Godsey heads Tech HOF class, other notes
1. Former Georgia Tech quarterback George Godsey headlines the school’s 2012 sports hall of fame class, announced Thursday. Godsey, now the New England Patriots’ tight ends coach, started for the Yellow Jackets in the 2000 and 2001 seasons and was second-team All-ACC in 2000. He still owns several school records.
Other inductees: Jon Carman (second-team All-America offensive lineman), Carlton Forrester (All-ACC golfer), Becky Megesi (All-America distance runner), Tomas Motiejunas (national champion 4×400-meter relay member), Maja Pachale (ACC volleyball player of the year) and Cory Vance (third-team All-America baseball pitcher). The induction ceremony will be held Oct. 19.
(I’ve heard more than once from Wes Durham that the induction dinner is something every Tech fan should attend.)
2. Baseball coach Danny Hall has interviewed at least two candidates for the pitching coach position – St. John’s pitching coach Scott Brown and UNC-Wilmington pitching coach Jason Howell.
Both, not surprisingly, have strong credentials. Brown’s staffs have been among the best in the Big East several years running. The Red Storm have made the NCAA tournament three years in a row and this year reached their first super regional, twice beating North Carolina in Chapel Hill. They’ve won four of the past eight Big East tournaments, which speaks to their pitching depth.
Howell, who pitched three seasons at Appalachian State and then one year at North Carolina, has been at UNC-Wilmington starting in 2009. The Seahawks were second in ERA and opponent batting average in the CAA this year, first in both in 2010 and third and second, respectively, in 2009. (They were eighth and fifth in 2011.)
3. Junior draftees Buck Farmer and Brandon Thomas have yet to sign with the Milwaukee Brewers or Pittsburgh Pirates and have until 5 p.m. July 13 to sign or else return for their senior seasons. There is still a strong chance both could return.
4. This is late, but both Tech tennis teams produced ACC scholar-athletes of the year for their sport. Kevin King for the men and Jillian O’Neill for the women. The women’s team averaged a 3.71 GPA this spring, a Tech record for any varsity team. Mostly playing No. 1 singles, O’Neill, a management major, led the team with 30 victories.
King is on track to finish his degree in mechanical engineering in the fall. He recently made the doubles finals of an ITF Futures event with longtime partner Juan Spir, their first pro event together (Spir played as an amateur). King received a wild card into qualifying for the singles draw for the BB&T Atlanta Open at Atlantic Station starting next week. Ticket information here.
Thanks for reading.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
41 comments Add your comment
HighTech
July 6th, 2012
11:57 am
Congratulations, George Godsey! Go Jackets!
1 4 GT
July 6th, 2012
12:25 pm
If Ken will let us know exactly where & when the HOF ceremony will be held, I will try to make it. I know it would be enjoyable. Thanks Ken.
5150 UOAD
July 6th, 2012
12:26 pm
I hope in 5-7 years he will be read to be Tech’s Head Coach. He is learning a lot in New England and has been hopefully building a good coaching tree.
5150 UOAD
July 6th, 2012
12:27 pm
1 4 GT I think Dad and i would like to attend too.
5150 UOAD
July 6th, 2012
12:31 pm
1 4 GT…………………This group of standout student-athletes will be inducted on Friday, Oct. 19, at the annual Hall of Fame Induction Dinner at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center. Tickets for the dinner are $50 and can be purchased through the Alexander-Tharpe Fund at 404-894-6124. They will also be honored during Tech’s football game against Boston College on Saturday, Oct. 20, at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
5150 UOAD
July 6th, 2012
12:33 pm
link to the tech article………..
http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/070512aaa.html
bill
July 6th, 2012
12:53 pm
After a difficult year, Hall may find himself with a team that could reach the CWS if Thomas and Farmer return. A rotation of Farmer, Grimes and Pitts on the weekends would be as strong as any in the ACC. Add Clay/Jillson to the mix, Tech will be very deep even if Smelter can not return to his earlier 93-95 mph before his injury. Bard was a big loss last year, but the blessing in disguise was the opportunity for kids like Pitts and Heddinger to get extra innings.Cruz was a revelation.
Dove wasn’t drafted despite his fairly high rating from Baseball America. He should provide strong Senior leadership. Evans is the type of kid any coach would want on a D1 program. Davies bat will be missed, but Tech has enough quality to overcome his loss.Palka is probably a very early round pick in 2013. The key will be the further development of Lynch and bounce back years from Hyde and Wren. For those who don’t recall, both of those players were coming off exceptional freshman seasons. If those 2 can repeat or exceed their 2011 seasons, Tech will probably look more like the team BA forecasted as going to Omaha after the end of 2011. Farmer and/or Thomas would make 2013 a special year on the Flats.
