[September 2, 2006] #2 Notre Dame (0-0) at Georgia Tech (0-0)

[Irish Envy]

vs.

​

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (0-0) vs Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (0-0)
Bobby Dodd Stadium - Atlanta, GA
September 2, 2006 - 8:00pm EST ​

Georgia Tech Offense

QB 1 Reggie Ball (5-11/195/SR)
FB 40 Mike Cox (6-1/245/JR)
TB 22 Tashard Choice (6-1/205/r-JR)
LT 64 Andrew Gardner (6-6/290/r-SO)
LG 61 Matt Rhodes (6-3/285/r-JR)
C 60 Kevin Tuminello (6-4/285/r-JR)
RG 73 Nate McManus (6-3/295/JR)
RT 68 Mansfield Wrotto (6-3/310/SR)
TE 80 George Cooper (6-5/260/r-SR)
WR 21 Calvin Johnson (6-4/235/JR)
WR 89 James Johnson (6-0/190/r-SO)
PK 87 Travis Bell (6-0/210/r-JR)

Georgia Tech Defense

DE 90 Darrel Robertson (6-5/240/JR)
DT 95 Darryl Richard (6-4/285/r-SO)
DT 96 Joe Anoai (6-3/280/SR)
DE 42 Adamm Oliver (6-4/265/r-JR)
LB 35 KaMichael Hall (6-0/225/SR)
LB 58 Gary Guyton (6-2/230/JR)
LB 41 Philip Wheeler (6-2/225/r-JR)
CB 34 Avery Roberson (6-2/200/r-JR)
CB 2 Kenny Scott (6-2/185/SR)
S 4 Jamal Lewis (6-0/190/JR)
S 23 Dijay Jones (6-1/200/JR)
P 39 Durant Brooks (6-1/198/r-JR)

Note: Players in bold are players to watch; Italics are new starters.

Georgia Tech Preseason Offensive Accolades

Calvin Johnson, the junior from Tyrone, Ga., is on the cover of numerous preseason magazines, from Lindy's to Athlon to The Sporting News. He is a consensus choice as ACC Offensive Player of the Year and is a first or second-team all-America by virtually every publication.

Sophomore offensive tackle Andrew Gardner, a freshman all-America last fall, is a second-team all-ACC choice by Lindy's, Athlon and The Sporting News, which rated him the No. 17 offensive tackle in the nation.

Junior Mike Cox was rated the No. 6 fullback in the nation and the best blocking back in the ACC by The Sporting News.

Georgia Tech Preseason Defensive Accolades

Senior defensive tackle Joe Anoai was tabbed to the preseason all-ACC first team by Lindy's, which also named him the No. 14 defensive tackle in the nation. Athlon put him on its all-ACC second team but rated Tech's defensive line the best in the ACC.

Senior linebacker KaMichael Hall is a first-team all-ACC choice and the No. 9 outside linebacker in the nation by The Sporting News. He was named to the all-ACC second team by Lindy's and Athlon.

Senior cornerback Kenny Scott was also named to the all-ACC first team by The Sporting News, which rated him the No. 8 cornerback in the nation. Scott and quarterback Reggie Ball were third-team all-ACC picks by Athlon.

Georgia Tech Resources

RamblinWreck.com - Official GT Athletics Website
2006 Georgia Tech Spring Football Prospectus

 

[Irish Envy]

May 16, 2006

ATLANTA--Georgia Tech's season-opening football game against Notre Dame on Sept. 2 will have an 8 p.m. kickoff at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field and will be nationally televised by ABC, the Atlantic Coast Conference and ABC announced Tuesday.

In addition to national television coverage for the game, Georgia Tech will be the center of the college football world that Saturday as ESPN's College GameDay will originate from the Tech campus.

Georgia Tech, led by all-America wide receiver Calvin Johnson, is coming off its ninth straight winning season and ninth straight bowl berth with a 7-5 record in 2005, including a 5-3 mark in the ACC, highlighted by wins over Top 10 teams Auburn and Miami.

