Nov. 10, 2002
ATLANTA –
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“This is a really big game for us, and that’s how we’ll approach it,” said Georgia Tech head coach Chan Gailey as his Yellow Jackets (6-4, 3-4 ACC) host Duke (2-8, 0-6 ACC) Saturday at 1 p.m. EST in the final home game of the season at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field.
The Tech-Duke game will not be televised but can be heard on the Georgia Tech-ISP Radio Network, including Atlanta flagship station, WQXI-AM “790 The Zone,” as well as WTSH-FM (107.1) and WMGP-FM (98.1) in metro Atlanta. Wes Durham calls the play-by-play, while Kim King provides color analysis.
Tech is coming off an emotional two weeks with Saturday’s frustrating 21-13 loss to 17th-ranked Florida State following the previous week’s victory over No. 8 NC State.
“Our players have a great understanding of exactly where things stand right now as far as the bowl picture for us and far as what we want to accomplish for the rest of our season,” said Gailey.
The loss to Florida State was a disappointing one because Tech dominated the statistics, outgaining the Seminoles 396-to-279 in total yardage, collecting 24 first downs to FSU’s 12 and controlling the clock for 35:34, but the Jackets were victimized by a couple of big plays.
“We had a lot of opportunities to win the game,” said Gailey. “We did not win the game, but the effort and the attitude that our guys took into the game and carried through was outstanding.
“I was very impressed with the defensive effort overall. Really, when you get down to it, the defense held them to 14 points because of the interception. A third of their yardage came on one play.”
Tech quarterback A.J. Suggs (Powder Springs, Ga.) is completing 57.8 percent of his passes for 1,844 yards with 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Kerry Watkins (LaPlace, La.) is among the ACC’s leading receivers with 55 catches for 816 yards (14.8-yard average) and four touchdowns, while fellow senior Will Glover (Tampa, Fla.) adds 40 receptions for 353 yards and three scores.
At a tailback position decimated by injuries, senior Gordon Clinkscale (Doraville, Ga.) has become Tech’s top back with 48 carries for 384 yards (8.0 yards per carry) and 17 catches for 96 yards. Over the last four games games, he has averaged 86 yards per game and 8.6 yards a carry. True freshman Ajenavi Eziemefe (New Orleans, La.), 244 yards rushing and two touchdowns, and redshirt freshman P.J. Daniels (Houston, Texas), 222 yards, two TDs, also contribute.
The Tech offensive line is led by a pair of all-star candidates in sophomore left tackle Nat Dorsey (New Orleans, La.) and junior center Hugh Reilly (Smyrna, Ga.), although Dorsey is expected to miss his second straight game with a shoulder injury.
Georgia Tech’s defense ranks among the top four in the ACC in every category. The Yellow Jackets are second in the league in scoring defense (18.4 ppg) and second in rushing defense (119.6 ypg). Tech also ranks third in total defense (341.4 ypg) and fourth in pass defense (221.8 ypg).
Over the last three games, Tech has allowed an average of 17.7 points per game to Virginia, NC State and Florida State.
The Jackets’ defensive leaders are its trio of outstanding linebackers: junior Daryl Smith (Albany, Ga.), 70 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and one interception; senior Recardo Wimbush (Blakely, Ga.), 69 tackles and two fumble recoveries, and junior Keyaron Fox (Atlanta, Ga.), 62 tackles and nine tackles for loss.
All-ACC free safety Jeremy Muyres (Stone Mountain, Ga.) adds 55 tackles and a team-leading four interceptions.
All-conference placekicker Luke Manget (Conyers, Ga.) has extended his ACC-record streak of consecutive extra points to 154 in a row. Manget has hit his last nine field goals to improve to 11-for-15 on the season.
At punter, the Jackets use a combination of seniors Dan Dyke (Winter Springs, Fla.), who is averaging 39.9 yards on 31 punts, and Chris Morehouse (Vernon, Conn.), who is averaging 42.9 yards on 23 punts.
BOWL ELIGIBLE FOR SIXTH STRAIGHT YEAR
With six victories, Georgia Tech is bowl-eligible, putting the Yellow Jackets in line for a school record-tying sixth consecutive bowl appearance.
Tech has earned five consecutive bowl berths, a first for the program since the 1950s and the halcyon days of legendary coach Bobby Dodd, who guided the Yellow Jackets to a school-record six straight bowl games–winning them all–from 1951-56.
On their current streak, the Jackets have played in the 1997 Carquest Bowl, the 1999 and 2000 Toyota Gator Bowls, the 2000 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the 2001 Seattle Bowl.
THE SERIES VERSUS DUKE
Georgia Tech has won seven in a row and 11 of the last 12 meetings with Duke to take a 39-29-1 lead in the series. The Blue Devils’ only victory in the last 12 years was a 27-12 decision in 1994 at Bobby Dodd Stadium/Grant Field.
