So much happened last night in Athens and seeing how emotional Brent Key was after the game and seeing him and his reaction to losing a game in 8 overtimes that probably should've never made it to overtime was interesting. Like most of you, I haven't really slept much either. I got home at 3:40 am last night from Athens.
I was on the field for UGA's final scoring drive in regulation through all of the eight overtimes. I spent much of that time standing with President Cabrera, Key's family and the GT people on the sideline. At one point, Cabrera said, "We are seeing history." They were all bought in. J Batt was a few feet away as well living and dying with every possession and play in OT.
This one hurts more for Georgia Tech fans than any game in recent memory as it should. They have multiple chances to put Georgia away despite all of the officiating non-calls and everything that happened in overtime.
Key was absolutely devastated but as I expected this morning he is more driven than ever to get Tech over the hump and start beating Georgia again. Key told people if you think I was a maniac before, just wait...
Tech caught the attention of the college football world last night despite not coming out on top. That is a potential program-turning moment for Key even without getting the win. Recruits, other media and everyone saw them play toe-to-toe with big bad UGA. Even UGA folks were shocked and impressed with Georgia Tech.
The reality is in the 4th quarter Tech's roster issues started to show as well. They were down to playing the emergency CB Warren Burrell who wasn't even supposed to play after Rodney Shelley and Zachary Tobe got knocked out of the game. Carson Beck took advantage of those shifts in personnel. The lack of a big powerful running back or even a Dontae Smith was big in the 4th quarter as well. They need to find a hammer to balance out the quicker backs and that has been an issue throughout the season.
This was not a team that should be going to eight overtimes with a top 10 team or beating two other ones on paper, but Key and his staff along with the players did just that going 2-1 in those games and breaking FSU in the process.
The building up of depth and creating a sustainable and deeper roster with more talent is the end game for Key and his staff and that starts next Wednesday with the early signing period and the Jackets' top 20 class that they will aim to add some cherries on top of over the next week.
This one hurts for anyone who cares about Georgia Tech, but the rivalry is a real rivalry again with UGA. I was talking to Mark Schlabach last night and he said that was the best GT-UGA game since 1999. The entire UGA beat all said they think Georgia Tech is back, hopefully, that is the case and this was the 1997 GT-UGA game that Tech lost on a last-second TD pass from now-UGA OC Mike Bobo to Corey Allen. Tech then won three in a row from 1998 to 2001. This hurt because Tech was the better team Friday night in Athens, but at the end of the day, the scoreboard was 44-42.
Be proud of your team, let the pain fuel your love of the program and support.
I was on the field for UGA's final scoring drive in regulation through all of the eight overtimes. I spent much of that time standing with President Cabrera, Key's family and the GT people on the sideline. At one point, Cabrera said, "We are seeing history." They were all bought in. J Batt was a few feet away as well living and dying with every possession and play in OT.
This one hurts more for Georgia Tech fans than any game in recent memory as it should. They have multiple chances to put Georgia away despite all of the officiating non-calls and everything that happened in overtime.
Key was absolutely devastated but as I expected this morning he is more driven than ever to get Tech over the hump and start beating Georgia again. Key told people if you think I was a maniac before, just wait...
Tech caught the attention of the college football world last night despite not coming out on top. That is a potential program-turning moment for Key even without getting the win. Recruits, other media and everyone saw them play toe-to-toe with big bad UGA. Even UGA folks were shocked and impressed with Georgia Tech.
The reality is in the 4th quarter Tech's roster issues started to show as well. They were down to playing the emergency CB Warren Burrell who wasn't even supposed to play after Rodney Shelley and Zachary Tobe got knocked out of the game. Carson Beck took advantage of those shifts in personnel. The lack of a big powerful running back or even a Dontae Smith was big in the 4th quarter as well. They need to find a hammer to balance out the quicker backs and that has been an issue throughout the season.
This was not a team that should be going to eight overtimes with a top 10 team or beating two other ones on paper, but Key and his staff along with the players did just that going 2-1 in those games and breaking FSU in the process.
The building up of depth and creating a sustainable and deeper roster with more talent is the end game for Key and his staff and that starts next Wednesday with the early signing period and the Jackets' top 20 class that they will aim to add some cherries on top of over the next week.
This one hurts for anyone who cares about Georgia Tech, but the rivalry is a real rivalry again with UGA. I was talking to Mark Schlabach last night and he said that was the best GT-UGA game since 1999. The entire UGA beat all said they think Georgia Tech is back, hopefully, that is the case and this was the 1997 GT-UGA game that Tech lost on a last-second TD pass from now-UGA OC Mike Bobo to Corey Allen. Tech then won three in a row from 1998 to 2001. This hurt because Tech was the better team Friday night in Athens, but at the end of the day, the scoreboard was 44-42.
Be proud of your team, let the pain fuel your love of the program and support.