Notre Dame is expected to be highly ranked in the preseason after finishing the 2005 season with a 9-3 record and a No. 9 ranking.

College GameDay, featuring host Chris Fowler and analysts Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso, will be making its second visit to Georgia Tech. The first time the popular program originated from Bobby Dodd Stadium was on Oct. 24, 1998 as the Yellow Jackets hosted Florida State.

Tech and Notre Dame have played 32 times, but the Irish will be making their first trip to Atlanta since 1980, when the Yellow Jackets tied then-No. 1-ranked Notre Dame, 3-3. The teams have met three times since then as Tech fell at Notre Dame in 1981 (35-3) and 1997 (17-13), then defeated the Irish, 35-28, in the 1999 Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla.

The Yellow Jackets will make a return trip to Notre Dame Stadium in 2007.

Source: RamblinWreck.com

 

[grantland]

Folks do all sorts of crazy things when that blue and gold monster of a college football program is coming to town. Surely you know that whether Notre Dame has fangs or not during a given stretch, just the thought of a leprechaun doing a jig near goalposts is enough to produce an epidemic of cheering or cringing.

Such is especially true when Notre Dame plays in the vicinity of the Red River or south of the Mason-Dixon line. All you need to know is that the Fighting Irish once were showered at Georgia Tech with a lovely mixture of whiskey bottles and smelly fish.

And guess what? Notre Dame is slated for its first return to the Flats in 26 years this fall to open the season. Courtesy of actions at the ticket office by Tech honchos, the game already is larger than large.

Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution

 

[Irish Envy]

July 1, 2006

Georgia Tech's season-opening football game against Notre Dame on Sept. 2 at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field is now sold out.

Three-game flex packs went on sale to the general public this morning, and within two hours, all remaining Notre Dame tickets were sold.

The Tech-Miami game on Oct. 28 is also sold out.

A limited number of full season ticket packages remain, including all seven home games, priced at $258. Single-game tickets for Tech's remaining five home games are also on sale: Samford, Sept. 9; Troy, Sept. 16; Virginia, Sept. 21; Maryland, Oct. 7; and Duke, Nov. 18.

Source: RamblinWreck.com

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

Cannot Wait.

Love the Night Game to Kick off the season.

 

[irishfan]

Cannot Wait.

Love the Night Game to Kick off the season.

I've always hated the night games. All i think about when i hear that ND is playing a night game is the Oregon State game in 2000 for the Fiesta Bowl, or an away game against SC.

 

[grantland]

I love when the Irish come down here.

Curiously, a number of my friends who attended Georgia Tech, have the Irish as their second team. This past weekend, I was talking to one friend who was at the 1977 game, the fish incident (I actually think they ended that game early - with a minute or two left on the clock - because of danger to the players).

He recalled that he had ND gear on at that game.

 

[scooper]

I've always hated the night games. All i think about when i hear that ND is playing a night game is the Oregon State game in 2000 for the Fiesta Bowl, or an away game against SC.

Last year's Pitt and Purdue games should have excorsized any night game demons. I like night away games, though I prefer home games in the afternoon.

 

[Fighting_Irish9]

Great post, heck just the

Notre Dame (0-0) At Georgia Tech (0-0) got the blood flowing

I can't wait for the Southwest School for the Blind vs Tulane game that comes the Tues before the season....who ever the crappy teams are, Always watch that whole game cause its CFB and the game counts

 

[scooper]

Tell me about it. I've caught myself watching a lot of rerun games on the fox college sports channels recently. Yesterday, I actually sat down and watched a good bit of last year's Navy-Temple game.

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

Navy-Temple??? ouch man I feel your pain. 53 days away?

 

[Irish Envy]

2. Is Notre Dame really that good?

After their team went 9-3 with tough losses to Southern Cal and Ohio State last fall, Fighting Irish fans are convinced quarterback Brady Quinn will take them all the way this time around. Our friends at The Sporting News have put Notre Dame at No. 1. We respectfully disagree.

