January 10, 2017
In This Issue
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~ Recruiting News ~
Georgia Tech Football Adds Two Early Enrollees
Defensive backs
Jaytlin Askew (Douglasville, Ga./McEachern) and
Gentry Bonds (Murfreesboro, Tenn./Riverdale) officially became members of Georgia Tech's student body and football program with the start of the 2017 spring semester on Monday.
Askew and Bonds completed high-school coursework last semester, which allowed them to enroll early at Tech. Their early enrollments also allow them to immediately begin football activities and participate in spring practice with the Yellow Jackets. Eligibility-wise, they will be true freshmen for the 2017 season.
Pushing The Limits: Despite offensive limitations, Jackets finding ways to challenge ACC foes
Josh Pastner knows that before he can get to the Hollywood ending he seeks for his Georgia Tech basketball program his team will have to go through the Hollywood beginning.
Pastner referenced the beginning of "Jaws" for Saturday afternoon's matinee, a 65-50 loss to No. 9 Louisville at McCamish Pavilion, where the Jackets trailed 16-3 after just five minutes but fought back, getting to within three, before the Cardinals pulled away late at the foul line.
His postgame comments kind of borrowed from the same movie, when Sheriff Brody, realizing the daunting challenge ahead, utters, "You're gonna need a bigger boat."
"We've got to find another scorer," said Pastner. "Josh O. is putting the ball in the basket, so is Ben. We've got to find another scorer. In this league you've got to have guys that can score the ball. It's an offensive-generated league."
"We're severely limited offensively, and that's okay," he added. "I've told our guys there's nothing wrong with that. That's who we are. We have to accept that. We have to get better but some guys just have to step up for us."
Ben Lammers put in a career-high 24 points on 9-for-14 shooting and 6-for-6 from the line, and Josh Okogie added 15 on 5-for-12, 1-for-2 from three and 4-for-6 from the line, but the 1-2 punch just wasn't enough to keep up with the Cardinals.
Click Here For The Full Story from ramblinwreck.com
Senior point Josh Heath back, bringing energy in new role as sixth man
Josh Heath has been around basketball long enough that he knows it's not who starts the game so much as who finishes it.
That knowledge means even more to him this season as a senior.
Of course, every game matters -- they always have to the Tampa, Fla., native -- but as the games dwindle down on his career every second on the floor takes on greater meaning.
Heath has shown that urgency, going harder than ever to get the most out of every game, primarily coming off the bench and giving the Jackets a boost.
Be it starting or coming off the bench -- it's all the same to him. Minutes are minutes.
"It really isn't a difference to me," said Heath, who is averaging 26.7 minutes and 5.7 points per game, both career-highs. "Every single day I have an opportunity to help my team. So coming off the bench or starting, whatever it is, I still have to run the game plan and try to win games."
He's been running it to perfection, usually as the first guy off the bench -- something he's done in each of the last six games -- and may not have been better than in the Yellow Jackets' ACC opener last Saturday against North Carolina, when he played 34 minutes (one minute shy of his career best (March 4, 2014, for University of South Florida at Houston) in Tech's 75-63 win over No. 9/10 North Carolina at McCamish Pavilion. It was his third double-digit scoring game off the bench, second the team only to Tadric Jackson (6).
Click Here For The Full Story From RamblinWreck.com
Lady Jackets Look to Bounce Back
Playing in the ACC means playing Notre Dame and Duke.
Georgia Tech women's basketball coach MaChelle Joseph knows that and is fine with it.
What Joseph has regrets over is that her young team had to meet them in the first and second games of ACC play.
"We're a team in transition. If we'd have played these two games in February instead of the first of January I think they'd be different outcomes, honestly," said Joseph, following the 76-68 loss to No. 13/15 Duke at McCamish Pavilion, which, on the heels of Monday night's 55-38 loss to No. 7 Notre Dame dropped the Jackets to 0-2 in the conference and 11-4 overall.
"I'm sure Duke and Notre Dame are glad they got out of here in January because these young kids and these new kids that have been sitting out that we're just now getting back into the mix are really going to start coming together over the next three weeks. I'm really excited to see where we're going to go."
