Stokan interested in Tech for ‘13 kickoff game

Chick-fil-A Bowl president Gary Stokan nearly landed Georgia Tech for the 2011 kickoff game. He hopes that he can make it work for the Yellow Jackets to play in 2013.

“We want to get Tech into the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game, particularly when we open the hall, which is ‘13, the first year the hall will be open,” Stokan said Monday, referring to the College Football Hall of Fame that is scheduled to open in downtown Atlanta in 2013.

Stokan said nothing was imminent, but was confident that the Jackets will play in the game, whether in 2013 or beyond. Alabama is already committed to play in 2013 in the Georgia Dome. If Tech agrees to play, it would be in a second game against a different opponent, Stokan said.

“I think (Tech coach) Paul (Johnson) agrees, and (Tech athletic director) Dan (Radakovich) and myself that we want to find a way to get Georgia Tech in, and they definitely want to play in the game,” he said.

Stokan has sought a place for both Tech and Georgia in the game, first played in 2008. His matchmaking of Boise State and Georgia for the kickoff game this September resulted from a failed matchup of Tech and Southern California. Stokan said that USC coach Lane Kiffin was interested, as were Johnson and Radakovich. However, talks died after USC AD Mike Garrett was fired and replaced by Pat Haden, leaving Stokan to scramble to put together the Georgia-Boise State game.

Feel free to comment on Radakovich interview linked here.

189 comments Add your comment

JB

June 13th, 2011
10:05 pm

George, the reason is simple. I would say that 14-16 of our starters were wanted by every elite SEC School. We are missing the ” coaching’em up part”.

Politics

June 13th, 2011
10:05 pm

I have $50 on JB being the next Wiener….just ask Joe Cox

RambleOn84

June 13th, 2011
10:05 pm

JB,
Not picking on your team…just pointing out how little those magazines know. They pick “the usual suspects” every year, more or less. Both teams should have much better defenses this year with an extra year of experience.

Y’all have an excellent QB as well.

I honestly think both our teams will be better than many are giving us credit for.

JB

June 13th, 2011
10:08 pm

True ramble. I’m thinking 8-4 for Dawgs. Tech’s year will depend totally on the play of whoever plays QB. It all starts………..or ends there.

George Stein

June 13th, 2011
10:08 pm

Who cares who wanted your players? I’m pretty sure coaching is a huge part of the success equation (knowing full well UGA folks typically aren’t very good at any kind of equation).

8-4?

June 13th, 2011
10:09 pm

Perhaps….but I think UGA loses to Boise, Florida (again), South Carolina, Georgia Tech and…..Vandy

JB

June 13th, 2011
10:09 pm

@10:05 post………………You brought it up……….must be close to your personal thoughts it would seem. This is a football site. Go back to your porn.

JB

June 13th, 2011
10:11 pm

George…………….Why do Tech people take a shot with every post? You know nothing about me except I like Georgia.

10:05

June 13th, 2011
10:12 pm

you said “brought it up”. ha you must be looking at porn

Rev Richt

June 13th, 2011
10:13 pm

2008 Pre-season National Champions!!!
2010 Fulmer Cup Champions!!!
I win Titles!!!

Gordon

June 13th, 2011
10:16 pm

JB,

The average ranking of Gailey’s six classes was 38th. The average of Johnson’s three classes is 38th. No kidding. Tech recruiting hasn’t gotten any worse under Johnson. We don’t have as much talent as UGA, Clemson, and a lot of other teams we play. When we are successful, its because of coaching. I think we have a good coach. Time will tell.

Da' Truth

June 13th, 2011
10:18 pm

Losing 9 times out of 10 to a team that stinks according to every Tech fan must really stink. Seems you can’t take glory for beating said team so you jump on the back of other programs who have.

Techies = POMPOUS

June 13th, 2011
10:18 pm

Tech may be the only fanbase in the nation who has lost 9 of their last 10 games to the team they obsess over, and still think they are better than them.

These blogs are completely childish, but entertaining when I am in the mood to remind myself why a Techie is the true definition of a NERD.

Good day.

Pompous

June 13th, 2011
10:19 pm

University of Florida would like to say hello. And good day

JB

June 13th, 2011
10:19 pm

Good post Gordon………….I do think(ME) that the offense Johnson runs will break your heart in the long run over making you cheer. I think very talented, fast and physical teams will beat it every time…………………But they beat most teams anyway.

Moobs Johnson

June 13th, 2011
10:21 pm

We don’t have the time to play Bama since we go head to head with Middle Tennessee State and GA Southern for our recruits.

