Aug. 20, 2008
ATLANTA - Unlike the majority of college football teams around the country, Georgia Tech is already in a game-week mode. The Yellow Jackets open on a Thursday night, which means their typical game-week preparation is about to begin.
Tech practiced for two hours Wednesday afternoon in full pads. On Thursday, the Yellow Jackets will practice in a closed Bobby Dodd Stadium, where head coach Paul Johnson will try to throw a number of game-type situations at his young team.
"It (Thursday's practice) will be more for game operations and just getting a feel for the game," said Johnson, who celebrated his 51st birthday Wednesday. "We still have a coupe of positions where guys are fighting for spots, but mostly it's just a matter of who can play and who is healthy."
Johnson acknowledged that sophomore A-back Lucas Cox did not practice today because of injury and senior offensive tackle David Brown could be out until early next week or beyond.
"Coming out of camp you are going to have some bumps and bruises," Johnson said. "A lot has been made out of our injuries, but actually, knock on wood, we've been fortunate. We've probably been more fortunate than most teams."
NOTEBOOK
- Johnson indicated that senior Troy Garside, a reserve safety, may get a look at the A-back position beginning Thursday.
- The practice schedule for Friday-Sunday has not been determined at this point.
TRIVIA QUESTION (answer below)
Name two teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A) nicknamed the Bulldogs that Georgia Tech does NOT play in 2008.
PAUL HEWITT, DANNY HALL... ARE YOU LISTENING?
We asked the Yellow players, if they could play another sport at Georgia Tech, what would it be. Few surprises here, especially Roddy Jones, who was drafted out of high school by the Chicago White Sox. One note: survey was taken before Michael Phelps' recent Olympic success.
Question: If you could play another sport at Georgia Tech, what would it be?
Golf Clyde Yandell
Basketball Mohamed Yahiaoui
Baseball Jahi Word-Daniels
Basketball Willie White
Golf Bret White
Basketball Levi Walls
Tennis Lance Walls
Shot put/discus Vance Walker
Track and Field Alex Walker
Golf Osahon Tongo
Basketball Demaryius Thomas
Baseball Michael St. Denis
Golf Luke Snider
Baseball (center field) Andrew Smith
Golf A.J. Smith
Track and Field (discus) Brad Sellers
Basketball Albert Rocker
Golf Darryl Richard
Basketball Paul Reese
Swimming Dominique Reese
Baseball Steven Powers
Track and Field Michael Peterson
Basketball Jason Peters
Tennis Alex Paquette
Basketball Josh Nesbitt
Baseball Derrick Morgan
Baseball Tyler Melton
Golf Jonathan Malone
Baseball James Liipfert
Golf Zach Krish
Track Quincy Kelly
Golf Matt Kamp
Baseball Roddy Jones
Basketball Michael Johnson
Track Brad Jefferson
Basketball DeRon Jasper
Golf Chase Hudson
Baseball Cord Howard
Golf or baseball Jim Henry
Track Robert Hall
Baseball Sedric Griffin
Basketball Andrew Gardner
Track Martin Frierson
Golf Andrew Folkner
Tennis Zach Fisher
Golf Tyler Evans
Basketball Anthony Egbuniwe
Baseball Correy Earls
Baseball Bryce Dykes
Track and field Jonathan Dwyer
Baseball Tyler Davis
Basketball Jason Davis
Baseball Kevin Crosby
Baseball Doc Coppage
Track and Field Kevin Cone
Golf R.B. Clyburn
Baseball Nick Claytor
Baseball Tony Clark
Tennis Travis Chambers
Basketball Mario Butler
Basketball Morgan Burnett
Track and Field (shot put) David Brown
Golf Matt Braman
Baseball Shane Bowen
Basketball Calvin Booker
Soccer (if there was a team) Scott Blair
Baseball Jake Blackwood
Track and field (discuss) Sean Bedford
Baseball Austin Barrick
Basketball Anthony Barnes
Track and field Elris Anyaibe
Golf Chandler Anderson
Baseball Ben Anderson
ANSWER TO TRIVIA QUESTION
Georgia Tech is already playing the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Georgia Bulldogs in 2008. In fact, the Jackets also play the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs, a Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA) team. Still, there are two teams nicknamed the Bulldogs not on Tech's schedule: Fresno State and Louisiana Tech.
