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Winningest Year
Gailey Cautious, Confident Entering Third Season
Winningest Year
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Fifteen of Georgia Tech’s 17 varsity teams advanced to postseason play in 2003-04, recording a school record finish in Director’s Cup competition, sponsored by the National Association of Collegiate Athletics Directors.
Scores are based on the records of each school’s top 10 men’s sports and top 10 women’s sports. Tech only fields 17 sports and can score points in only 15 because indoor and outdoor track cannot both be counted. Even with that disadvantage, Yellow Jacket athletes accounted for 560.5 points and placed 31st, eclipsing a 45th-place finish in 1993-94.
"We’re extremely proud of our student athletes," said Director of Athletics Dave Braine. "Our goal is for each of our sports to be in the top 25 in the country, and each year we get closer to realizing that goal."
Five Ramblin’ Wreck programs — men’s basketball, golf, volleyball, baseball and softball recorded top 10 finishes last year.
The Yellow Jackets captivated the nation as they played to the NCAA national championship basketball game, the baseball team won a school-record 20 straight games to clinch its fifth ACC regular season title and advance to the super regionals, volleyball played into the Elite Eight tournament, the golf team finished the season ranked No. 5 nationally and the football team earned a seventh consecutive bowl appearance a 52-10 victory over Tulsa in the Humanitarian Bowl. Tech was the only school that won a bowl game, an NCAA basketball regional and an NCAA baseball regional.
Individually, sophomore track star Chaunte Howard won national championships in the indoor and outdoor high jump. Twenty All-Americans, 57 Academic All-Americans, five ACC Players of the Year and four ACC Rookies of the Year came from the Flats last year.
In club sports, the women’s lightweight four crew took on the best varsity rowing teams in the country at the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia and brought home a national championship. The Tech lacrosse team defeated Florida to win the Southeastern Lacrosse Conference and advance to the national championship tournament.
Gailey Cautious, Confident Entering Third Season
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Chan Gailey expressed optimism tempered with caution as he enters his third season as Georgia Tech’s head football coach. His optimism follows a surprisingly good 2003 season that ended with a 52-10 blowout of Tulsa in the Humanitarian Bowl.
His caution is tempered by the 2004 schedule. Perennial powerhouses Miami and Virginia Tech, the newest members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, pay visits to Bobby Dodd Stadium this fall.
"Miami, Virginia Tech and Florida State are similar type teams with great athletes that win consistently," Gailey said. "We must continue to improve our consistency and we must continue to recruit guys on a national caliber level. Tech is unique because we offer the best combination of athletics and academics of any institution in America. That’s not conjecture, that’s fact. Our football team has been to seven straight bowls — only 11 schools in America can say that.
"We had a great recruiting year and a solid spring practice," he said. "I’m very pleased with the direction we’re heading."
Sophomore quarterback Reggie Ball, last year’s ACC Freshman Player of the Year, was impressive in the spring scrimmage game, throwing for two touchdowns and setting up a field goal, and backup Patrick Carter threw for three scores.
Although seven defensive starters return, the Jackets must replace two linemen and all three linebackers.
"Our situation is the complete opposite of what it was last spring," Gailey said. "Last year we had almost everyone back on defense so we were able to use the spring to develop depth. Now we’re trying to replace people like linebackers Keyaron Fox, Daryl Smith and Ather Brown."
Preseason All-Americans defensive end Eric Henderson and safety James Butler form the defensive nucleus along with potential All-ACC candidates Travis Parker, Gerris Wilkinson and Reuben Houston. Wilkinson, a starting defensive end last fall, was moved to middle linebacker in Tech’s 4-3 defense, while strong safety Chris Reis was moved to strong side linebacker.
The offense also returns seven starters including former walk-on P.J. Daniels, who led the ACC in rushing last year. Daniels was also named to the preseason All- America team.
"Our running backs — Daniels, Chris Wood and Rashaun Grant — had outstanding spring practices," Gailey said. "We have a very adaptable multiple scheme offense and we can adjust or adapt to suit the personnel we have available."
Speedy senior wide receiver Nate Curry emerged as a capable replacement for last year’s deep threat, Jonathan Smith, while true freshman Calvin Johnson, who chose the Jackets over the Georgia Bulldogs, offers a significant target for Ball.
The offensive line, stung by the losses of tackle Nat Dorsey and center Hugh Reilly, will depend on returning starters Andy Tidwell-Neal and Kyle Wallace to open holes for Tech runners.
The Yellow Jackets coaching staff also changed during the off-season. Giff Smith, a former All-American at Georgia Southern, came from Tulane to coach the defensive line, while Brian Jean-Mary came from Division II North Alabama as linebackers coach. Former quarterbacks coach and running plays coordinator Patrick Nix was promoted to offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Buddy Geis was promoted to assistant head coach.
Although Tech plays a bulked-up conference schedule and the "clean, old-fashioned hate" game in Athens, the Yellow Jackets have the potential to make their eighth consecutive bowl appearance and ninth consecutive .500 or better record.
"We have some more building days, but everyone understands where we are headed and what has to be done," Gailey said. "We’re all on the same page."
©2004 Georgia Tech Alumni Association