BTW, Matt Gonzalez could easily win the SS or 2B job if he comes to school. That would mean a drastic increase in quality fielding, something Tech struggled with many times last year. Dove could be kept at third or moved to the OF. Still think Hyde is better at 2nd. Perhaps Smith could play 3rd…..there are many options is Gonzalez attends Tech. He’ll definitely start.
You wish the best for Buck and Brandon. But unless the Brewers give Buck around 300 K( still a possibilty if one kid doesn’t sign), Buck may be better off returning for his Sr year. That is something I doubt many people thought could even happen. If the Pirates really want to sign the brat from Stanford(Appel), they will have to pay around 4 mill, which means the money will come from Thomas and the other kid Ross with the new draft slot rules. The Pirates have 609 K extra to play with right now.The Pirates are probably stalling with Thomas right now, trying to get him to sign below slot in order to get Appel . If Appel doesn’t sign, or if the Bucs just get fed up with him, Thomas will get his slot money and probably quite a bit more. The Pirates also may just want to use some cash on Buehler, who was taken in the 14th due to perceived signability issues. In short, if Appel signs, it will probably be no less than around 4 Mill. That means Thomas may likely return to Tech.
All in all, Tech will be a force in 2013 as long as they remain healthy.
Dennis
July 6th, 2012
1:21 pm
Godseys greatest achievement was recovering the blocked 3rd down field goal attempt in the overtime UGA game. Fourth down attempt is good and I can still here the crying today from all of Jasper’s buddies.
5150 UOAD
July 6th, 2012
1:33 pm
Dennis that was Mean………………but True and Funny as hell.
Rduck
July 6th, 2012
1:43 pm
Go Goose!!! One of my all time favorite GT football players. Congrats!!
Ken Sugiura
July 6th, 2012
1:58 pm
Bill – wow.
1 4 – i hyperlinked the information about the ceremony, but it’s not very obvious. thanks, 5150
DoakBoyGT
July 6th, 2012
2:10 pm
I thought Godsey had moved on to Penn State with Bill O’Brien?
5150 UOAD
July 6th, 2012
2:37 pm
DoakBoyGT……………GOOSE was considering it but he said that the chance to learn at New England was better than trying to Rebuild Penn St.
Bill Belichick………is a great Tactician and GOOSE said he could learn more about FOOTBALL with the Pats. he was considering the Penn St offer to be the QB coach but he had a feeling that learning in a reBUILDING a Whole Administration was a career risk. From what i read from his comments he was fearful the O’Brien will really need to show progress fast or could be gone at the drop of the hat.
Techster
July 6th, 2012
3:22 pm
The Goose is Loose! I will never forget the 2000 UGA game. He ran that option keeper all the way to baxter street! Kicked their rear ends that year 27-15! Go Golden Goose!
1 4 GT
July 6th, 2012
3:39 pm
Thank Ken & 5150!!
1 4 GT
July 6th, 2012
3:45 pm
I agree with you 5150 on the GOOSE learning from Belichick for the next few years & then maybe CPJ will retire & the powers will hire Godsey, if they can get him??
G.P. Burdell
July 6th, 2012
4:46 pm
@Techster, I was there high up in that end-zone for that score and it was Awesome! That play took so much time to develop and looked liked it was in slow motion, but there wasn’t a Thuga defender even close. I wouldn’t say that 27-15 is “kicking their rear” however, I’m looking for pay-back some where in the neighborhood of 50-7!! Go Jackets!!
George P. Burdell
July 6th, 2012
5:49 pm
bill,
thank you for your analysis. Very thorough and well thought out. I too think 2013 could be a very good year but, as always, we will need to avoid the injury bug that plagued us this year. I like Dove a lot and I think he might actually do better in the outfield. At times it seems he struggles with plays at third that he should be making. Maybe a change would do him some good.
Certainly hope you are right and no matter who signs or not I believe we have enough returning talent to make a strong run.
Friday offseason one-liners | CollegeFootballTalk
July 6th, 2012
9:27 pm
[...] – Former Yellow Jackets quarterback George Godsey headlines Georgia Tech’s 2012 Hall of Fame class. [...]
