jackson and sophomore Brian Camp, a convert from quarterback. Mike Garlow adds depth. Burns is also likely to see time at fullback.
TIGHT ENDS
All four players return here, including senior starter Russell Matvay, who caught 20 passes for 199 yards. Sophomore John Paul Foschi is a potential standout who caught four passes for 58 as a true freshman. Both Matvay and Foschi can be used as H-backs, while juniors Will Heller (five catches for 60 yards) and Brian Lee are used primarily for blocking. Redshirt freshman Darius Williams could also be in the mix.
GUARDS
Junior Raymond Roberts-Blake returns at left guard after a solid campaign in his first year as a starter. The Jackets, however, must replace all-ACC right guard Brent Key, a four-year starter at the position. Sophomore Hugh Reilly, a backup last fall at center and guard, earned the job with a strong spring. Backups at guard include sophomore Clay Hartley, who saw some relief duty last fall, junior Tim Brown, who played on the PAT-FG units last fall, and senior Brian Meager, who returns after missing the last two seasons with a broken ankle.
TACKLES
Tech returns freshman all-America John Bennett at right tackle, but the Jackets’ biggest void may be at the left tackle position held by consensus first-team all-America Chris Brown the last four years. Senior Jason Kemble won the job with a good spring, although he should continue to be pushed by promising redshirt freshman Leon Robinson. Junior college transfer Garren Findlay from Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, backs up Bennett. Another talented young redshirt, Jeremy Phillips, will miss most or all of the season with torn knee ligaments sustained in the spring. Junior walk-on Will Hardy adds depth.
CENTERS
Steady senior David Schmidgall returns as the leader of the offensive line. He performed well last fall in his first year on the job and could challenge for all-conference honors this season. Freshman Gavin Tarquinio, a 2001 signee who enrolled this semester, was ticketed for a backup role here, but he will miss at least part of the 2001 season after suffering torn knee ligaments in the spring. Walk-on junior Beau Cleland adds depth.
PLACEKICKERS
Georgia Tech returns one of the nation’s best placekickers in junior Luke Manget, a Lou Groza Award semifinalist and first-team all-ACC selection. The Conyers, Ga., native has made 91 consecutive extra points in his career, just two away from the ACC record.
Manget’s backup is junior Dan Burnett, who was perfect on five extra points against Virginia when Manget was injured.
DEFENSIVE ENDS
Georgia Tech boasts one of the best tandems in the nation in Greg Gathers and Nick Rogers, who combined for 22 sacks last year. A first-team all-ACC selection and second-team all-America, Gathers is a strong candidate for all-star recognition after ranking third in the nation with 13 sacks. He also had 60 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, an interception, and a fumble return for a touchdown. Rogers, a second-team all-ACC pick, added 62 tackles, nine sacks and 13 tackles for loss while leading the league with six fumbles caused.
Tech graduated third-down specialist Felipe Claybrooks, but look for sophomore Hobie Holiday, a former Parade all-America prepster, to step forward. Redshirt freshman Chirod Williams showed good quickness and athletic ability in the spring.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
The only four-year starter on the Tech defense is senior tackle Merrix Watson, a steady performer who had 38 tackles and five tackles for loss. Junior Gary Johnson is likely to start opposite Watson, who did not participate in spring drills while recovering from offseason knee and back surgeries. Junior Casey Loesch, a transfer from South Florida, junior Fred Wright, sophomore Reggie Koon and redshirt freshman Alfred Malone all showed the ability in the spring to give Tech improved depth on the interior defensive line.
LINEBACKERS
Georgia Tech features a deep and talented cast at linebacker, led by junior Recardo Wimbush, Tech’s active tackling leader with 185. An all-star candidate after earning honorable mention all-ACC honors last fall, Wimbush made 94 tackles, including 13 tackles for loss. He was edged for the team lead in tackles by Daryl Smith, who collected 96 hits and 10 tackles for loss to capture Freshman All-America honors. Sophomore Ather Brown (48 tackles) also returns to the starting lineup. Another sophomore, Keyaron Fox, was impressive in limited duty last fall despite a broken arm and should see plenty of action on the outside. Sophomore Anthony Lawston will back up Smith at middle linebacker. Sophomore Sterling Green moved to outside linebacker from safety to add more speed. Tech also signed several highly linebackers who could make an impact next fall.
SAFETIES
Two veteran starters return in strong safety Chris Young and all-ACC free safety Jeremy Muyres, as well as junior Cory Collins, who started five games last season. Muyres, a junior, led Tech with four interceptions and 12 pass breakups. He earned second-team all-ACC honors as well as Academic All-ACC recognition. Young, a hard-hitter who made 62 tackles and two interceptions, returns to strong safety after moving to cornerback for the final five games of 2000. His move to corner put Collins at strong safety, and he finished with 44 tackles. Collins now backs up Young, with junior Richard McCabe adding depth. Behind Muyres at free safety is sophomore Tony Hollings, and senior Marty O’Leary, who missed the 2000 season with a knee injury.
CORNERBACKS
Junior Marvious Hester, a part-time starter the last two years, is Tech’s most experienced cornerback. His season was highlighted by a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown against Florida State. He is slated first at one cornerback position but should be pushed by sophomore Jonathan Cox, who started four games in 2000. At the other cornerback, sophomore Albert Poree, a transfer from Notre Dame, grabbed a starting berth. Junior Kelley Rhino, also Tech’s punt return specialist, backs up Poree.
PUNTERS
Two-time Academic All-America Dan Dyke returns for his third year as the starter after averaging 41.8 yards per kick. The junior from Winter Springs, Fla., has a career average of 42.7 yards with a net of 39.0. His backup, junior Chris Morehouse, will continue to compete for the job. The former NCAA Division III all-America at Albright College averaged 44.1 yards in four games last season.
