Looking back...

[jacketguy]

I threw this out in a previous thread, but thought I would go ahead and do the work myself (got some downtime here !!) ... I mentioned earlier to take a look back at our first 6 games of 2000... as with everything, I am trying to find some positives for the season thus far... and by the way, please dont ask why I have these old sports pages from 2 years ago... my wife gives me enough grief about being a packrat !!

A look back at 2000

GT 21 CFLA 17...
Headlines: Great Escape, Jacket still have magic...a few comments about the game include booing in the 4th quarter turning to cheers by games end.. There are comments about Godsey being nowhere near as capable as Hamilton.. total yardage was about even with Tech holding almost a 2:1 time of possession.. a few of the problems included converting drives into scores.. and penalties.. run defense looked good, pass defense was not good... we escaped with a win..

Tech 21 FSU 26
Headlines: Seminoles slip from Tech trap.... a few comments include..comments about the QB job being unsettled with Crenshaw and Godsey, Bisher calls the performance Valiant, "the Jackets might be better than many thought" .. FSU dominated statistically, time of possession about even.. a few of the problems mentioned include penalties, lack of concentration.. The defense continues to give up the big play.. speed has improved, but depth hasnt..(This could have/should have been a win.. I would still like to catch that ref in a dark ally.. )

GT 40 Navy 13
Headlines: Tech Sails: But Navy doesnt sink easily
Bisher states that Godseys performance has been spotty.. unable to get the Tech offense in sync.. Navy was in the game until Gathers returns a fumble for a TD in the 3rd qtr.. Navy gives the Jackets all they want on both sides of the ball.. Navy outrushed and outpassed Tech.. and held the ball longer by 10 minutes... some of the problems include.. lack of running game.. giving up big plays.. no offensive continuity, no substitution plan by the coaches.. it was not a good game for Tech...

GT 23 NCST 30
Headlines: OT Doesnt Pay for Tech.. a few comments include: They played defense, for a half...somehow Tech turned a 13-0 advantage to a 23-16 deficit... Future Flows With Rivers... wolfpack quaterback solves Tech's blitz...Tech led in all statistical categories.. some of the problems include.. things fell apart in the second half... the ground game is alive, but not well.. giving up the big play...the Jackets got ahead but got careless...

Tech is 2-2 overall... 0-2 in the ACC...

Tech-42 NC-28
Headline: Tech Masters a Spectacular Day .. a few comments.. the game was won with 2:30 remaining when Joe Burns runs for a 51 yd TD... after two early losses, this was a must win for the Jackets... Tech led total yardage by 100 yards.. Time of Poss was even... Tech has 8 penalties for 70 yards.. a few of the problems include.. Godsey was intercepted twice... although he threw for 388 yards.. Tech still giving up the big play.. "Jackets lack a killer instinct"... "Must concentrate on a total offensive effort"

Tech 52 WF 20..
Headline: A Romp Short of Greatness... The score says it all.. Godsey is coming into his own... defense is still a problem... penalties are still a problem.. The offense is gelling.. Godsey has a career day... Tech beats WF.. AS IT SHOULD !

Tech 45 Duke 10
Headline: Pushover for Tech...
Hey, it's Duke... no comments or stats needed.. the score says it all... a few of the problems include.. Defense is on the field too long.. Duke kept the ball for almost 40 minutes.. Tech cant convert short yardage situations... George O'Leary states, "Godsey is getting better, because the running game is getting better"

The point I am trying to make here is this... there are ALOT of similarities between this team and the 2000 edition... each has/had its own set of problems... but it was no cake walk the first 6 games of 2000... inconsistencies on offense.. defensive problems... depth problems... penalties.. a QB coming into his own... a RB coming into his own.. real progress wasnt made until the WF and Duke games...

Maybe the sting of the WF game has worn off of me a bit... and I still believe tomorrow nights game is HUGE for us... but there is alot of football left to play... and I realize we dont have our star Offensive and Defensive players... but, we may just be satisfied at the end.... just as we were in 2000.

I am sure that most fans were behind O'Leary at the mid point of 2000... he had earned that loyalty... I for one wasnt happy about the NC St. loss... but wasnt calling for O'Leary's head... Gailey hasnt earned that loyalty from the Tech family yet... but I do think that he deserves the opportunity to earn it... 6 games into a season is not that opportunity...

 

[bobby dodds ghost]

A GOOD team never loses to Wake Forest or Duke. Major concerns will, and should follow any loss to either of these schools. It hurts as much today as it did a week and a half ago. The loss was an embarrassment that will follow this team and its coaches, and its fans.
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BOO

 

[GT Ace]

Actually, a good analogy comparing Godsey's 1st 4 games as GT's QB to Suggs' 1st 4 games as QB, as well as, comparing the team as a whole to each other.
We're in about the same boat as we were in 2000, yet we finished 9-2 in '00 & went Peach picking. There's an excellent chance we can get the '02 boat sailing toward 9-10 win waters. Thanks for putting this out.

 

[jacketguy]

Originally posted by bobby dodds ghost:
A GOOD team never loses to Wake Forest or Duke. Major concerns will, and should follow any loss to either of these schools. It hurts as much today as it did a week and a half ago. The loss was an embarrassment that will follow this team and its coaches, and its fans.
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<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">I hear what you are saying BDG... but I have always thought that our 1999 team was a good team.... that team lost to WF... a game it should have won...

 

[yellowjacket]

Well, a good team Never loses to Wake at home or Duke anywhere. But then, maybe we are not a very good team.

 

[Beesnut]

Good grief... we don't know what kind of team Tech is yet. We are an enigma. Kind of like that box of choclates Forrest Gump was talking about.

We may improve we may not. A loss tonight and I personally think we lose a whole lot more. A win tonight and 8 or 9 wins is possible.

 

[bobby dodds ghost]

Remember, all Div. 1 teams play a couple of "easy games" to start the season. 4 and 2 records are misleading, and mean very little as to whether a team is good or bad. Conference play sorts everything out. We are currently 1 and 2 in conf. play, with our hardest games still ahead. The Maryland game will either give us a second chance to right the ship, or tell everyone it is time to abandon it. This is MUST WIN TIME.
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