That destination will begin by climbing out of a 0-2 ACC hole. While uncommon for Joseph teams, (this only the third time) it's not unprecedented, as the Yellow Jackets started 0-4 in conference last season but finished with a flourish to wind up 8-8. More uncommon is the 0-2 home start, the first in four years and completely unprecedented is opening conference play with back-to-back ranked teams.
Of course, having seven players new to ACC play on the roster -- four of those freshmen -- also is something new for Joseph, and something that can be considered both a blessing and a curse.
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Francesca Pan Garners ACC Rookie of the Week Honors
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| Freshman Guard Francesca Pan |
For the second time this season, freshman
Francesca Pan has been named ACC Rookie of the Week, as announced by the conference office Monday afternoon.
Pan led Tech is its lone game last week against Duke. The Bassano del Grappa, Italy native was two points shy of matching her career-high, pouring in 23 points against the Blue Devils hitting a personal-best eight field goals. The freshman was one rebound shy of recording her first collegiate double-double, pulling down a team-best nine boards as the Yellow Jackets out-rebounded Duke 34-32. Pan also matched her career-high of three steals against Duke.
With the performance, Pan returned to the team lead in scoring, averaging 10.8 points per game.
The weekly ACC honor marks the second for Pan and third for Georgia Tech this season. Pan also picked up the accolade following the Junkanoo Jam in November where she was named Tournament MVP and averaged 20.0 points in the two wins, helping the Jackets claim the Freeport Division title. Classmate
Chanin Scott received the honor on Dec. 12.
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News & Information on Georgia Tech Team Sports
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On November 30, Georgia Tech sophomore B-back Marcus Marshall announced his intent to transfer, eventually landing on James Madison to continue his academic and athletic careers. In the time since, four more Georgia Tech players have announced their intent to transfer.
To many, that looks awfully bad. Five players leaving the program in a little over a month would typically suggest some sort of issue that players have with their coaches, or a coach leaving, or some sense of unrest within the program.
That's not the case for Georgia Tech here.
Marcus Marshall's transfer is tough for anyone outside of his family and the coaching staff to explain, but he's transferring closer to home, and to his father's alma mater. The other four transfers? It makes a lot more sense and is much easier to explain.
CB Dorian Walker -
Just completed his redshirt freshman season as the #4 CB on the depth chart. Played sparingly in all of the team's regular season games, recording 3 tackles all season. Made an interception against Vanderbilt.
Players ahead of him on the depth chart entering his sophomore season include rising senior Step Durham, rising senior Lance Austin, and rising junior Lamont Simmons. In other words, he was due to again spend a majority of 2017 on the bench and on special teams before having a shot at starting as a junior in 2018 - and that's assuming he could beat out incoming recruits such as Tre' Swilling and Jaytlin Askew.
Click Here
for Georgia Tech's 2016 Football Schedule/Results
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Butker Lands on AP All-Bowl Team
Three student-athletes represented Georgia Tech on the Associated Press 2016 All-Bowl team, which was announced on Wednesday, January 4. Harrison Butker was named the place kicker for the 26-player team while offensive lineman Parker Braun and defensive lineman Patrick Gamble earned honorable-mention recognition for their roles in the Yellow Jackets' 33-18 TaxSlayer Bowl triumph over Kentucky on New Year's Eve in Jacksonville, Fla.
Butker's inclusion on the AP All-Bowl team came on the strength of making 4-of-4 field goals and accounting for 15 of the Jackets' 33 points (both career highs) in the TaxSlayer Bowl victory. His four field goals (from 23, 26, 44 and a season-long 52 yards out) set a Georgia Tech postseason record and were tied for the second-most in single-game school history.
He was also perfect on 3-of-3 extra-point attempts and sent all seven of his kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks.
Additionally, Butker became Georgia Tech's all-time leading scorer with his first extra point of the game, breaking the school record of 322 career points that he shared with Luke Manget (1999-2002). Butker finished the day and his collegiate career with 337 points.
Braun, a freshman all-American, capped his terrific rookie season by helping pave the way for the Yellow Jackets' 266 rushing yards in the win over Kentucky. Georgia Tech's left guard delivered the key block on a three-yard pickup on fourth-and-one from the Jackets' own 15 yard line in the second quarter. That first down led to a 94-yard touchdown drive that gave Tech a commanding 17-3 lead late in the first half.
