Tech fired up by USC bowl pairing
1. Georgia Tech’s opponent in the Sun Bowl may be finishing a down season, but USC has caught the Yellow Jackets’ full attention regardless.
Wide receiver Darren Waller said he was pumped up when he learned that Tech would be facing the Trojans, who began the year ranked No. 1 before going 7-5, in El Paso, Texas.
“Just when I was growing up, USC was, like, the program in the country,” he said before naming a string of Trojans stars past and present. “Getting a chance to play Georgia, FSU and USC in three (consecutive games), that’s pretty much why I came here, for opportunities like that.”
Outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu had a similar reaction. He said he grew up watching the Trojans, admiring their standard of excellence.
“I was excited,” he said. “I mean, it’s a great opportunity, a program with so much history like ours. It’s just great to play against that type of competition.”
2. Safety Jemea Thomas declined to answer a question about whether he will submit his name to the NFL draft advisory board for an evaluation of his draft status. Thomas, a junior, has had a standout season playing both corner and safety for the Jackets, recording a team-high four interceptions and making 82 tackles, second most on the team.
The board, comprised of NFL scouts and executives, offers players with remaining eligibility on where they might get selected if they declared for the draft. Submitting one’s name does not bind a player to enter the draft. Attaochu said last week that he would seek an evaluation.
Thomas’ most recent play was a head-turner, a diving one-handed interception of Florida State quarterback EJ Manuel near the end of the ACC Championship game. The reason it was a one-hander?
Thomas’ right shoulder was so banged up that he couldn’t move his right arm. After seeing the replay, Thomas said it was “kind of hard to believe how I caught it.”
3. Center Jay Finch practiced Thursday and Friday after missing the end of the ACC Championship game, as did A-back Orwin Smith, who missed the Georgia and ACC title games with an ankle injury. Finch pronounced himself “A-O.K. 100 percent” but declined to specify the nature of the injury.
Said Smith of his absence from the title game, “I felt like I wouldn’t be able to make the plays that I was capable of, so they just held me out.”
Offensive tackle Ray Beno underwent surgery this week to repair a finger broken in the Georgia game. Beno played in the title game and said he expects to play in the bowl game.
4. Tech practiced Thursday and Friday and will continue Saturday. The team will be off for most of final-exam week (next Monday through Friday) and practice Thursday through Saturday again. The on-campus portion of bowl practice will continue Dec. 17-21 before players will be released until they reconvene in El Paso. … As with the media All-ACC team, guard Omoregie Uzzi was the only Tech player to make the first-ever coaches All-ACC team. He was a first-team selection. Return specialist Jamal Golden, nose tackle T.J. Barnes, Attaochu, Finch and Smith were all honorable mention. Quarterback Vad Lee received one vote for offensive rookie of the year.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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210 comments Add your comment
5150 UOAD
December 8th, 2012
1:09 pm
Delbert D. Yes just watching Ga Southern until the 2pm kickoff.
ODU with a 75 yard pass to tie 14-14 after GSU just missed a Field Goal attempt.
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
1:23 pm
The ODU passing offense might be as good as you-know-who, based on what I’m seeing in this game.
Jacket Detective
December 8th, 2012
1:49 pm
To sell more tickets to basketball, they ought to give these charity games away with ACC package purchase.
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
1:58 pm
Jacket Detective – Send the acting AD an email. I sent one to Radakovich last season with another idea, and he replied, saying they have a consultant who is tasked with increasing attendance for football.
5150 UOAD
December 8th, 2012
2:00 pm
Delbert D…..ODU’s QB is Johnny Football of the FCS. he can sling it around.
Paul in NH
December 8th, 2012
2:22 pm
“Bowl games should be a reward for teams with a winning season”
The following bowls (as well as the Sun Bowl) would have a problem:
Belk Bowl (no Duke),
Russell Athletic (bye bye VT),
Meineke Car Care (see you later Minnesota),
Bell Helicopter (Rice AND Air Force),
Buffalo Wild Wings (Michigan State),
Autozone (Iowa State),
Heart of Dallas (Purdue),
BBVA Compass (Pitt AND Ole Miss)
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
2:25 pm
Paul – It would break my heart to see those 8 bowls disappear.