Long Beach Jacket
July 7th, 2012
12:28 am
George Godsey was fantastic as a QB at GT. He wasn’t recruited very highly at all out of HS. He developed into a tremendous QB under the careful tutelage of Ralph Friedgen. You may remember he was actually mentioned in the national media as a possible Heisman candidate prior to the 2001 season. The terrible occurence on 9/11/01 probably had a greater negative impact on Tech’s football season than any other program. They were 3-0 and building toward a “monster” showdown with FSU in Tallahassee on 9/15. Cancelled. Then 3 week layoff…never quite the same after that.
It would be great to see George Godsey come back to GT on the coaching side, 5, 7, or 9 years down the road and possibly take the helm as HC when Paul Johnson retires….after several more ACC and at least on Nat Champ. I’ll predict at least one NC for CPJ before he leaves The Flats….
1 4 GT
July 7th, 2012
12:34 am
I totally agree with Long Beach Jacket. I can see nothing but a big upswing in GT’s football program. In fact, I think the 2 BB’s will do quite well in the future, too.
Wal-mart Retards
July 7th, 2012
7:20 am
Goose!
OldGold1964
July 7th, 2012
7:29 am
Congratulations, George and GT. Continue to give em hell. (He didn’t start all 4 years, and he wasn’t a flashy, 4-Star recruit, but with hard work and smarts, and liing the GT Total Person lifestyle, he and his teams were very productive and successful.)
gt4ever
July 7th, 2012
8:31 am
I love the goose… but HOF in football… ?? Has GT watered down the criteria for members….?
jabster
July 7th, 2012
11:01 am
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE!
Robert Barron
July 7th, 2012
11:56 am
I like Godsey too but he did have the huge advantage of having Ralph Freigen as O coordinator. Reggie Ball would have been a lot better though those of u who like to trash our players probably won’t admit it.
George O’Leary probably fails at Tech without the addition of Ralph. I am not sure but I got the impression the improvement was forced upon George as the prior O coordinator was very predictable in his play calling. I would have applied to coach at Tech too but I did not know u could just make up your resume. CGO never played a down.
gt4ever
July 7th, 2012
12:15 pm
@Robert
Reggie Ball was a Freak of nature… If he had a coach with gonads, he would have played DB or corner… He wasn’t QB material, didn’t have the head or arm for it… He would have thrived as a DB, and probably had a future in the NFL… IMHO…
Wes Durham (Beach Ball with Arms)
July 7th, 2012
12:27 pm
The reason Wes does not miss a GT HOF induction is he wants to eat. That boy is not missing many meals. Wes is about 40 years old and looks 60.
Robert Barron
July 7th, 2012
1:54 pm
@gt4ever.
I have wondered that about a lot of QBs.
Didn’t Shawn Jones, QB of our national championship team, have a brother who played DB for Uga? I believe the brother, probably a little less talented, played in the NFL while SJ did not.
Sometimes a guy who excelled at QB in college, realizes he has no future in the NFL, and tries out at WR or DB.
I think both Tech & Ga fans love the pro career info on ex Jackets and ex-Dawgs.
Curious if Reggie tried Europe or Canada or still trying to make it as a DB with the Lions.
bill
July 7th, 2012
9:55 pm
Honestly, think 2013 will be a special year for the baseball team. They are a bit overlooked because of the 12-18 ACC finish. But no team could withstand the starting rotation injuries Tech had and finish with a strong conference record. The national media may downplay Tech before the season, but this team showed something recent Tech teams didn’t seem to have…..heart when their backs were against the wall.
Looks like Buck will be coming back….Brewers pretty much can’t give him anywhere what he deserves. Boggles the mind, because he is the real deal. He will have something to prove in 2013….as will the Junior class.
Anyone who follows Tech knows Tech has special years when the expectations are lowered. For some reason, Hall does his best work when the team isn’t highly ranked pre-season.
Robert Barron
July 8th, 2012
3:26 pm
Thanks Bill.
I may attend my second Tech baseball game because of your reporting and scouting.
Even Ken was impressed.
I went to one when I was about 11 or 12 to see Roger Kaiser play baseball. If memory serves, he was our 1st baseman.
I am just not a baseball guy.
Unless we were really good.
Robert Barron
July 8th, 2012
3:28 pm
Sorry I capitalized your name.
You weren’t pulling an e.e. cummings, were you?
Robert Barron
July 8th, 2012
3:37 pm
@gt4ever.
U may be right but my point is still valid that anyone playing QB for Tech would have been a lot better coached by Ralph Freigen than the Auburn guy. I notice he flopped a 2nd time when Shannon hired him at Miami. When Reggie was run out of the endzone against VT for a safety, it reminded me of one of Billy Lothridge’s worse moments.
