Patrick Nix: Live and learn in play-calling debut
September 3, 2006
SportingNews/Associated Press
ATLANTA -- Georgia Tech looked much different with offensive coordinator Patrick Nix calling the plays instead of head coach Chan Gailey.
While Gailey favored a power running game, Nix had the Yellow Jackets lining up in all sorts of formations during a 14-10 loss to No. 2 Notre Dame on Saturday night.
Quarterback Reggie Ball spent plenty of time in the shotgun, and he even ran the option a few times to take advantage of his mobility.
Star receiver Calvin Johnson lined up on both sides of the field -- sometimes in the slot, sometimes on the outside. There were zone blocking schemes and moving pockets, all designed to take advantage of Ball's running ability and create more ways to get Johnson open.
It worked well in the first half as the Yellow Jackets built a 10-0 lead. But Notre Dame scored late in the half, went ahead in the third quarter and managed to keep the ball away from the Yellow Jackets over much of the final two quarters.
Nix credited Notre Dame for putting double coverage on Georgia Tech's receivers -- especially Johnson -- and daring the Yellow Jackets to run the ball.
"I guess they're smarter than me," Nix said. "They know I'm not patient enough to run it. I was kind of bullheaded and tried to throw a few. Live and learn, I guess. I'll get up tomorrow, go to church, watch the tape and get ready to go again."
Gailey gave up the play-calling after last season, deciding it was too much of a burden for the head coach and that Nix was ready to handle the task.
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FAMILIAR FACE: Bill Lewis returned to a stadium that didn't produce a whole lot of good memories during his head coaching days.
Lewis, who now serves as the Fighting Irish's assistant head coach for defense, lasted less than three seasons as Georgia Tech's coach during the early 1990s.
Taking over in 1992 for Bobby Ross, who had guided the Yellow Jackets to a share of the national title just two years earlier, Lewis posted a record of 11-19 before he was fired with three games left in the '94 season.
Lewis shrugged off his appearance at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
"It's not about me. It's not about Georgia Tech," he said before the game. "This is so much more important than that. This is about Notre Dame playing its opening football game. Georgia Tech happens to be our opponent."
The Notre Dame defense was under the gun after ranking 103rd nationally against the pass last season and giving up a school-record 617 yards its final game, a Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State.
"We have an awful lot to prove," Lewis said.
The Fighting Irish took a step in the right direction, giving up only 259 yards to the Yellow Jackets.
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FORMER GREATS RETURN: Georgia Tech brought back some of its former greats to mark the start of another season.
Atlanta Falcons linebacker Keith Brooking, who played for the Yellow Jackets from 1994-97, was joined by Willie Clay (1988-91), Dorsey Levens (1992-93), Randy Rhino (1972-74), Rock Perdoni (1969-70) and Pat Swilling (1982-85).
All six were introduced to the sellout crowd and stood along the hashmarks, wearing Georgia Tech's gold jerseys adorned with their school numbers, when captains Reggie Ball, Joe Anoai and Chris Dunlap went to midfield for the opening coin toss.
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RAUCOUS ATMOSPHERE: New Georgia Tech athletic director Dan Radakovich promised a more exciting atmosphere at home football games. If nothing else, it was a lot louder than usual at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Hip hop blared over the speakers as the Georgia Tech's starters were shown one-by-one on the video board beforehand. A jet fighter roared over the stadium after the national anthem. And finally, while the players waited to charge onto the field behind the Rambling Wreck, Metallica's "Enter Sandman" had the student body hopping up and down.
Not everyone got in. The school distributed 7,500 student tickets for the game, but that meant at least 3,500 were shut out of 55,000-seat Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Outside the northwest gate, two protesters held up signs that said, "Dan Radakovich sold my ticket" and "A ticket for every student."
------ EXTRA POINTS: The crowd of 56,680 was Georgia Tech's largest since 1985. After that season, the school reduced capacity by tearing down the aging horseshoe stands in the south end zone. ... Notre Dame improved to 27-5-1 against the Yellow Jackets.
