June 4, 2001
By Wes Durham
Most Georgia Tech fans remember the final strains of the 1994 football season. It was as dark a fall as the Yellow Jackets have ever had. The final record of 1-10 probably seemed worse than that. Now just seven seasons later, Tech is expected to be listed in the pre-season top 10 by most pre-season magazines and the top 15 schools by the rest.
There is preliminary talk that the Jackets could be the favorite to win the ACC and perhaps have a chance to play for the National Championship at the Rose Bowl. In the last couple weeks, I have come to the same conclusion as some of the football coaches in this country. Pre-season polls are done for discussion purposes. Don’t get me wrong, it would be wonderful if Tech ended up in Pasadena, but that is a long way away. After all, it’s June!
Twice named the ACC Coach of the Year and last December, Tech’s George O’Leary was tabbed as the “Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year.” All through his reconstruction of the Jacket program, there has been one standard and he thinks that will continue this fall.
“To me it is the same as it’s always been. You don’t get better looking in the mirror. I look at our last game (LSU) and see areas where we can improve as a team. I know our coaches understand that and I think our players do as well.”
For the record, the team that ended up winning the crown last January, Oklahoma, was 20th in the pre-season polls. By their own admission, the Sooners dodged a few bullets on the way to the trophy as well. They beat Kansas State twice, Nebraska once and survived Texas A&M at College Station…and oh yeah, Florida State, when they were a prohibitive underdog in the Orange Bowl.
I think Georgia Tech can be one of the top teams in the country. For the first time in a long time, it’s possible that Tech could be in the group of 12 teams or so that is capable of winning the National Championship. That is nice company to have yourselves in when you think about where this program was in 1994.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Since the pre-season magazines don’t hit newsstands until late in June, here’s a quick note about each of Tech’s opponents this fall, including their overall record from the 2000 season.
Aug. 26, Syracuse: The Orangemen return 14 starters (8 off./6 def.) from a team that posted a 6-5 mark, while going just 4-3 in the Big East. Their defense will be headlined by end Dwight Freeney, who should be listed on the pre-season lists of most defensive honors. Freeney had 4.5 sacks against Michael Vick and Virginia Tech last fall. Sophomore R.J. Anderson won the quarterback job in the spring, but junior Troy Nunes had some solid game experience last season.
Sept. 1, The Citadel: Ellis Johnson, a former assistant at both Clemson and Alabama, is the Bulldogs new coach. Johnson inherits a program that posted a 2-9 mark last fall and went just 1-7 in the Southern Conference. Johnson brings back 18 starters (11 off./ 7def.), including a battle at quarterback with Joe Call and Scooter Johnson.
Sept. 8, at Navy: The Mids posted a 1-10 mark last season and will bring back 12 starters (4 off./7 def.) from that team. Former Virginia defensive coordinator Rick Lantz is now in charge of the same area with Navy. This will mark the third straight season Tech has faced Navy and the second time that have done so in Annapolis. Brian Madden will assume the controls of the Navy “slot option” attack.
Sept. 15, at Florida State: Depending on how you look at it, the ‘Noles return just 9 starters this fall (5 off./4 def.) from last year’s national finalist. The spring battle at quarterback was between redshirt freshmen Chris Rix and former high school quarterback Anquan Boldin. When the Jackets and Seminoles meet, it will be Tech’s fourth game and FSU’s third (at Duke, vs. UAB). Nobody in the ACC has played FSU closer in back-to-back seasons than Georgia Tech has in the last two.
Sept. 29, Clemson: Tommy Bowden’s third edition of the Tigers has 11 starters (7 off./4 def.) back from their 9-3 season last year. Clemson lost three of its last four, after starting the year 8-0. When the Tigers come to downtown Atlanta, it will be their first road game of the year after opening with a four-game home stand against UCF, Wofford, Duke and Virginia.
