Record Crowd Sees Gold Top White, 30-20

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2019 SEASON TICKETS

Thanks to the excitement surrounding new head coach Geoff Collins and the great value of 2019 season tickets (reserved seats for seven home games – including the regular-season finale vs. archrival Georgia – beginning at just $219 and Stinger Mobile Passes starting at just $149), Georgia Tech season-ticket memberships continue to sell briskly. For more information and to purchase season tickets online, visit ramblinwreck.com/footballtickets TODAY.

THE FLATS – A Georgia Tech spring game record crowd of 21,194 saw the Yellow Jackets throw 48 passes and score eight touchdowns in a 30-20 Gold triumph over the White on Friday night at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

The 21,194 on hand to witness Geoff Collins’ first spring game as head coach of the Jackets nearly filled the stadium’s lower bowl and shattered Tech’s previous spring game record of 18,125, set in 2012.

Collins’ revamp of the program was evident from the get-go. In a nod to former head coach Paul Johnson, the Jackets lined up in the familiar option formation of the past 11 seasons on the first play of the game before shifting into a shotgun, empty backfield look. The crowd roared as quarterback Lucas Johnson completed a 12-yard pass to tight end Tyler Cooksey to open the contest.

Sophomore running back Jordan Mason scored twice to lead the Gold’s five-touchdown performance. Redshirt freshmen Christian Malloy and Dontae Smith also scored on the ground while true freshman Ahmarean Brown caught a touchdown pass from Johnson to round out the Gold’s 30-point onslaught.

Redshirt freshman quarterback James Graham threw for a touchdown and ran for another to lead the White, which scored three times. Sophomore wideout Adonicas Sanders hauled in a beautiful 54-yard touchdown pass from Graham while sophomore Liam Byrne connected with redshirt freshman Tija’i Whatley to cap the scoring for the White.

On the other side, Georgia Tech’s new-look defense accounted for 13 sacks and 15 tackles for loss while accounting for two turnovers, both forced by the Gold. Linebacker David Curry led all tacklers with 10 (including a sack) for the White while Curtis Ryans had three sacks for the Gold. Two-way lineman Jahaziel Lee forced a fumble and defensive back Ajani Kerr had an interception to account for the Gold’s two takeaways.

Lucas Johnson fires one of his 12 pass completions as offensive coordinator Dave Patenaude (left) and head coach Geoff Collins (right with whistle) look on.

POSTGAME NOTES

• The crowd was the third-largest spring game crowd in the ACC this season, trailing only Clemson and Florida State. The next largest reported ACC spring game crowd after Georgia Tech’s 21,194 was 8,797 for Pitt.
• Cooksey’s 12-yard catch on the opening play was the first reception by a Georgia Tech tight end since Colin Peek hauled in a four-yard catch in the third quarter versus Georgia on Nov. 24, 2007.
• All eight of Georgia Tech’s touchdowns were scored by freshmen or sophomores.
• The Gold outgained the White, 284-164, including a 91-33 edge in rushing yards and a 193-131 advantage in passing yardage.
• The game format called for no kicking (kickoffs, punts, field goals or PATs). Therefore, teams were required to go for it on every fourth down. The defenses stood tall, as the teams combined to go 0-for-10 on fourth-down attempts.
• The Gold’s nine sacks would be just two shy of the Georgia Tech record for sacks in a game (11 vs. Maryland in 1990 and 1993).
• Malloy led all rushers with 38 yards on 10 carries.
• Redshirt freshman Ryan Lantz led all passers with 106 yards on 5-of-8 passing. Johnson was an efficient 12-of-16 for 87 yards.
• Redshirt freshman Jaylen Jackson had a game-high 58 receiving yards, which all came on a deep reception from Lantz that set up a Gold touchdown.
• Mason had a team-high five receptions out of the backfield.
• Avery Showell had two of the Gold’s four pass breakups.
• The game’s top four tacklers all came from the White team – Curry (10), defensive back Juanyeh Thomas (7), linebacker Charlie Thomas (6) and defensive lineman K. Chimedza (4).

Bruce Jordan-Swilling (12), Jaylon King (14), Kelton Dawson (91) and PeJe’ Harris (18) celebrate with Georgia Tech students that helped make up the Georgia Tech spring game record-crowd of  21,194.

MULTIMEDIA

AUDIO: Head coach Geoff Collins postgame press conference

YAAASSSS!!!! Let’s go @GeorgiaTechFB 💥💥💥💥#404Takeover #TogetherWeSwarm pic.twitter.com/75v1mOzHEV

— 680 The Fan (@680TheFan) April 26, 2019

Tonight's honorary coaches 📋

🍳 Walt Ehmer of @WaffleHouse
🥤 Jim Sanders of @CocaCola #404Takeover pic.twitter.com/GJPGUqkhnT

— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) April 26, 2019

Coach Bobby Ross is back for #GTSpringGame 🏆#404Takeover pic.twitter.com/ccVi2S9uDu

— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) April 26, 2019

WRECK ‘EM!!!! #biGTime 🏈 pic.twitter.com/vEATfpJA2y

— #biGTime Football (@GTFootball) April 26, 2019

Calvin Johnson with a question before the start of the spring game: pic.twitter.com/IXcjdylXSn

— Ken Sugiura (@ksugiuraajc) April 26, 2019

Just like William Alexander’s teams used to do, except they did the Charleston. pic.twitter.com/2aMEdHS9DS

— Ken Sugiura (@ksugiuraajc) April 27, 2019

And then they snap it and complete a pass to a tight end for the first time since 2008! pic.twitter.com/7vgBaGyfOF

— Cody Chaffins (@Cody_Fox5) April 27, 2019

Yesssssirrrrr 🖊🖊🖊🖊@D_Curry_22 #GeTtheBALL pic.twitter.com/bRbkhd0vPd

— BLACKwatch (@__BLACKwatch) April 27, 2019

.@jdomineck16 @53__eraL are out there CREATING CHAOS!!!! 😤😤😤@BLACKwatch /// #GeTtheBALL pic.twitter.com/iTXw6bTAzu

— #biGTime Football (@GTFootball) April 27, 2019

Here are more highlights from the @GeorgiaTechFB spring game @FOX5Sports pic.twitter.com/yQ1ehZm1dG

— Cody Chaffins (@Cody_Fox5) April 27, 2019