2001 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
Encyclopedia
The 2001 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology
in the college football
season of 2001-2002
. The team's coach was George O'Leary
, who would leave the school before the bowl game to accept the head coaching job at the University of Notre Dame
. It played its home games at Bobby Dodd Stadium
in Atlanta, Georgia
, United States.
bowl appearances and 3 wins over the archrival Georgia Bulldogs
), the Jackets were expected to contend for the National Championship in 2001. In 2000, quarterback George Godsey
had picked up where his predecessor Joe Hamilton had left off, passing for 2,906 yards and 23 touchdowns (against just 6 interceptions). Armed with targets like Kelly Campbell
for his senior season, a number of preseason magazines named Godsey to 1st Team All-ACC honors, and pundits predicted that a loaded Georgia Tech team would win the Atlantic Coast Conference
title with the departure of many key players from the defending champion Florida State Seminoles
.
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
in the college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
season of 2001-2002
2001 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the University of Miami winning the national title for the fifth time.The Hurricanes were led by Larry Coker, who was in his first year as head coach after five years as Miami's offensive coordinator under Butch Davis...
. The team's coach was George O'Leary
George O'Leary
George Joseph O'Leary is the head football coach of the UCF Knights football team that represents the University of Central Florida located in Orlando, Florida; he previously coached the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team from 1994 to 2001, and served as an assistant coach for the Minnesota...
, who would leave the school before the bowl game to accept the head coaching job at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. It played its home games at Bobby Dodd Stadium
Bobby Dodd Stadium
Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field is the football stadium located at the corner of North Avenue at Techwood Drive on the campus of Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, who completed the 2011 season with a loss to rival UGA...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, United States.
Preseason
Coming off of three strong seasons (including 3 straight New Year's DayNew Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
bowl appearances and 3 wins over the archrival Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia Bulldogs
The Georgia Bulldogs are the athletic teams of the University of Georgia. The Bulldogs compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and are members of the Southeastern Conference...
), the Jackets were expected to contend for the National Championship in 2001. In 2000, quarterback George Godsey
George Godsey
George Robert Godsey is an offensive assistant for the New England Patriots and a former Central Florida assistant coach. He played quarterback at Georgia Tech before playing in the Arena Football League for one season.-Early life:...
had picked up where his predecessor Joe Hamilton had left off, passing for 2,906 yards and 23 touchdowns (against just 6 interceptions). Armed with targets like Kelly Campbell
Kelly Campbell
LeVaughn Kelly Campbell is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
for his senior season, a number of preseason magazines named Godsey to 1st Team All-ACC honors, and pundits predicted that a loaded Georgia Tech team would win the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
title with the departure of many key players from the defending champion Florida State Seminoles
Florida State Seminoles
The Florida State Seminoles are the men's and women's sports teams of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State participates in the NCAA's Division I . FSU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1991, and competes in the Atlantic Division in any sports split into a...
.
Schedule
Coaching staff
- George O'LearyGeorge O'LearyGeorge Joseph O'Leary is the head football coach of the UCF Knights football team that represents the University of Central Florida located in Orlando, Florida; he previously coached the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team from 1994 to 2001, and served as an assistant coach for the Minnesota...
- Head Coach - Bill O'BrienBill O'Brien (American football)Bill O'Brien is currently American football offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League.-Playing career:After graduating from St...
- Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks - Ted RoofTed RoofTerrence Edwin Roof, Jr. is an American football coach and former player. Currently, he is the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Auburn University. Roof served as the head coach at Duke University from 2003 to 2007, compiling a 6–45 record...
- Defensive Coordinator