Georgia Tech Preview |
Offense |
Defense |
Depth
Chart
|
Further Analysis
At this point, you know what you're going to get from Yellow Jacket
football. It'll be a good, competitive team that can play with and beat
anyone in America if all the parts are clicking, and then a
maddening performance or three that'll come out of the blue proving
once again that the
program can't break through the ceiling.
For instance, last year the defense came up with masterpieces to
beat Auburn and Miami, arguably the most impressive pair of road
wins by anyone in America, and lost to mediocre teams like NC State
and Virginia and got bombed by Virginia Tech and, most
stunningly, by Utah in a miserable Emerald Bowl showing.
To be
fair, it's not exactly easy to keep the shelves stocked when
recruiting against the rest of the ACC while residing in downtown
SECville, but this year's team has the experience and the right mix
of good veterans in key positions to potentially pull off a run like
Virginia Tech did in 2004 and with the ACC title.
Head coach: Chan Gailey
6th year: 28-22
Returning Lettermen:
Off. 23, Def. 21, ST 3
Lettermen Lost: 9 |
Ten
Best Tech Players
1. WR Calvin Johnson, Jr.
2. LB KaMichael Hall, Sr.
3. LB Philip Wheeler, Soph.
4. CB Kenny Scott, Sr.
5. DT Joe Anoai, Sr.
6. QB Reggie Ball, Sr.
7. OT Andrew Gardner, Soph.
8. OT Mansfield Wrotto, Sr.
9. DT Darryl Richard, Soph.
10. DE Adamm Oliver, Jr. |
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2006
Schedule
CFN
Prediction: 9-3 |
| 9/2 |
Notre Dame |
| 9/9 |
Samford |
| 9/16 |
Troy |
| 9/21 |
Virginia |
|
9/30 |
at Virginia Tech |
| 10/7 |
Maryland |
| 10/21 |
at Clemson |
| 10/28 |
Miami |
| 11/4 |
at NC State |
|
11/11 |
at North Carolina |
|
11/18 |
Duke |
| 11/25 |
at Georgia |
|
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2005 Schedule
CFN
Prediction:
7-4
2005 Results: 7-5
Preview 2005 predicted wins |
| 9/3 |
at Auburn W 23-14 |
| 9/10 |
North Carolina
W 27-21 |
| 9/17 |
Connecticut
W 28-13 |
| 9/24 |
at
Virginia Tech L 51-7 |
| 10/6 |
NC State
L 17-14 |
| 10/15 |
at Duke
W 35-10 |
| 10/29 |
Clemson
W 10-9 |
| 11/5 |
Wake Forest
W 30-17 |
| 11/12 |
at Virginia L 27-17 |
| 11/19 |
at Miami
W 14-10 |
| 11/26 |
Georgia
L 14-7 |
| 12/29 |
Emerald Bowl
Utah L 38-10 |
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Chan Gailey coached teams are always going to be tough
defensively, but a head man who was an NFL offensive coordinator has to
get more out of his attack and there needs to be more explosion.
Tech's offense was
stunningly average getting no consistent pop with the passing game revolving
around how many ways Reggie Ball could try forcing the ball to a
blanket-covered Calvin Johnson.
A few more big plays should mean a realistic shot at the Coastal
Division title, and they should come this season with nine returning
starters and one of the league's best offensive lines. Ball doesn't have
to be Vince Young, but it's not a stretch to think the four-year starter
can't be what Bryan Randall was to the Hokies a few years ago.
Defensively, help is needed in the
secondary, but the pass rush should ease the burden. Besides, few ACC
teams can kill you with a passing game. The front seven should be a rock
against the run led by a deep and talented line that'll get better and
better as the season goes on.
So yeah, you know Tech is going to be rock solid yet again. If the next step isn't taken this year, it might never
happen under Gailey.
The
Schedule: It's a tough schedule, but not a killer. Tech will know
right off the bat where it stands against a Notre Dame team that'll test
the shaken up secondary, but that's the start of a nice four game
homestand to ease the way into the season. A road trip to Virginia Tech
could make or break division title hopes, while a nasty stretch of at
Clemson, Miami, at NC State and at North Carolina will push the Yellow
Jackets over the second half of the year.
Best
Offensive Player:
Junior WR Calvin Johnson. Great college football
superstars make things happen no matter what. Johnson might have first
round NFL talent, but he has to show he can be unstoppable and can
always get open. It would also help if QB Reggie Ball was more
consistent and if an adequate number two receiver could emerge.
Best
Defensive Player: Senior LB KaMichael Hall and sophomore LB Philip
Wheeler. They put up identical stats, they made just as many big plays,
and they can play any spot in the linebacking corps. They'll form the
nucleus of a tremendous front seven and should be in the mix for All-ACC
honors.
Key player
to a successful season: Senior QB Reggie Ball. A four year starting
quarterback is supposed to be able to take a team on his back and
produce. Georgia Tech doesn't need Ball to be an All-American, just a
chain-moving, good decision making playmaker who comes through clutch
when he has to and doesn't screw up.
The season
will be a success if ... Georgia Tech finishes second in the Coastal Division. There
are a few too many holes to expect a division title, but there's no
reason not to go 6-2 in conference play and be in the mix right up until the
very end. A good bowl game showing would be nice after last year's
disaster.
Key game:
September 30th at Virginia Tech. Last season's trip to Blacksburg
was supposed to be a statement game. One 51-7 Hokie win later and
Georgia Tech was never quite the same. A Yellow Jacket victory this
season would change the face of the Coastal Division and would make the
October 28th showdown against Miami one of the biggest games of the
year.
2005 Fun
Stats:
- Sacks: Georgia Tech 36 for 257 yards - Opponents 10 for 84 yards
- Interceptions (taken away): Georgia Tech 21 - Opponents 12
- Third down conversion percentage: Georgia Tech 71 of 198 (36%) -
Opponents 49 of 171 (29%)
The Last Time Georgia Tech…
…played in a bowl game…2005 (Emerald Bowl vs. Utah)
…missed a bowl game…1996
…pitched a shutout…2000 (Virginia)
…was shutout…1997 (Florida State)
…scored 50 points…2004 (Syracuse)
…went undefeated…1990
…won a conference title…1998 (share, ACC)
…had a 3,000-yard passer…2001 (George Godsey)
…had a 1,000-yard rusher…2003 (P.J. Daniels)
…had a 1,000-yard receiver…2003 (Jonathan Smith)
…had a first-round draft choice…1998 (LB Keith Brooking)