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
2:26 pm
Actually, Minnesota getting to a bowl is a huge achievement over how they’ve been for the past several years.
Rick James
December 8th, 2012
2:31 pm
@Delbert D.
Paul – It would break my heart to see those 8 bowls disappear
———————————————————————————
Thank you..
5150 UOAD
December 8th, 2012
2:32 pm
I remember when there were Only 17 bowl games. ESPN created 11 or 12 bowl games just to have programming for their TV stations.
UGABob
December 8th, 2012
2:34 pm
Where is GTBob?
5150 UOAD
December 8th, 2012
2:38 pm
Ga Sou gets it to one score again. Now need a D Stop. ODU 35 GSU 28. Good warm up for Army vs Navy.
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
2:39 pm
Maybe when the FBS playoffs expand there will be an “NIT” for the best of the also-rans. That should pretty much eliminate the bowl structure. I didn’t say “as we know it” because the current nonsensical bowl system is not as we once knew it.
Paul in NH
December 8th, 2012
2:39 pm
Raiderbeater
December 8th, 2012
12:47 pm
“Getting a chance to play Georgia, FSU and USC in three (consecutive games), that’s pretty much why I came here, for opportunities like that.”
I hope this Tech player realizes that Appalachian State’s schedule looks like that every year….with the same results as Tech…..
———-
App State’s schedule looks like that every year? Really? The thin air in the mountains must have affected your memory because App State plays ONE FBS team a year
2009 @ ECU
2010 @ Florida
2011 @ VT
2012 @ ECU
5150 UOAD
December 8th, 2012
2:46 pm
ODU’s Heinike (soph) just passed 5,000 passing yards this season new FCS record.
GT Fan
December 8th, 2012
2:47 pm
Healthy Matt Barkley … probably the 2 best WRs in D-1 … 2 season bowl ban gone … season sure didn’t go anything like Barkley & his teammates thought … Trojans ain’t bowing out of anything …. going to be a tall order for GT’s D… IDK what, or better yet who, that was playing D in the 2nd half vs. FSU, but a D that makes BYU’s offense look like a top 10 team isn’t close to being good.
IMO, GT’s only chance to win is if both of the following happen:
zero turnovers
long, time-consuming scoring drives
5150 UOAD
December 8th, 2012
2:50 pm
ODU fumbles on the GSU 20……chance to get the game tied.
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
3:10 pm
“a D that makes BYU’s offense look like a top 10 team”
BYU was really mad after Notre Dame came from behind in the 4th quarter to beat them the previous week.
5150 UOAD
December 8th, 2012
3:19 pm
Ga Sou with a INT and leading by 7 42 to 35 with 1:54 left. Looks like GSU will win and advance.
5150 UOAD
December 8th, 2012
3:20 pm
Go NAVY…….Go ARMY……..love them both.
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
3:22 pm
51 – Same here, but I’m a bit partial to Navy.
Jacket Detective
December 8th, 2012
3:24 pm
@Delbert D.
A terrible Kansas team beat us in 2010 (with Nesbitt at QB) because they were really mad from being embarrassed the prior week.
Should we just concede the game when the other team is really mad and save on gas or airline fuel?
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
3:31 pm
Jacket Detective – No, no excuses; I don’t like them. I was trying to be sarcastic to “GT Fan” and his comment. By the way, I met you at yeller bug’s tailgate before the Middle Tennessee game.
Jacket Detective
December 8th, 2012
3:35 pm
I am a lot more excited about our basketball program than football.
I predicted we would in the top 50 when all the magazines had us about 125 (ESPN the magazine).
Someone mentioned heartbreaking losses.
Not vs Uga in round ball.
Maybe we should get Udopia to play football too.
He found a way to win when he couldn’t make a foul shot.
Jacket Detective
December 8th, 2012
3:37 pm
I’m going to get there earlier next year.
I threaten to not buy season tickets a lot but it’s a pretty idle threat.
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
3:39 pm
“He found a way to win when he couldn’t make a foul shot.”