In his final collegiate game, Gamble turned in one the best individual performances of his outstanding career, racking up seven tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble to headline a stellar defensive performance for Georgia Tech. He set the tone for the game on Kentucky's first drive when he sacked UK quarterback Stephen Johnson and forced a fumble that was scooped up by linebacker P.J. Davis, who returned it 38 yards for a touchdown that gave Tech an early 7-0 advantage. Gamble also played a big part in the Yellow Jackets limiting Kentucky's high-powered rushing attack to just 149 yards, including a total of 69 yards by the Wildcats' two 1,000-yard rushers -- Stanley Williams (35) and Benny Snell (34).
Click Here For The Full Story from RamblinWrreck.com
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Craig Candeto hired as Georgia Tech
quarterbacks coach
Craig Candeto, a college football coaching veteran, former quarterback under head coach Paul Johnson and one-time U.S. Navy fighter pilot, has been named Georgia Tech's quarterbacks/B-backs coach, Johnson announced on Friday.
Candeto, 34, returns to coaching after one season as Tech's assistant director of football operations. His promotion to assistant coach marks his third role as a member of Georgia Tech's football staff. He spent one season as a graduate assistant under Johnson in 2010 before returning to The Flats last February to assist with the program's day-to-day operations.
"I'm excited to have Craig move into a coaching role on our staff," Johnson said. "His understanding of our offense as a coach and a player, his wide range of coaching experience - from graduate assistant to head coach - and his knowledge of Georgia Tech make him a great fit. I think he'll do a great job."
Candeto's coaching experience includes three seasons as head coach at Capital University (2013-15). In his final season at the Columbus, Ohio school, the Crusaders ranked among the top 15 out of 243 NCAA Division III teams nationally in five major statistical categories, highlighted by having the nation's No. 6-ranked rushing offense (307.3 ypg). Candeto's teams also broke six school records during his three years at Capital.
Prior to his head-coaching stint, Candeto spent two seasons as quarterbacks/B-backs coach at The Citadel (2011-12). He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Austin Peay (2009) and Georgia Tech (2010).
Click Here For The Full Story From RamblinWreck.com
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Former Yellow Jackets in the NFL
Georgia Tech will have five #ProJackets on NFL rosters this weekend in the NFL Playoffs.
While only one #ProJacket was in action this weekend during the NFL Wildcard Weekend, a total of five #ProJackets will hit the field for the NFL Divisional Round of the Playoffs this weekend.
Morgan Burnett (S, GT 2007-09), the lone #ProJacket in action this past weekend, helped lead the Packers to a 38-13 drubbing of the New York Giants to advance to the Divisional Round versus the Dallas Cowboys. Burnett totaled five solo tackles in Green Bay's win.
Along with Burnett,
T.J. Barnes (DL 2009-11),
D.J. White
(CB, GT 2012-13) both on the Kansas City Chiefs),
Shaq Mason (OG GT 2011-14) (New England Patriots) and
Philip Wheeler (OLB GT 2003-02) (Atlanta Falcons) will all look to keep their teams' season alive this weekend in the NFL Divisional Round.
Click Here For The Full Story and More on
All 17 Former Yellow Jackets Currently On NFL Rosters
Click Here To Go To Our NFL Page With Links To The Official Websites Of Every National Football League Team
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Snow & Poor Road Conditions Cancels Second Day
of Double-Dual. Georgia Tech swimming and diving will return to the McAuley Aquatic Center on Jan. 20
The overnight snowfall and the poor road conditions cancelled day two of the Georgia Tech, Kentucky and Virginia Tech double-dual meet on Saturday in Blacksburg, Va.
The Georgia Tech swimming and diving program swept the 100 free events with
Iris Wang winning the women's race and
Rodrigo Quadros Correia touching the wall first in the men's event to highlight day one of competition on Friday versus both Virginia Tech and Kentucky.
The women's team trails host Virginia Tech 95-36 and Kentucky 99-32, while the men's team sits behind the Hokies 92-39 and the Wildcats 93-38.