He was tackled in the endzone by Auburn in a 29-21 loss at home.
His coaches did not allow him to throw the ball until too late in the game and I think he felt showed up by Sidle by then.
Dodd was quoted as saying “I really did not help Billy much today”.
Exactly right. He let some dumb O coordinator call the shots and run the ball the whole game.
Reggie Ball would work well in our current offense as he was a damn good runner. He ran great in the first of our 4 straight wins vs the U.
BLT
July 8th, 2012
9:26 pm
All I remember is nobody gave Tech a chance without Hamilton and the “GOOSE” changed that quick!
Go George!
Burdell
July 9th, 2012
9:17 am
My favorite saying during the Goose era….
“Spirals are over-rated!”
5150 UOAD
July 9th, 2012
10:44 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq3dM5IlvgM
Megan
July 9th, 2012
10:55 am
JumboBoard Football Scoreboard will make your College Football Blog or NFL Blog Awesome http://bit.ly/NULq2Z
Wreckmaniac
July 9th, 2012
12:52 pm
Goose makes a ton of sense to be a head coach because he always used his head (get it, head). Seriously, this guy wasn’t a super talent but he never cost his team, always made the right play and created TD drives by making sensible throws instead of spectacular ones.
headley lamar
July 9th, 2012
2:17 pm
The NCAA placed Georgia Tech on two years of probation Thursday for using 17 academically ineligible athletes in four sports, including 11 in football.
Also, the NCAA vacated Tech’s records in the sports between the 1998-99 and 2004-05 academic years and issued a public reprimand and censure.
Gene Marsh, a law professor at Alabama who chaired the investigating committee, said Tech’s registrars and academic advisers were inadequately trained in NCAA regulations.
Marsh said the committee concluded the “institutional failure” to train the employees on NCAA rules “constitutes a non-debatable lack of institutional control.”
Marsh said the committee was influenced by the fact some of the 11 football players, who were not named, were stars.
“Many of these student-athletes were prominent members of the team, including multiple-year starters who had received conference and national recognition for their athletic performances,” Marsh said.
“It is impossible to say what part it played, but it did play a part,” Marsh said.
Marsh said the committee found six student-athletes were allowed to count grades of D for satisfactory progress even though their majors required grades of C or better. Four were allowed to continue in athletics despite lacking the necessary percentage of degree requirements.
Braine said “it can’t hurt” to appeal the penalties.
Ahh the good old Godsey days.
Crazy Robert
July 10th, 2012
9:05 am
bill, sure would like to see your prediction come true, but I am a bit too skeptical considering the coach. I wonder, if they flop, again, would you maybe think it’s finally time to dump Danny?
Personally I would rather see you be right, and me wrong, but I will NOT hold my breath!
bill
July 12th, 2012
5:33 pm
Crazy Robert…honestly , I think Danny gets a bit more heat than he deserves. Granted, this team shouldn’t have been 12-18 and I think they would not have made the NCAA’s if they lost to Miami in the title game ( may have…but NCAA may have taken Wake due to series win and finishing higher than Tech). But the team played its’ best ball at the end of the season.
This team had every reason to pack it in….they lose a heartbreaker vs FSU at home first game, lead FSU 6-1 in 3rd or 4th when Evans hits an absolute rope that is right at the SS for a DP.Three feet to the left or right, Tech is up at least 8-1 and has 2nd and 3rd with one out. Dusty then implodes, Tech is on the way to a losing series sweep….they lose 2/3 at BC and lose Bard soon after….lose Grimes around same time. ….but the team hung in there and won the tournament.
You have to give credit when appropiate….coaching kept that team hungry. IMVHO, Tech may have won a regional if it had been somewhere besides Gainesville ( or Columbia) . Probably couldn’t have reached Omaha at that point, but they were on a roll.
Danny isn’t the most outgoing Coach, but he is as intense as anyone in the business. I know you have to wonder what he was thinking during the last 3 years with the SP and putting Winn at 2B one year..But recall Pope went down in Game One vs A Peay 2 years ago with an injury. Grimes was outstanding in relief, but it made a mess for Tech the rest of the tournament. The Deck scenario vs S Miss was hard to figure. But remember, Bradley came up very small in 2 of the 3 years he pitched in the NCAA’s.First round picks don’t usually perform like that in the clutch.That isn’t Danny’s fault.
With that being said, I truly believe Tech will have a big year in 2013…..honestly, if healthy, they better.The talent is there for 2013.