Oct. 6, at Duke: The Blue Devils have 14 starters (7 off./7 def.) back from a winless club last fall. Carl Franks will look to three of those seven starters being offensive lineman, an area where the Blue Devils were weak last season. Duke’s hopes could ride on QB D. Bryant and sophomore RB Chris Douglas.
Oct. 11, Maryland: A Thursday night under the lights for Ralph Friedgen’s return to Atlanta. The Terps bring back 16 starters (8 off./8 def.), and given the depth of Friedgen’s offense, senior QB Shaun Hill will have a lot to take in. The Terp defense could be strong with three-year starter Aaron Thompson back and the league’s third best tacker, Marlon Moye-Moore heading up that unit.
Oct. 20, NC State: The Wolfpack lost three of their last five games in 2000, but return 14 starters (7 off./7 def.). Sophomore QB Phillip Rivers returns after earning national honors for freshmen last fall. State’s biggest chip might be four offensive linemen returning. That could help off set the loss of Koren Robinson. The Pack also brings back LB LeVar Fisher, who was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and the nation’s leading tackler.
Nov. 1, North Carolina: A new era in Chapel Hill begins as former Tar Heel linebacker John Bunting returns as head coach. 14 starters (7 off./7 def.) are back from a 6-5 club that many felt underachieved. The Heels’ star is defensive end Julius Peppers, who was the national leader in sacks (15), while earning first-team All-ACC honors. Senior QB Ronald Curry returns along with his top two receivers (Kory Bailey and Bosley Allen).
Nov. 10, at Virginia: Al Groh’s return to the ACC comes with Virginia, who broke even in George Welsh’s final run with a 6-6 mark. The Cavs have only 11 starters back (5 off./6 def.) from a team that lost three of its last four games. Sophomore Bryson Spinner won the quarterback spot in the spring. But Virginia’s biggest weapon on offense will be TB Antoine Womack. Groh must hope the defense is strong early where four linemen return. Tech has not won in Charlottesville since 1990.
Nov. 17, at Wake Forest: The new Deacon boss is Jim Grobe, who rebuilt Ohio’s football fortunes in the last six years. Grobe returns 19 starters (10 off./9 def.), the most of any ACC school. Grobe’s history indicates Wake could take on an option attack and with sophomore Anthony Young they might have the perfect trigger man. On defense, the Deacs must be better against the run, where they allowed opponents over 205 yards per game last season.
Nov. 24, Georgia: Former FSU offensive coordinator Mark Richt is Georgia’s 25th head coach and their third in the last seven seasons. Richt first edition of the Bulldogs has 13 returning starters (6 off./7 def.). The biggest question in Athens this summer will be, “whose the starting quarterback?”. The pre-season battle will be between Cory Phillips, David Greene and incoming freshmen D.J. Shockley.
THE STING IN ATHENS…TEX EXPECTED IN TOP FIVE
Tech’s pre-season baseball hopes were shattered in the post-season as the Jackets were eliminated from the NCAA sub-regional in Athens, by Georgia on May 26. Head coach Danny Hall’s club suffered through numerous injuries to record a 41-20 record, but were not happy about the final outcome.
After being ranked first in the pre-season, junior Mark Teixeira said that things just never came together for the Jackets.
“Not being able to click as a team was the biggest thing. We hit well one game and pitch well the next, but rarely seem to have both occur together over a period of games. It’s frustrating, but you can’t take anything for granted and must perform every time.”
Despite the broken ankle that Teixeira suffered in late February, he was able to return to the lineup and contribute in the final nine games of the year. With the major league draft scheduled for Tuesday, he’s looking at being taken in the first few picks. Although slim, there is a scenario where Teixeira might return for his senior season.
“I would have no problem coming back to college for my senior year. I’m ready to begin my professional career, but with the way things can go in the draft, you never know, but regardless, it’s been a wonderful experience at Georgia Tech.”
Despite the draft, it won’t be official until he inks a contract. Regardless, Jacket fans will have someone else to cheer for in professional baseball or get a bonus year of Teixeira in a new ballpark.