Pompous

June 13th, 2011
10:22 pm

18-3 since 1990

Techies = POMPOUS

June 13th, 2011
10:23 pm

UGA fan: “We own Tech”
Techie: “Well, um… you lost to Florida!”
UGA fan: “Ok, we weren’t suppose to beat Florida. But we own your nerdy team”
Techie: “Well, um… we learn calculus!!”
UGA fan: “Ok. That has nothing to do with football. We own your nerdy team
Techie fan: “Well, um…. TO HELL WITH GEORGIA!!”
UGA fan: “Ok. How does that little chant work out for you every Thanksgiving??
Techie: “Well, um…. we beat you that one year, 3 years ago….. remember!?!?!?

Moobs Johnson

June 13th, 2011
10:24 pm

You Techies must take a lot of pride in the fact (1) you have to root for other programs to do what your own team can’t do and (2) actually think that losing close is a moral victory.

Pompous

June 13th, 2011
10:25 pm

Please…UGA fans always whine about how UGA should have beaten Florida every year. Then they whine about how UGA is better than Florida every year. This is the same as the comment you just posted about GT and their sentiments about UGA

Techies = POMPOUS

June 13th, 2011
10:26 pm

Moobs Johnson……

Remember when you “outcoached” MArk Richt last year in Athens and the Techies celebrated for weeks after losing(again) to the team in Red & Black???

Good times.

Pompous

June 13th, 2011
10:27 pm

UGA may be the only fanbase in the nation who has lost 18 of their last 21 games to the team they obsess over, and still think they are better than them.

Pompous

June 13th, 2011
10:30 pm

and i cant believe you just attached Moobs Johnson….hes obviously a UGA fan. You aren’t too bright are you

Footballrules

June 13th, 2011
10:32 pm

1971: Tech-GA series stands three games apart, 32-29-5 in UGA’s favor. Today, it stands at 61-39-5, which only proves that for the past 40 years, somebody’s been “cuttin corners.” Would be nice to see them play on a level playing field, but it’s ACC (academic standards) vs. SEC, what one coach used to call the “knucklehead conference.”

30,000 empty seats in a 55,000 seat stadium

June 13th, 2011
10:37 pm

So “R-Rad” blames the pee-pee poor attendance by the Nerds on….. advertising?!?!?!? Wow. Forget the product on the field, or the pee-pee in their pants scheduling…. advertising?!?!?!?

Pathetic!!!!!

Q: What can you do to attract more fans into Bobby Dodd Stadium?

A: We have tried a number of things over the years. We’re going to increase our advertising presence around the first of July, first of August, with some different types of things that we haven’t done in the past. We just completed a very extensive survey of 1,200 randomly surveyed customers. We got a very good response rate, achieved a 95-percent confidence level based on those responses.

There’s a lot of myth (about the fan base). Now we have data. So we’ll be able to go forward and attempt to find ways that we can influence buyers to come and attend Georgia Tech events and target a little bit — I don’t know that you ever hit the target 100 percent — but maybe have some more rationale and reason behind the type of advertising we do

George Stein

June 13th, 2011
10:38 pm

If we come across as pompous, we apologize. It’s just that after comparing ourselves to people like you, it’s the natural result.

PTC DAWG

June 13th, 2011
10:39 pm

In all seriousness, why not move the UGA/GT game to the Dome one year….it would be nice to get more UGA fans into the game than we can at Grant Field. :)

Wide Left

June 13th, 2011
10:41 pm

Scott Blair just missed another extra point.

Footballrules

June 13th, 2011
10:53 pm

PTC DAWG: The dome people wouldn’t put up with that, no way no how. Remember what UGA Pres. Michael Adams said after one of ya’lls home games and the destruction of the north campus: “There was urination, there was defecation, there were 70 tons of trash.” Nope. Indoors and all, the stink would be unreal.

Bobby Cox

June 13th, 2011
10:56 pm

Everyone calm down. Tech can barely fill their sad little stadium as it is. Chik Fil A will never bring them to the Georgia Dome. Dogs just let them believe they are a real college program and relax.

George Stein

June 13th, 2011
11:02 pm

The friggin chairman says he wants Tech in the game, Bobby. Get a life, loser.

George Stein

June 13th, 2011
11:04 pm

Scott Blair isn’t playing anymore. Move along, son.

Glenn

June 13th, 2011
11:10 pm

How about Ohio St. They should suck by then

Jacket Man

June 13th, 2011
11:15 pm

I doubt the game against Alabama will happen as they already backed out of the home and home series against the Jackets once Paul Johnson took over. Why would they want to pick them up after just dropping them from their schedule?

Ben H

June 14th, 2011
12:12 am

The same coach the techies celebrated for “outsmarting” richt is the same coach that just lost to the worst 2 Georgia teams of the last 12 years

ManUp...

June 14th, 2011
1:41 am

So…what if we were to win? One for the ages, ya know? Instant ranking maker. I like it. Would’ve loved to see how a USC fared against the spread option, but I’d settle for any other “name” school. I kinda think it’s never bad to play in huge games. It helps the name and rankings either way…unless you’re laughed outta the joint. Sign us up, coach!

