HERE COME THE IRISH
The Irish continue as road warriors this week as they venture to Atlanta to play against the North Avenue Trade School. Who Dat? Well, it is the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. There is a heated rivalry between the Yellow Jackets and the Georgia Bulldogs that is known as “Clean, Old Fashioned Hate”. Dem Bulldogs call Georgia Tech the North Avenue Trade School.
In 1984 and 1985 the Georgia Tech defense was simply awesome. Wearing the moniker, the “Black Watch”, those Tech defenses took it to the opponents. For this game the Techies are bringing back the “Black Watch”. And as part of the effort, the Tech uniforms will be black shirts with gold pants and gold helmets with a black stripe and black highlights. One of the original Black Knights was Pat Swilling a 5-time Pro Bowler. Pat’s son, Tre Swilling, is a current Yellow Jacket.
Are you familiar with the axiom, “Like Father, Like Son”? Well, not true in this instance.
Are you familiar with the axiom “Clothes Make the Man”? Well, not true in this instance either.
But, in all candor, the Yellow Jackets uniforms will be far superior to the uniforms worn by the Pitt Panthers. Sort of a coal on coal, or a dark gray on dark gray, or a “Where the hell is Ralph Lauren when we need him?” look. I wonder if those uniforms were selected so the players would be incognito so no one could tell who might have “messed up” on any particular play. At least no one could tell if any of the players’ names were mispelled. (My tongue is in my cheek!! Do you know why?)
The Irish game against the Pitt Panthers was billed as a match-up of strength (ND rushing offense) v. strength (Pitt rushing defense). You know how that turned out. Well, I am searching for a strength v. strength match-up between the Irish and the Yellow Jackets. And, still searching . . . . . . . ?
But, of course, Georgia Tech also gives scholarships to football players. The team is only in its second year under head coach Geoff Collins who is changing from the triple-option employed successfully by Paul Johnson at Georgia Tech and before that at Navy to a Pro-style offense. This requires a completely different skill set and the Georgia Tech team really has just two years of recruits for a Pro-style offense. And, it is true freshmen who are leading the way.
Freshman QB Jeff Simms is playing well, is pretty elusive and can avoid sacks, unlike the Statue who played QB for Pitt, although he does have a propensity to throw interceptions. Interceptions and fumbles for the “Ramblin’ Wreck” total 18 so far which would lead the nation were it not for the Duke Blue Devils with 22.
Freshman RB Jahmyr Gibbs is also playing well. Over 6 games he has 308 yards rushing, 206 yards receiving, and 205 yards on kickoff returns. He is the first player since Sequon Barkley at Penn State to exceed the 300, 200 and 200-yard levels in the first 6 games. Not bad, Jahmyr may, too, someday be a giant on the field if not a Giant in the locker room. But let me add, the comparison might be somewhat dubious as Jahmyr would have had MANY MORE kickoffs to return thanks to the Georgia Tech defense as you will shortly read, than Sequon would have with the Nittany Lions defense.
The Georgia Tech offensive line has been described as “big”, averaging 6’ 5.5” and over 325 lbs. Missing were terms like “aggressive”, “athletic”, “fast”, “talented”, “powerful”. Big is not better!!!!
The Tech defense is giving up more than 40 points per game. Even subtracting the 73 points dumped on them by Clemson, the defense is still giving up more than 34 points per game.
At one time and until 1963 Georgia Tech was a member of the SEC. Then Coach Bobby Dodd was in a feud with Alabama’s Bear Bryant and that feud led to the Yellow Jacket withdrawal. I suspect that the Yellow Jackets feel the “sting” of that decision more so than the SEC. Although, if still in the SEC, they might get “stung” like in the Clemson game more often; or like in the game against the Irish.
But CAUTION, CAUTION, CAUTION!! The 1980 season saw the Dan Devine-led, then #1 ranked Irish travel to Georgia Tech to confront the Yellow Jackets. The Irish did no “ramblin” that day as the Yellow Jackets “wrecked” the Irish season with a 3-3 tie. That was a stinky “stinger” trip for the Irish who finished the season 9-2- , a wee bit better than the Yellow Jackets 1-9- .
And, further CAUTION, CAUTION, CAUTION!! If the Georgia Tech nickname was the “Bees” rather than the “Yellow Jackets”, then I would be comfortable predicting the Irish would hold them to just one score, as Bees have only one “stinger”. Yellow Jackets are not limited to the “one and done” constraint that afflicts Bees. So, I predict there will be two Yellow Jacket scores for a total of 10 points, 333.33% percent more than they scored in 1980. And for the Irish, a mere 1500% more!
Now for you college football aficonados, we will test your knowledge with some trivia.
1. What college football team, coached by “the” John Heisman, defeated Cumberland College 222-0 in 1910 scoring 32 touchdowns, all by rushing?
2. What team is led onto the football field by a 1930 Ford Model A Sport Coupe?
3. What team’s head coach came to the school after 2 seasons as head coach at Temple University where he coached the Owls to 15 wins?
4. What college did a US President attend before final matriculation at the Naval Academy?
DAMN. My keypad got stuck and the same answer, Georgia Tech, was shown for each of those questions. I am glad I realized the “Stuck Key” before I asked the following trivia question. “Who will win the 2020 Notre Dame/Georgia Tech football game?”
It is time to predict. The Irish march to Atlanta will resemble General William Tecumseh Sherman’s “total war” march to Atlanta and then to the sea, leaving total destruction in its wake. While this will just be a game, the result will be similar as the Irish will wreak havoc and wreck the Tech.
The Irish are favored by 20 points and the over/under is 52.5. If you take the over, you will need the Irish to score 43 because the Irish defense will not allow the Yellow Jackets to score more than 10. And, you will be a winner.
IRISH 45
Ga Tech 10
GO IRISH!
“. . . And Our Hearts Forever. . . “
(Especially when the Irish win!)