Since becoming eligible for the ACC title in 1983, Tech is 14-5 against Duke, recording more wins against the Blue Devils than any other conference school.
Tech is 21-12-1 against the Blue Devils in Atlanta, including three straight wins by an average margin of 29.7 points. Tech won 45-10 in 2000 the last time Duke visited Bobby Dodd Stadium/Grant Field.
The two schools have met every year since 1933, making this Tech’s second-oldest continuous series, behind only the Tech-Georgia rivalry. The only schools that Tech has played more than Duke (69) are Georgia (96) and Auburn (90).
LAST MEETING WITH THE BLUE DEVILS
In 2001 in Durham, N.C., Georgia Tech quarterback George Godsey passed for 295 yards and three touchdowns and Joe Burns rushed for 122 yards and two scores to lead the 17th-ranked Yellow Jackets to a 37-10 victory over Duke. Tech led just 17-10 at the intermission as a pair of turnovers led to 10 Duke points late in the first half, but the Jackets took charge in the third quarter, holding the ball for more than 11 minutes and limiting the Blue Devils to minus-12 yards.
ROOF FACES FORMER TEAM
Duke’s first-year defensive coordinator Ted Roof is no stranger to Georgia Tech. A 1987 Tech graduate, Roof spent the last four seasons on the Rambling Wreck staff, including one year as linebackers coach (1998) and three years as defensive coordinator (1999-2001). The Lawrenceville, Ga., native lettered four years as a Yellow Jacket linebacker from 1982-85. His career total of 417 tackles still ranks seventh in Tech history.
NO ROOM TO RUN
The Georgia Tech-Duke matchup features the top two rushing defenses in the ACC. The Blue Devils lead the league, allowing 118.4 yards per game, while Tech is second at 119.6 yards per contest.
In back-to-back wins over Virginia and NC State, Tech allowed just 110 yards rushing, limiting the Cavaliers to 53 yards on 20 attempts and the Wolfpack 57 yards on 22 attempts. The Jackets held State’s standout freshman T.A. McLendon, who entered the game averaging 101.6 yards, to 49 yards on 17 carries.
Tech has held five opponents this season to under 100 yards rushing (NC State, Virginia, Connecticut, BYU and North Carolina), and the Jackets are 5-0 in those games.
MANGET BREAKS TECH SCORING RECORD
With 10 points against NC State, placekicker Luke Manget became Georgia Tech’s all-time scoring leader. The senior all-America candidate is 53-for-75 (.707) on field goals and 154-for-154 on extra points in his career for a total of 313 points. He broke the Tech record set by placekicker Scott Sisson (299 points, 1989-92).
Manget’s point total is third in ACC history, trailing only a pair of former Florida State kickers – Scott Bentley (326 points) and Sebastian Janikowski (324).
TECH CAREER SCORING Years Pts1. Luke Manget 1999- 3132. Scott Sisson 1989-92 299
TECH CAREER FIELD GOALS Years FG 1. Scott Sisson 1989-92 60 2. Luke Manget 1999- 53
TECH CAREER PAT Years PAT 1. Luke Manget 1999- 154 2. Scott Sisson 1989-92 119
ACC CAREER SCORING Years Points 1. *Scott Bentley, Florida State 1993-96 326 2. *Sebastian Janikowski, Florida State 1997-99 324 3. *Luke Manget, Georgia Tech 1999- 313 *placekicker
ANOTHER RECORD STREAK FOR MANGET
Luke Manget’s ACC-record streak of consecutive extra points is at 154, and now the senior placekicker is working on a field goal streak as well.
With two three-pointers against Florida State, Manget has now hit nine straight field goals, which ties the Georgia Tech record set by David Bell over the 1985-86 seasons.
RHINO ON THE RETURN
Already Georgia Tech’s career leader in punt return yards, senior Kelley Rhino became the school’s all-time leader in punt returns with eight against Florida State. Rhino now has 104 career returns for 1,098 yards. Those figures ranks second in ACC history, behind career leader Ledel George of NC State, who had 125 returns for 1,191 yards.
A first-team all-ACC selection last fall, Rhino broke the Tech record for career punt that was set by his father, former Tech all-America Randy Rhino (749 yards, 1972-74). Kelley broke the record with 110 yards – one yard off his career best – against Vanderbilt in the season opener.
Rhino broke his father’s Tech season record a year ago. The younger Rhino collected 515 yards in 2001, surpassing his father’s 1972 total of 441 yards as well the ACC record of 448 yards, previously held by Corey Sawyer of Florida State. Kelley’s 48 returns in 2001 tied the Tech season record, set by Willie Clay in 1991.
ACC LEADERS - CAREER PR YARDS Years Yds1. Ledel George, NCS 1990-93 1,1912. Kelley Rhino, GT 1999- 1,098
ACC LEADERS – CAREER PUNT RETURNS Years Ret 1. Ledel George, NCS 1990-93 125 2. Kelley Rhino, GT 1999- 104