Go Jackets!

ManUp...

June 14th, 2011
1:56 am

Bobby Cox, a “real” college program has tradition and history that goes back before one player in the 1980’s. It usually also has a championship after that too. Check and…yep, check! Go Jackets! We may not beat you very often anymore, but when we pop into the national title spotlight we’ve capitalized on it more frequently than you. Guess that kinda says enough for me. Only a matter of time before another monster program rises back up on North Avenue. Estimated time to next title on an Athens team? 80 something years or so? I mean…this is irrelevant if “real” teams in your eyes just have really big followings at really big vanilla universities with simple crayola colors, common mascots, simplistic Union Army fight songs and not much more. If so, then yeah there’s like 30-40 “real” teams and Tech is just too one-of-a-kind to be among them I guess.

Go Jackets!

Fill only the lower half

June 14th, 2011
5:12 am

That is exactly what will happen if Tech gets a kick-off game in the Dome as the marquee team. Thier opponent better be able to draw. Or the echo will be record breaking.

WnE

June 14th, 2011
5:47 am

If Bama is already committed to play in the 2013 Kickoff Classic, then why can’t GT just play Bama, and then find 2 other Teams for the 2nd Game.

GT vs. Bama goes back a long way, I’m sure Coach Fish Fry would want to appease our older Fanbase by playing Bama to start the season.

If Bama is committed to play in the 2013 Game, it seems to be foolish to find a 2nd opponent to play GT, when GT & Bama have so much history from their SEC days.

collegeballfan

June 14th, 2011
7:11 am

None of you people are gonna be around for the 20101 season anyway, so stop worrying about it.

reality

June 14th, 2011
7:47 am

Bobby Cox…maybe GT can find another 60,000 PBR guzzling rednecks to fill the dome….just like sanford & son stadium.

Chi Town

June 14th, 2011
8:47 am

Tech already backed out once against playing Bama.

Saban would come in and destroy Paul Johnson and the nerds.

Would make the 2008 Black Out look against the necks in Winder look good.

Saint Jan

June 14th, 2011
8:51 am

Attention, everyone, especially dawgtards. We will now observe a moment of silence in memory of Saint Jan Kemp, who exposed the shameful practices at UGA that were initiated and carried out by slimeball Vince Dooley. Dooley’s image as a coach and a nice guy were forever shattered during the trial, not to mention the one million dollars that dawgtards had to pay Saint Jan. These practices of recruiting morons and coddling them for four years, them tossing them out like garbage, are still going on, but at least the world knows what’s happening in Athens now.

And now, the moment of silence…
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Thank you, you may resume your normal activities now.

DawginLex

June 14th, 2011
8:54 am

If you are gonna do it, do it right. Don’t play someone from the south. Bring in a Big Ten team. Play Michigan. Play Wisconsin. Play Nebraska.

Do something different. Think outside the box. Open up some wider recruiting areas. Ohio and Pennsylvania are loaded with players.

DawginLex

June 14th, 2011
8:57 am

Saint Jan idiot,

I normally don’t respond to your retard rant but I’m going to make an exception today.

Jan Kemp is dead.
Vince Dooley is retired.

Mark Richt is our head coach now.
Greg McGarity is our AD now.

They both have more integrity and character in their thumbs than you do in your entire 450 pound fat slob, self defacating, urine smeliing self.

Why don’t you get your fat arse off the computer and go exercise and lose some weight?

Bronco Billy

June 14th, 2011
9:16 am

Boise State 49, UGA 13

Buh bye, Richt. :-)

Jacket Man

June 14th, 2011
9:16 am

Chi Town – Bama backed out on GA Tech, as did Ole Miss I might add, NOT GA Tech backing out on the Tide series. Perhaps Saben was concerned he would have to spend time preparing his defense to face the Jacket TO (a one-time a year event) and an offense that dives and his defenders ankles. Perhaps Saben preferred to fill out his schedule with teams he could breeze through.

Whatever his rationale, Saben is the one who backed out of the series against the Jackets, so, as I mentioned before, I find it hard to believe Bama will agree to play GA Tech in the Chick-fil-A Kick Off.

gt4ever

June 14th, 2011
9:18 am

DawginLex,

The only difference in UGA football is that Vince had a disciplined team….. Richt can’t spell discipline…. Same OLD CRAP at UGA…. But hey, you went 6 and 7 last year, and this year all you delusional Dawg fans seem to think you will do better….

Moobs Johnson

June 14th, 2011
9:35 am

How about Tech vs GA State for the title of the best 2nd rate program in the state? I’m sure the nation would tune in….bwahahahahaha

GT93

June 14th, 2011
9:44 am

@Jacket Man … the home-and-home series with both Ole Miss and Bama were delayed, not canceled. GT plays Ole Miss in 2017 and 2018, and GT plays Bama in 2020 and 2021.