Oct. 13, 2003
For the second straight week, Georgia Tech wide receiver Jonathan Smith was named Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Back of the Week. Tech center Hugh Reilly was selected ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week and quarterback Reggie Ball earned his fourth ACC Rookie of the Week Award following the Yellow Jackets’ 24-7 victory over Wake Forest.
Smith, a senior from Argyle, Ga., caught seven passes for 194 yards with a 65-yard touchdown reception to lead Tech to its third straight win. He made the play of the game with his spectacular 65-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter that put Tech ahead 17-7 after the Deacons had pulled within three points. On Tech’s first possession of the game, he had a 55-yard reception down to the Wake 11-yard line to set up another touchdown.
His 194 yards was his fourth 100-yard game of the season and the ninth-best single-game total in Georgia Tech history. Over the last two games, he has caught 16 passes for 349 yards (21.8 yards per catch) and two touchdowns. He was also named ACC Offensive Back of the Week following last week’s win over NC State.
Smith, who also rushed twice for 14 yards against the Deacons, now leads the ACC and ranks ninth in the nation in receiving yards per game at 103.6. He is third in the ACC in receptions with 5.7 per game, while his average of 18.1 yards per catch leads the league. He averages 128 all-purpose yards per game (second in the ACC).
Ball, the true freshman from Stone Mountain, Ga., passed for 225 yards with two touchdowns against the Deacons. He completed 12 of 24 passes with no interceptions and also rushed eight times for 22 yards.
In addition to hitting Smith for the 65-yard touchdown pass, Ball also hooked up with Smith for a 55-yard completion to set up Tech’s first touchdown, on which Ball found tight end John Paul Foschi for a 10-yard scoring pass.
Three times Ball rushed for first downs on third-down plays, including a 15-yard run on third-and-three and an eight-yard gain on third-and-five, both in the fourth quarter.
Over the last two games, Ball has completed 36 of 61 passes (59 percent) for 508 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He was also honored as ACC Rookie of the Week following Tech wins over NC State, Vanderbilt and Auburn.
Reilly, a senior from Roswell, Ga., was Tech’s top performing lineman, helping the Rambling Wreck offense to a season-high 441 yards of total offense, including 216 yards rushing and 225 yards passing.
Reilly paved the way for Tech tailback P.J. Daniels–a former walk-on–to rush for 175 yards, the best performance by any ACC back this season.
The dominance by Reilly and the Tech offensive line was evident as the Yellow Jackets put the game out of reach with an eight-minute drive in the fourth quarter. Every play on the 16-play, 78-yard drive was a running play, capped by Daniels’ one-yard touchdown run. Tech controlled the clock for almost 34 minutes, including a 20:27-to-9:33 advantage in the second half.
A preseason nominee for the Dave Rimington Award as the nation’s top center, Reilly has played every single snap in Georgia Tech’s first seven games, a total of 457 offensive plays.
The Jackets, now 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the ACC, enjoy an off week before hosting Maryland (5-2, 2-1 ACC) in a nationally-televised game on Thursday, Oct. 23 at 7:45 p.m. at Bobby Dodd Stadium/Grant Field.
