North Carolina State University Athletics
'In the Thick of It' with Gary Hahn
11/3/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 3, 2004
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NC STATE (4-4, 3-3) vs. GEORGIA TECH (4-3, 3-3)
DATE: Saturday, November 6, 2004
TIME: Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. (EST) Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC (55,600)
RADIO: Wolfpack Radio Network: 11:00 a.m. (EST)
TELEVISION: Jefferson-Pilot ACC Network (Regional)
OPPONENT----Virginia Tech finished and Georgia Tech didn't. The result was a wild 34-20 Hokies victory on October 14th at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The game came down to the final 5:30 when Hokies quarterback Brian Randall threw two long touchdown passes and Roland Minor scored on a 64-yard interception return.
After Travis Bell kicked his second field goal, a 34-yarder with 5:44 remaining for a 20-12 lead, things looked good for Georgia Tech, but its highly ranked defense couldn't keep the Hokies in check. The Jackets surrendered 446 yards after allowing a total of 265 yards in their previous two games.
Randall threw an 80-yard TD bomb to Eddie Royal with 5:28 remaining, then completed a scrambling desperation pass for the tying 2-point conversion. On the Hokies' next series, the senior ran for 32 yards, then connected with Josh Morgan on a 51-yard scoring strike with 3:10 left.
. Minor intercepted two passes by Yellow Jackets' quarterback Reggie Ball in the final 2½ minutes, returning the second for a touchdown that capped a 25-point fourth quarter by the Hokies (6-2, 3-1).
Randall completed 18 of 31 passes for 304 yards and also rushed for 64 yards on nine carries. Ball was 14 of 29 for 179 yards and ran for 60 yards. Georgia Tech star tailback, P.J. Daniels carried 14 times for 53 yards, but was injured and did not play for almost the entire second half.
Turnovers set the tone in the first half. Randall fumbled deep in Georgia Tech territory while Daniels lost the ball twice on the Hokies' side of the field. The teams finished with a combined seven turnovers and 18 penalties. The Jackets out-rushed the Hokies 166-142.
Georgia Tech sprinted to a 14-0 second quarter lead when Ball completed a 15-yard scoring pass to Darius Williams, then Daniels ran for a 13-yard TD with the two scores coming just 46 seconds apart. Bell's 46-yard field goal with 35 seconds left before the break sent Georgia Tech to the locker room with a 17-7 halftime lead.
Even with the fourth quarter offensive sprint by Virginia Tech, the Yellow Jackets defense has been pretty sound. Georgia Tech ranks 25th in the nation in total defense, allowing 310.6 yards per game. The Jackets are 26th in passing yards allowed (184.0), 34th in scoring defense (20.0 ppg.) and 41st in rushing defense (126.6). Opponents are converting only 28% on third down against the Tech defense. That leads the ACC.
Free safety James Butler is Georgia Tech's only senior starter on defense and the unquestioned leader of the unit. He is the team's third-leading tackler with 48, along with two interceptions, three pass breakups and a forced fumble. However, the secondary took a hit when senior cornerback, Dennis Davis, was lost for the season with a shoulder injury. His replacement, sophomore Kenny Scott, has been picked-on by opposing offenses.
Virginia Tech threw at Scott on the first play of the game and never stopped. At least 10 passes were thrown in Scott's direction, including a 34-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter
The Jackets' top tacklers are junior linebackers Gerris Wilkinson and Chris Reis. Wilkinson recorded 14 stops against Virginia Tech and has 74 hits to rank second in the ACC. Reis, a converted safety, is tied for first in the ACC in sacks (1.0 per game) while ranking second in tackles for loss (1.7 per game).
On the defensive line, the Jackets are led by redshirt junior ends Eric Henderson and Travis Parker who have combined for 3 sacks and 10 tackles for loss this season. Henderson is an All-America candidate. Under coordinator, John Tenuta, the Jackets employ zone-blitzing schemes that are often difficult for opposing offenses to handle.
It appears that a lot of Tech's offensive success centers on the health of Daniels. The junior tailback is the second-leading rusher in the conference with a 97-yard per game average and five touchdowns. However, he left the Virginia Tech game after one carry in the second half with a bruised knee, and not play against NC State. The Yellow Jackets are 4-0 this season in games Daniels has finished and 0-3 when he's on the bench.
Junior Chris Woods, who has 237 rushing yards on 45 carries (5.3 ypc.), would replace Daniels in the Jackets lineup, if he were unable to play.
When he's in sync, quarterback Reggie Ball is very dangerous. In addition to a tremendous arm, Ball is elusive and can damage defenses with his running ability. He's Tech's No. 2 rusher and has gained 399 yards, but has 136 negative yards on sacks. Overall, Ball is third in the ACC in total offense with 208.1 yards per game, including 170.6 yards passing and 37.6 yards rushing. He has thrown 10 touchdown passes but has been intercepted 12 times.
Protecting Ball is an offensive line that's anchored by three seniors, but is a little banged up. Guard Brad Brezina suffered a career-ending neck injury against Miami. His replacement, Matt Rhodes, is a redshirt freshman (6-3, 268). Tech has allowed only 15 sacks--third best in the ACC.
A candidate for ACC freshman of the year is wide receiver Calvin Johnson. He's the team's leading receiver with 27 catches for 446 yards and six touchdowns. The trio of Johnson and seniors Levon Thomas and Nate Curry have accounted for two-thirds of Tech's completions and more than 80 percent of the team's receiving yards.
Placekicking was a question mark for Georgia Tech before the season started, but Bell, a redshirt freshman, has stepped forward. He has converted eight straight field goals, including a season-best 47-yarder against Duke. Redshirt junior, Ben Arndt, is last in the ACC in punting (39.3).
Tech is near the bottom of the ACC in kickoff and punt returns and has no touchdowns this season. Redshirt freshman reserve quarterback Patrick Carter, is the Jackets primary punt returner, averaging 12.0 yards on nine attempts. Levon Thomas, with a 20.3 average is the team's top kick returner. Tech's punt coverage has been solid, but its kickoff coverage is near the bottom of the league (26.6).
NOTES: NC State leads the ACC and ranks third in the nation in total defense, allowing just 238.1 yards per game. The Wolfpack is second in the nation in pass defense (129.4) and 22nd in rushing defense (108.8). Both teams have struggled with turnovers. Tech has committed 19 turnovers, while the Wolfpack has 23 turnovers, including six in last week's to Clemson. In its four wins, NC State has only 5 turnovers.
Georgia Tech has won eight of the last nine games against NC State to take a 15-8 lead in the series, which began in 1918 with a 128-0 Rambling Wreck victory. The Wolfpack's only win in the last nine meetings was a 30-23 overtime thriller in Raleigh in 2000.
INJURIES--NC State: C Jed Paulsen-Out, ankle surgery; OT Merci Falaise-Out, knee; OT Derek Morris-Doubtful, high ankle sprain; C/OG Leroy Harris-Out, shoulder sprain; QB Marcus Stone-Questionable, knee sprain; TB T.A. McLendon-Probable, shoulder sprain; WR Richard Washington-Out, knee sprain; LB LeRue Rumph-Probable, concussion. Georgia Tech:TB P.J. Daniels-Doubtful, knee.
