It all starts with defense.
Georgia Tech head coach George O'Leary will be the first one to tell you that. The former Tech defensive coordinator inherited the 94th-ranked run defense in Division I last year, and turned it around almost overnight. In his first full year as head coach, O'Leary guided a stingy defense that allowed just 91.2 yards per game-and amazingly ranked 4th in the country.
With the return of a solid defense comes renewed hope in Atlanta; a miserable Tech team that won just one game in 1994 gave way to a respectable 6-5 squad last year that narrowly missed a bowl appearance. Inside linebackers Ron Rogers and Keith Brooking anchor O'Leary's defensive midfield in All-Atlantic Coast Conference fashion and hope to lead the Yellow Jackets back to the postseason. However, while his defense may be feared, O'Leary's offensive depth is a major source of concern, as is the most important position on the field-quarterback.
Gone is last year's starting quarterback Donnie Davis, who threw for 1,462 yards and 10 touchdowns as field general of the Rambling Wreck. Filling his shoes will be a difficult task for Tech, which has two inexperienced candidates in sophomore Brandon Shaw and redshirt freshman Joe Hamilton. O'Leary named Hamilton the starting quarterback this week.
"Hamilton is just an outstanding athlete," O'Leary said. "His problem is he hasn't taken any snaps under center in a college game. Getting him quick experience is paramount."
Indeed, resting the weight of the program upon the shoulders of a quarterback who has never played a single game can be a terrible risk. O'Leary's other option, Shaw, is equally intriguing.
"Brandon sparked us to a big win against N.C. State last year," said O'Leary, referring to the sophomore's heroic replacement of injured starter Donnie Davis in the second half against the Wolfpack. Shaw engineered three scoring drives to rally the Yellow Jackets from a 19-6 deficit to a 27-19 win. The fourth quarter comeback was the largest in school history.
"Anytime you have a new quarterback, mistakes are something you worry about," O'Leary said. "Our defense will have to play well early to keep the offense in the game."
The Yellow Jackets affirmed this commitment last year by allowing just five first-quarter touchdowns all season. Tough first-half defense gives the Yellow Jackets the good field position necessary to establish their true offensive strength: running the football.
"I think running back is one position where we have some players who can do some things and are solid," said O'Leary, who might just be putting things mildly. Don't be fooled by O'Leary's bland talk-his backfield is loaded.
In fact, the running back position may be Tech's greatest strength, with three talented runners returning in 1996. Leading the charge is preseason All-America candidate C.J. Williams, a local favorite from nearby West Point, Ga. Originally a defensive back, the speedy, athletic Williams has slashed his way into the Tech record books in just 17 starts on offense. He has already tallied eight 100-yard efforts, and his 1,702 career yards place him ninth all-time on the school rushing list.
As a freshman, Williams lettered in both football and basketball, backing up shooting guard Drew Berry on coach Bobby Cremins' squad. He gave up basketball last year to concentrate on football, and the results were mighty impressive.
Williams reached the 100-yard plateau six times last year, including a spectacular 35-carry, 185-yard performance against Duke last year in Wallace Wade Stadium. Williams found the end zone twice in that game, and ten times on the season, easily making him Tech's leading scorer.
Sophomore Phillip Rogers, also a local high school star, will once again back up Williams. Rogers saw limited duty last year, but still tallied 232 yards and punched the ball in the end zone twice. Fullback Charles Wiley, who last year averaged an impressive 5.1 yards per carry, will also see his share of the football.
O'Leary has made the theme of this season "It's About Commitment," and during the summer his players experienced just what commitment means. The Olympic Games evicted the Yellow Jackets from their home in Atlanta, and forced them to move about 50 miles north to Dahlonega, Ga. for summer practice. The unusual "summer camp" atmosphere has not been all that bad for Tech; it gave the players an opportunity to focus entirely on the task at hand.
"I think it has worked out well for us to get up there and get away from campus for a while. I think it has been a healthy retreat for our players, and the chemistry has been a lot better up there," O'Leary said. "Now, we gotta come out of the gate pretty quick, because our first six games are ACC games."
Indeed, the Yellow Jackets' opening stretch, which includes every conference foe except Florida State and Maryland, may very well decide their postseason fate. It is a tall order for a young squad seeking a leader, but O'Leary's players are talented and dedicated. The non-conference schedule offers a bit of relief, as opponents Central Florida, Navy, and Georgia were a combined 17-17 last year.
Truly, this team will go as far as Williams and the defense can carry it, and with a few good breaks, that could mean another bowl appearance for a once-promising program fallen on tough times.
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