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Published 7/25/07 in The Times-Herald
By ADAM VAN BRIMMER
Morris News Service
PINEHURST, N.C. – Georgia Tech football coach Chan Gailey can sense his players' angst over their 2006 finish.
The Yellow Jackets spoiled their best season this decade by losing their last three games: The grudge match against Georgia, the Atlantic Coast Conference title game and the Gator Bowl.
Seven months later, they're still fuming. And by Gailey's estimation, the feeling is building.
"That's been unfolding as the summer has gone along,"
Gailey said Monday at the ACC Kickoff, the league's preseason media gathering. "I think they did take a little bit (of satisfaction out of last season) maybe, but if you let a little bit of satisfaction be OK, then you're in for trouble.
"Did we win it? No? Then it wasn't enough."
Star player Philip Wheeler used stronger words to describe the team's sentiments.
"We're kind of ticked off," Wheeler said. "We had to go and lose our last three games – our biggest games of the season – all by three points. That's been dogging us all spring and all summer."
Those failures kept the team focused throughout an offseason full of potential distractions, dating back to the days following the Gator Bowl loss to West Virginia.
* In January, Gailey considered leaving Georgia Tech for an NFL job. The Miami Dolphins contacted him two days after the Gator Bowl, and he also interviewed with the Pittsburgh Steelers later in the month.
* Also in January, star wide receiver Calvin Johnson decides to leave Georgia Tech a year early for the NFL.
* Also in January, offensive coordinator Patrick Nix resigned to join Randy Shannon's staff at the University of Miami.
* In February, Gailey hired John Bond away from Northern Illinois to replace Nix.
* In March, Bond revamped Georgia Tech's offensive scheme during spring practice. The most drastic difference was in the passing game, where he changed many of the receivers' routes and implemented more multiple wide receiver formations.
* Also in March, talented quarterback Laurence Marius left the team and dropped out of school.
* Earlier this month, back-up quarterback Steven Threet transferred.
"It's been a strange year, but coach Gailey was real up front with us about everything, especially when it came to him and the NFL," tailback Tashard Choice said. "And as for people leaving early or transferring, it happens. People come and go each day. We're just rolling with it."
Next week's start of preseason practice should bring back a degree of normalcy. The players sidelined by injury this spring are healthy, with the exception of third-string fullback Trevor Bray. Bond's offensive scheme has been fully implemented.
And Gailey doesn't anticipate his role changing again.
He surrendered the play-calling duties prior to last season, citing the offense needed a fresh approach, and assumed more of an oversight position.
He did consider reassuming control of the offense after Nix left only to hire Bond instead.
"I try to evaluate my role after each season, to see where I am best suited for the team. What can I do to help the team be more successful?" Gailey said. "I felt like last year that was stepping away. I thought very seriously about going back into it this year, but the reasons I left it had not changed. That just wasn't right. It was convenient, but it wasn't right."
The focus now shifts to repeating as ACC Coastal Division champions and playing for another league title. ACC media members picked Virginia Tech to win the Coastal Division over Georgia Tech in Monday's preseason poll.
But what has happened, not what might happen, weighs heaviest on the Yellow Jackets.
"We're on the same page about wanting to change the outcome of last year," Gailey said. " You can't change the outcome until you get in the position again.
That's our focus right now."
[SIZE=-2]Unless otherwise stated, all material on this page and all pages on this site ©2000 - 2007 The Times-Herald, Newnan, Georgia. Any reproduction of any part of this web site without written permission is strictly prohibited.[/SIZE]
Published 7/25/07 in The Times-Herald
By ADAM VAN BRIMMER
Morris News Service
PINEHURST, N.C. – Georgia Tech football coach Chan Gailey can sense his players' angst over their 2006 finish.
The Yellow Jackets spoiled their best season this decade by losing their last three games: The grudge match against Georgia, the Atlantic Coast Conference title game and the Gator Bowl.
Seven months later, they're still fuming. And by Gailey's estimation, the feeling is building.
"That's been unfolding as the summer has gone along,"
Gailey said Monday at the ACC Kickoff, the league's preseason media gathering. "I think they did take a little bit (of satisfaction out of last season) maybe, but if you let a little bit of satisfaction be OK, then you're in for trouble.
"Did we win it? No? Then it wasn't enough."
Star player Philip Wheeler used stronger words to describe the team's sentiments.
"We're kind of ticked off," Wheeler said. "We had to go and lose our last three games – our biggest games of the season – all by three points. That's been dogging us all spring and all summer."
Those failures kept the team focused throughout an offseason full of potential distractions, dating back to the days following the Gator Bowl loss to West Virginia.
* In January, Gailey considered leaving Georgia Tech for an NFL job. The Miami Dolphins contacted him two days after the Gator Bowl, and he also interviewed with the Pittsburgh Steelers later in the month.
* Also in January, star wide receiver Calvin Johnson decides to leave Georgia Tech a year early for the NFL.
* Also in January, offensive coordinator Patrick Nix resigned to join Randy Shannon's staff at the University of Miami.
* In February, Gailey hired John Bond away from Northern Illinois to replace Nix.
* In March, Bond revamped Georgia Tech's offensive scheme during spring practice. The most drastic difference was in the passing game, where he changed many of the receivers' routes and implemented more multiple wide receiver formations.
* Also in March, talented quarterback Laurence Marius left the team and dropped out of school.
* Earlier this month, back-up quarterback Steven Threet transferred.
"It's been a strange year, but coach Gailey was real up front with us about everything, especially when it came to him and the NFL," tailback Tashard Choice said. "And as for people leaving early or transferring, it happens. People come and go each day. We're just rolling with it."
Next week's start of preseason practice should bring back a degree of normalcy. The players sidelined by injury this spring are healthy, with the exception of third-string fullback Trevor Bray. Bond's offensive scheme has been fully implemented.
And Gailey doesn't anticipate his role changing again.
He surrendered the play-calling duties prior to last season, citing the offense needed a fresh approach, and assumed more of an oversight position.
He did consider reassuming control of the offense after Nix left only to hire Bond instead.
"I try to evaluate my role after each season, to see where I am best suited for the team. What can I do to help the team be more successful?" Gailey said. "I felt like last year that was stepping away. I thought very seriously about going back into it this year, but the reasons I left it had not changed. That just wasn't right. It was convenient, but it wasn't right."
The focus now shifts to repeating as ACC Coastal Division champions and playing for another league title. ACC media members picked Virginia Tech to win the Coastal Division over Georgia Tech in Monday's preseason poll.
But what has happened, not what might happen, weighs heaviest on the Yellow Jackets.
"We're on the same page about wanting to change the outcome of last year," Gailey said. " You can't change the outcome until you get in the position again.
That's our focus right now."
[SIZE=-2]Unless otherwise stated, all material on this page and all pages on this site ©2000 - 2007 The Times-Herald, Newnan, Georgia. Any reproduction of any part of this web site without written permission is strictly prohibited.[/SIZE]
