bobby dodds ghost
Damn Good Rat
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2002
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per GT sports webpage:
Chan Gailey Begins First Season as Head Football Coach
Chan Gailey expects his Georgia Tech football team to be undefeated at season's end.
"We'll have 12 regular season games plus a bowl, and I expect us to be 13-0," he said. "If I expect us to lose games, why not just skip them and cut the risk of someone getting hurt and go on to the next one? We plan and prepare and work to win every game we play. The goal is to be undefeated."
After spending nearly 14 years coaching pro football, Gailey returned to Georgia — his home state — to lead the Yellow Jackets.
"College football is special," Gailey said. "I was on the sideline at the spring game and heard the band playing the fight song. Do you know how long it's been since I've heard that? It gave me goose bumps."
As much as he appreciated that moment of rah-rah, Gailey knows he has a tough job ahead. After a disappointing 2001 campaign and a tumultuous off-season, the Jackets want to make a strong showing this fall. The talent is there — 13 returning starters including three potential All-Americans — plus much-needed depth at key positions.
"I know what we have to do," Gailey said. "We need to win the ACC and beat Georgia."
The Jackets open the season on Aug. 31 against Vanderbilt, then travel to Connecticut to play Division 1 newcomer University of Connecticut — a schedule that seems to give Tech some much-needed momentum before the first conference game against Clemson on Sept. 14.
"I don't pay much attention to the schedule," Gailey said. "Whether it's weighted in our favor or not doesn't really matter to me. We play whoever shows up. It's not that big of a deal.
"To win, we've got to stay healthy," he continued. "That's true no matter what level you're playing — high school, college or pro. We have to use our strengths — speed, quickness and conditioning — and we need a few breaks here and there."
Chan Gailey Begins First Season as Head Football Coach
Chan Gailey expects his Georgia Tech football team to be undefeated at season's end.
"We'll have 12 regular season games plus a bowl, and I expect us to be 13-0," he said. "If I expect us to lose games, why not just skip them and cut the risk of someone getting hurt and go on to the next one? We plan and prepare and work to win every game we play. The goal is to be undefeated."
After spending nearly 14 years coaching pro football, Gailey returned to Georgia — his home state — to lead the Yellow Jackets.
"College football is special," Gailey said. "I was on the sideline at the spring game and heard the band playing the fight song. Do you know how long it's been since I've heard that? It gave me goose bumps."
As much as he appreciated that moment of rah-rah, Gailey knows he has a tough job ahead. After a disappointing 2001 campaign and a tumultuous off-season, the Jackets want to make a strong showing this fall. The talent is there — 13 returning starters including three potential All-Americans — plus much-needed depth at key positions.
"I know what we have to do," Gailey said. "We need to win the ACC and beat Georgia."
The Jackets open the season on Aug. 31 against Vanderbilt, then travel to Connecticut to play Division 1 newcomer University of Connecticut — a schedule that seems to give Tech some much-needed momentum before the first conference game against Clemson on Sept. 14.
"I don't pay much attention to the schedule," Gailey said. "Whether it's weighted in our favor or not doesn't really matter to me. We play whoever shows up. It's not that big of a deal.
"To win, we've got to stay healthy," he continued. "That's true no matter what level you're playing — high school, college or pro. We have to use our strengths — speed, quickness and conditioning — and we need a few breaks here and there."