September 3, 2006
SportingNews/Associated Press
ATLANTA -- Georgia Tech looked much different with offensive coordinator Patrick Nix calling the plays instead of head coach Chan Gailey.
While Gailey favored a power running game, Nix had the Yellow Jackets lining up in all sorts of formations during a 14-10 loss to No. 2 Notre Dame on Saturday night.
Quarterback Reggie Ball spent plenty of time in the shotgun, and he even ran the option a few times to take advantage of his mobility.
Star receiver Calvin Johnson lined up on both sides of the field -- sometimes in the slot, sometimes on the outside. There were zone blocking schemes and moving pockets, all designed to take advantage of Ball's running ability and create more ways to get Johnson open.
It worked well in the first half as the Yellow Jackets built a 10-0 lead. But Notre Dame scored late in the half, went ahead in the third quarter and managed to keep the ball away from the Yellow Jackets over much of the final two quarters.
Nix credited Notre Dame for putting double coverage on Georgia Tech's receivers -- especially Johnson -- and daring the Yellow Jackets to run the ball.
"I guess they're smarter than me," Nix said. "They know I'm not patient enough to run it. I was kind of bullheaded and tried to throw a few. Live and learn, I guess. I'll get up tomorrow, go to church, watch the tape and get ready to go again."
Gailey gave up the play-calling after last season, deciding it was too much of a burden for the head coach and that Nix was ready to handle the task.
------
FAMILIAR FACE: Bill Lewis returned to a stadium that didn't produce a whole lot of good memories during his head coaching days.
Lewis, who now serves as the Fighting Irish's assistant head coach for defense, lasted less than three seasons as Georgia Tech's coach during the early 1990s.
Taking over in 1992 for Bobby Ross, who had guided the Yellow Jackets to a share of the national title just two years earlier, Lewis posted a record of 11-19 before he was fired with three games left in the '94 season.
Lewis shrugged off his appearance at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
"It's not about me. It's not about Georgia Tech," he said before the game. "This is so much more important than that. This is about Notre Dame playing its opening football game. Georgia Tech happens to be our opponent."
The Notre Dame defense was under the gun after ranking 103rd nationally against the pass last season and giving up a school-record 617 yards its final game, a Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State.
"We have an awful lot to prove," Lewis said.
The Fighting Irish took a step in the right direction, giving up only 259 yards to the Yellow Jackets.
------
FORMER GREATS RETURN: Georgia Tech brought back some of its former greats to mark the start of another season.
Atlanta Falcons linebacker Keith Brooking, who played for the Yellow Jackets from 1994-97, was joined by Willie Clay (1988-91), Dorsey Levens (1992-93), Randy Rhino (1972-74), Rock Perdoni (1969-70) and Pat Swilling (1982-85).
All six were introduced to the sellout crowd and stood along the hashmarks, wearing Georgia Tech's gold jerseys adorned with their school numbers, when captains Reggie Ball, Joe Anoai and Chris Dunlap went to midfield for the opening coin toss.
------
RAUCOUS ATMOSPHERE: New Georgia Tech athletic director Dan Radakovich promised a more exciting atmosphere at home football games. If nothing else, it was a lot louder than usual at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Hip hop blared over the speakers as the Georgia Tech's starters were shown one-by-one on the video board beforehand. A jet fighter roared over the stadium after the national anthem. And finally, while the players waited to charge onto the field behind the Rambling Wreck, Metallica's "Enter Sandman" had the student body hopping up and down.
Not everyone got in. The school distributed 7,500 student tickets for the game, but that meant at least 3,500 were shut out of 55,000-seat Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Outside the northwest gate, two protesters held up signs that said, "Dan Radakovich sold my ticket" and "A ticket for every student."
------ EXTRA POINTS: The crowd of 56,680 was Georgia Tech's largest since 1985. After that season, the school reduced capacity by tearing down the aging horseshoe stands in the south end zone. ... Notre Dame improved to 27-5-1 against the Yellow Jackets.
