July 30, 2009
ATLANTA – Second-year Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson will welcome 105 players back to campus Sunday as the Yellow Jackets begin preparations for the 2009 football season.
Tech is one of four NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A) schools to begin preseason practice on Monday. Only Troy, which begins practice today, starts earlier than the Yellow Jackets.
The Yellow Jackets will hit Rose Bowl Fields – Tech’s practice facility – for the first time Monday at 3 p.m.
“We’re excited to get started,” Johnson said. “We feel like we have potential to be a good football team, but we need to work hard and make improvements across the board. There is more depth this year and I think we’ll see some good competition, which I think is a good thing.”
Georgia Tech finished the 2008 season 9-4 overall and 5-3 in the ACC. The Yellow Jackets shared the ACC Coastal Division title with Virginia Tech, earned a bid to the Chick-fil-A Bowl, and finished ranked 22nd in both major national polls.
Seventeen starters return in 2009, including 2008 ACC Player of the Year Jonathan Dwyer, who rushed for 1,395 yards last season. Two other players – junior wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and junior safety Morgan Burnett – were named to the preseason All-ACC team. Also back is senior guard Cord Howard, a second team All-ACC pick in 2008, and junior defensive end Derrick Morgan, an honorable mention All-ACC selection.
Georgia Tech practices are tentatively scheduled to be open through August 16. When classes begin August 17, practices will be closed.
The Great Yellow Jacket Encounter (Fan Day) is from 3-6 p.m. August 8th in Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Kickoff Luncheon is at the Cobb Galleria on August 28th.
Georgia Tech will kick-off the 2009 season September 5 at 1 p.m. against Jacksonville State.
Georgia Tech August Practice Schedule*Dates and times are tentative*Practices are open through August 16
Aug. 2 (Sunday) 4:00 Players report Aug. 3 (Monday) 3:00 Practice #1 Aug. 4 (Tuesday) 3:00 Practice #2 Aug. 5 (Wednesday) 3:00 Practice #3 Aug. 6 (Thursday) 3:00 Practice #4 Aug. 7 (Friday) 3:00 Practice #5 Aug. 8 (Saturday) 9:45 a.m. Practice #6 3:15 Media Day 4:00 Great Yellow Jacket Encounter (Fan Day) Aug. 9 (Sunday) 2:45 Practice #7 Aug. 10 (Monday) 9:30 a.m. Practice #8 5:15 Practice #9 Aug. 11 (Tuesday) 3:00 Practice #10 Aug. 12 (Wednesday) 9:30 a.m. Practice #11 5:15 Practice #12 Aug. 13 (Thursday) 3:00 Practice #13 Aug. 14 (Friday) 3:00 Practice #14 Aug. 15 (Saturday) 9:30 a.m. Practice #15 Aug. 16 (Sunday) Off Aug. 17 (Monday) Classes Begin/Practices Closed