The offense will be top-notch again with Charlie Weis calling the plays. But the defense, which returns nine starters, has to get better. The secondary needs more athleticism. The linebackers are average.

Frankly, Notre Dame will be fortunate to win at Georgia Tech on Sept. 2, and should be an underdog when it goes to USC in November. Penn State and Michigan are also on the schedule.

Looks like Tony Barnhart is at it again. Check out his "10 questions to ponder until kickoff" column in today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

 

[mirertobrooks]

G Tech will be fortunate to be in the game at halftime. Any ideas on the spread. If we're like -10 I'll go all in. maybe, probably. I'm guessing ND -9 opening line. Usually generous lines early in the season.

 

[Irish Envy]

G Tech will be fortunate to be in the game at halftime. Any ideas on the spread. If we're like -10 I'll go all in. maybe, probably. I'm guessing ND -9 opening line. Usually generous lines early in the season.

I believe it opened at -7.5/-8

 

[BGIF]

Looks like Tony Barnhart is at it again. Check out his "10 questions to ponder until kickoff" column in today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The linebackers are average.

Average?

A more appropriate statement might have been "Will ND have linebackers this year?"

 

[Vince Young]

Average?

A more appropriate statement might have been "Will ND have linebackers this year?"

Yeah, but then we'd all be bashing him for his "obvious anti-ND bias."

 

[Irish Envy]

Average?

A more appropriate statement might have been "Will ND have linebackers this year?"

I'd like to hope we'll be pleasantly surprised with the linebacking corps. A lot of guys have a chance to make something of their Notre Dame careers this year.

 

[scarff]

I've got all you beat....it seems like any time that I find reruns it's just USC....and believe me watchin those games is painful...

 

[Irish Envy]

I've got all you beat....it seems like any time that I find reruns it's just USC....and believe me watchin those games is painful...

I don't think I could ever jones for college football that bad to watch USC.

 

[Folsteam_Ahead]

i can't wait any longer!!!! i can't wait to see us pound georgia 'pathe'tech!!! 1-0. the best start there is.

 

[jiggafini19]

Key Points to This Game:

1. GT's O-Line vs. ND's D-Line.
Having seen what Drew Stanton and Troy Smith did to them last year, Notre Dame's front four (and seven) had better be in the mix against Reggie Ball. Otherwise he's going to cause major problems.

2. The ball will be passed regardless of which offense is on the field.
Kind of a "no-duh" statement, but it really is the truth. Calvin Johnson is a playmaker. They'll throw his way often and do whatever they can to get the ball into his hands. ND will use 3 WR and multiple tight ends. They should be able to exploit matchups with GT's secondary. GT has good linebackers, so CW will want to spread it out to counter that strength.

3. ND will use the screen and swing pass.
GT likes to blitz. That is Tenuta's style. Having been at the Blue and Gold Game, I saw several opportunities given to Walker via the screen and swing pass. Be on the look out for this in the game.

4. Quinn will start off his Heisman campaign with a bang.
If he makes his reads on blitzes and man coverage, forget about it. Samardzija and McKnight will terrorize the GT secondary. David Grimes and John Carlson should get opportunities as well. Kenny Scott can only cover one guy.

 

[Irish Envy]

We are 33 days and 20 hours from kickoff!

 

[Irish Envy]

T-Minus 18!

 

[Irish Envy]

T-Minus 10 Days! Only 10 FREAKING DAYS LEFT!

 

[Óglaigh_na_hÉireann]

It seems like only yesterday you were announcing there were only 60 days... well, not really, actually, this off-season has gone by unbelievably slow.

 

[Irish Envy]

 

[tommy]

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh go irish

 

[scooper]

Did you make that? That is beautiful.

 

[Irish Envy]

Nope, I can't claim it but I enjoyed it so I figured I should share.

 

[rontdtarchala]

A thing of beauty, I am simply freakin, jonesin, pacin...I have watched every game on the sports channels from the 66 Irish season to skunkbears (hatem) and the bucknuts (hatem)
I have a nurff gun I use to shoot the tv while I watch...(also comes in very handy for bad calls)