The swimming and diving team will return to action in two weeks when the Yellow Jackets will host Alabama in a non-conference dual meet on Friday, Jan. 20, at 4 p.m. at the McAuley Aquatic Center.
Georgia Tech swim team does laps in snow
after meet canceled
A snowstorm and poor road conditions in Blacksburg, Virginia led to the cancellation of Day 2 of a dual-meet between Georgia Tech, Kentucky and Virginia Tech.
However, being snowed in didn't stop the Yellow Jackets from having some fun.
Members of the Georgia Tech swim team decided to hold a 4×100 individual medley in the snow wearing nothing but speedos.
Swimmer Aidan Pastel shared the video on social media.
That's one way to make the best of a terrible situation.
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Yellow Jackets Have Challenging
2017 Baseball Slate
The Georgia Tech baseball team will host a total of 31 home games at Russ Chandler Stadium in a challenging 2017 slate which includes contests versus seven 2016 NCAA Baseball Championship Tournament participants in Miami (Fla.), Virginia, Clemson, Wake Forest, Duke, Louisville and Western Michigan.
The Yellow Jackets will host four of the seven 2016 NCAA tournament teams in Western Michigan (Feb. 19), Clemson (Mar. 31-Apr. 2), Louisville (Apr. 13-15) and Virginia (May 18-20).
Tech will also play host to weekend series versus Youngstown State (Feb. 24-26), Belmont (Mar. 3-5), North Carolina (Mar. 17-19) and Pittsburgh (May 6-8), as well as midweek contests versus Georgia State (Feb. 28), Kennesaw State (Mar. 1), Oklahoma (Mar. 14), Auburn (Mar. 21), Mercer (Apr. 18, Georgia (Apr. 25) and Georgia Southern (May 16).
The Jackets and Bulldogs will face off at SunTrust Park, the new home of the Atlanta Braves, on May 9.
"As always our 2017 schedule will be challenging. We play all the schools in our state in a home and home format and we also have midweek dates with both Oklahoma and Auburn at home as well this year," stated head coach Danny Hall. "The third UGA game shifts to SunTrust Park which will be exciting for our players and fans. The ACC is one of the top conferences in the country year in and year out and we have a number of quality conference opponents coming to our place this year. Louisville will visit Russ Chandler Stadium for the first time as a member of the ACC, in addition to Clemson, UNC, Pitt and Virginia. The Flats will be host to some exciting baseball in 2017!"
The Yellow Jackets' 56-game slate and the 24th season for Coach Hall begins Friday, Feb. 17 versus BYU at Russ Chandler Stadium at 4 p.m. Tech also welcomes Marshall (Feb. 18) and Western Michigan (Feb. 19) to The Flats on opening weekend.
Click Here For The Full Story From ramblinwreck.com
Click Here For The Full Georgia Tech 2017 Baseball Schedule
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Tennis, Tennis & More Tennis
Christopher Eubanks, Cole Fiegel and their teammates haven't played tennis for Georgia Tech for a couple months, yet when they return to practice next week with head coach Kenny Thorne they won't be starting from scratch as they gear up for the all-important spring dual match season.
They've been practicing as much or more than ever recently and even playing in professional tournaments here, there, in Spain, Hong Kong and Florida.
When Fiegel finished final exams Dec. 13, he could hardly wait to get home to Alachua, Fla., to practice with childhood friends for a few days. He was just as excited about traveling to south Florida for a week to practice with more competition and play in a tournament before returning to Atlanta on Dec. 30 to practice - unofficially - with Tech teammates.
The holiday agenda: tennis, tennis and more tennis.
"Winter break is really when you can spend a lot of time on the court," said the senior left-hander. "Practice two times a day, basically, the whole way through, taking Christmas off because once the season starts we play so many matches and our bodies get banged up . . . where you can't physically practice as much.
"You don't have school. Not having classes is huge for practice. It's like a dream where you can practice as much as you want."
The Yellow Jackets played a busy fall schedule, fanning out to several tournaments, often scattering among different sites on the same dates.
Tech players were 69-57 in singles matches, and 26-20 in doubles.
Click Here For The Full Story From ramblinwreck.com
Click Here For The Full Georgia Tech 2017 Men's Tennis Schedule
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