Joel Buchsbaum's key college game

Jackets, Godsey get early chance at spotlight

By Joel Buchsbaum, Contributing editor
As published in print Aug. 20, 2001

Georgia Tech QB George Godsey

Each week during the season, Joel Buchsbaum highlights key college games. This week, Buchsbaum previews the Kickoff Classic between Georgia Tech and Syracuse. He breaks down each team, provides a scout’s perspective on key players and picks a final score.

This is an early national showcase for the Yellow Jackets, who feel they are back to the way they were under Bobby Ross — when they won a share of the national championship — and can challenge Florida State in the Atlantic Coast Conference and compete for a Bowl Coalition bid.

On the other hand, Syracuse has had a hard time ever since Donovan McNabb moved on to the NFL, and the heat is on head coach Paul Pasqualoni, who may have a hard time matching last year’s 6-5 mark with games at Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Miami (Fla.) and Pittsburgh as well as Auburn at home.

The QB position for both teams is the key. The Orangemen still have not found anyone who is close to McNabb when it comes to running their spread-option offense.

Georgia Tech, meanwhile, did not miss a beat last season after Heisman candidate and Doug Flutie-like magician Joe Hamilton was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because George Godsey may have been a better passer and more efficient player. However, before last year’s Peach Bowl, offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen, who had worked wonders with Godsey and the offense all year, took the head-coaching job at Maryland. Without Friedgen calling plays and instructing him, Godsey struggled most of the game and then suffered a major knee injury late in the game. He missed all of spring drills, which did not help matters, and may be rusty going into this game.

Godsey is not a great athlete or passer by any means, but he can be a very accurate passer when he is sound with his techniques and playing within himself. His favorite target is Kelly Campbell, a big-play maker who can run right by a defender or turn a short flip into a big gain. If RB Joe Burns can stay healthy, he can be a 1,000-yard-plus rusher.

On defense, the Yellow Jackets’ two ends, Nick Rogers and Greg Gathers, are excellent athletes and pass rushers who combined for 22 sacks and 33 tackles for loss last year. The Jackets are also strong at safety with Chris Young and Jeremy Muyres, but they must get better at cornerback and defensive tackle. Their kicking game is a plus.

Syracuse lacks a true impact player at any offensive skill position and has a huge question mark at quarterback, where Troy Nunes was ineffective last year, and R.J. Anderson did not convince anyone he was ready to step in as a freshman. James Mungro is a good college running back, but not the type who can carry a team. There are no Rob Moores at wide receiver, but OLT P.J. Alexander leads a veteran line that could be pretty good if it can find a bookend tackle for Alexander.

On the other side of the ball, DE Dwight Freeney and LB Clifton Smith are standouts. However, the undersized Freeney is the only returning starter up front, and the secondary, which was vulnerable last year, loses its one star in Will Allen. The kicking game is another problem. Mike Shafer may be an OK punter, but he is unacceptable as a placekicker.

Prediction: Georgia Tech 23, Syracuse 14

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