He kind of reminded me of Bruce Dalrymple doing that.
Jacket Detective
December 8th, 2012
3:40 pm
I sure hope the defense we discovered in the 2nd half vs FSU will make another appearance in the bowl.
And maybe for all of next year.
I wonder how much better the D would have been if Burnett had not been injued in the bowl game last year.
Jacket Detective
December 8th, 2012
3:41 pm
Good comparisome.
Jacket Detective
December 8th, 2012
3:43 pm
I sure wish Corey Heyward had not gotten injured.
We really have a very good freshman class.
Maybe best since Price/Salley.
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
3:46 pm
I missed their freshman year, I was in England on an assignment.
5150 UOAD
December 8th, 2012
3:47 pm
I hope Paul Johnson is watching NAVY. They have some nice wrinkles to some of our plays. CPJ might want to consider a few of these plays.
Drexel Gal
December 8th, 2012
3:49 pm
TIme to avenge the 1969 and 1973 losses to the University of Spoiled Children.
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
3:53 pm
I notice that this year the Navy A-backs are positioned like Tech’s. I previous years, Niumatalolo had them facing the sidelines at about a 45 degree angle.
dap01
December 8th, 2012
3:55 pm
Is Tech in a bowl this year? Did they win a game this year? I don’t remember a win.
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
3:56 pm
Now they’re in a split-T formation with halfbacks and a fullback. I haven’t seen that in a long time.
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
3:56 pm
Army, that is.
5150 UOAD
December 8th, 2012
3:59 pm
Navy has had the A-back come from the wing and actually take the hand-off and run between the tackle and guard.
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
4:04 pm
51 – Air force has a lot of different sets in their flex-bone. Also, have you seen Utah State this year? They have more offensive sets than any team I’ve seen, and they run several triple option plays.
man and dog
December 8th, 2012
4:06 pm
…..not a Tech fan, but a football fan that tries to keep up (unprofessionally) with all schools. IMO, Tech ’s coaching let them down more than anything this year. Not so much the head coach, but other areas.
man and dog
December 8th, 2012
4:08 pm
With that said, I hope GT beat the crap out of SC
man and dog
December 8th, 2012
4:09 pm
By the way, is Monte coaching this gam?
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
4:11 pm
I would be very pleased if Johnson does 2 things: 1, bring in a capable defensive coordinator, and 2, bring in an offensive coordinator. The young guy who is OC at Utah State would be my first choice. Got to work some new elements into the game.
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
4:12 pm
I think his resignation is at the end of the year.
5150 UOAD
December 8th, 2012
4:14 pm
Army looked great on that drive.
Jacket Detective
December 8th, 2012
4:17 pm
Yea man and dog, Johnson made a second bad hire for D coordinator.
Due to his contract, he gets three strikes.
I’m not among those eager to fire him though since 2009, a good number of disappointing games.
I felt a lot better after the FSU game than any of the losses where we were mostly helpless on defense.
I felt pride that we held FSU scoreless in the 2nd half.
Delbert D.
December 8th, 2012
4:21 pm
51-I’m watching the game on a slight delay, due to the Georgia Southern-Old Dominion game. It’s still 0-0; I need to catch up.
Jacket Detective
December 8th, 2012
4:22 pm
On 2nd down,some in our fanbase would have been all over the QB for not making the pitch.
5150 UOAD
December 8th, 2012
4:22 pm
Jemea Thomas
3 hours ago via mobile ·
to clear things up I will be at georgia tech next year because I promised my grandmother a degree now go and write about that………………………….
Jemea says he will come back next year to get his degree.
5150 UOAD
December 8th, 2012
4:23 pm
It is 7-7 now. Navy driving again.
Some damn hard hits in this game too.
Jacket Detective
December 8th, 2012
4:26 pm
What really gripes me is how much better we might have been with someone like the D coordinator hire at Maryland.
A number of good suggestions have been made.
The Wisconsin coach going to Arkansas complained Wisc did not have the money to keep his assistants from being stolen.
Kelly deserves consideration but I hope he doesn’t get the job just because we cannot afford someone better.