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Tech preparing for Thursday night trip to Death Valley By Haynes Killen A little too apologetic ATLANTA November 6, 1998
 After a 31-14 thumping of their ACC rival, the Maryland Terrapins, the battered Jackets will take advantage of this upcoming off-weekend to recuperate and improve on its fundamentals before traveling 100 miles up Interstate I-85 to face the Clemson Tigers the following Thursday. The Jackets will look to continue their impressive play against conference opponents.
The Jackets (6-2 overall, 5-1 conference) are currently tied for first place in the ACC with the Florida State Seminoles and the Virginia Cavaliers. The Jackets enter the game with a powerful offense that ranks first in scoring with a 34.6 point average. Directing the Jackets will be none other than junior Quarterback Joe Hamilton. Hamilton leads the ACC in passing efficiency and is always a threat to run with the ball.
Maybe the most promising asset of this season for the Jackets has been in its special teams play. With All-America candidate Rodney Williams at the helm, Tech leads the conference in net punting with an average of just over 40 yards. Tech head coach George O'Leary hopes that punt returner/wide-out Charlie Rogers will be in good health to compete in Thursday's game. Rogers is recovering from a shoulder injury he received against Florida State. Rogers leads the conference in punt return yardage with an average of just above 14 yards per return. Tech has also relied on the exceptional play of kick returner/wide-out Dez White. White had a spectacular game against the Terrapins that included an eye-popping 100- yard kick return for a touchdown.
The Jackets are looking to rebound after an off-day from place-kicker Brad Chambers. Throughout his career at Tech, Chambers has at moments demonstrated brilliance in his kicking ability including a game winning boot against Clemson last season at Grant Field. However, Chambers had a rough time in Baltimore this past weekend, converting only one field goal in five attempts including a 24- yard kick attempt that ricocheted off the goal post upright.
Although last in the ACC in total yards allowed, the Jackets defense ranks third in the conference in points allowed. The defense is anchored by senior defensive end Jessie Tarplin, who leads the conference in sacks with 9 along with Clemson linebacker Adrian Dingle.
Despite coming off a successful 1997 campaign that included a 7-4 regular season record and an invitation to face the Auburn Tigers in the Peach Bowl, head coach Tommy West's Clemson Tigers (2-7, 1-6) are having one of its worst seasons in recent memory. Ranked eighth in the conference, the Tigers are coming off a heart-breaking 46-39 loss to a very tough N.C. State team. The Tigers' two victories of this season have come at the hands of two weak teams including Maryland, the worst team in the ACC, and Furman, a school with a division IAA football program. Many college football analysts predicted the Tigers to finish high in the conference, however, the Tigers have proven them wrong.
One element the Tigers are lacking is a consistent offense. Although Clemson demonstrated last weekend its scoring capability against the Wolfpack, as a team they still rank second-to-last in the conference in just about every offensive category including passing, rushing, total, and scoring offense. The team will look for direction from junior quarterback Brandon Streeter. Also, look out for tailback Travis Zachery, Clemson's leading rusher. He's just a freshman, but the Marietta, Georgia native is an upcoming star in the Clemson offense.
Entering the season, the Tigers were concerned about replacing its three year All-ACC linebacker Anthony Simmons. Simmons opted for the NFL after his junior year, but the Tigers have displayed a very promising defense without him. Lead by defensive back Antwan Edwards and linebacker Adrian Dingle, the Tigers rank second in the conference in total yards allowed.
Although Clemson is down this year, they are still a threat to the Jackets as Tech has historically struggled in Death Valley. Clemson had beaten Tech four times in a row, before last year.
"I would say that along with Georgia, Clemson is our biggest rival because they are so close, and I know our players like going up there and playing,"stated O'Leary.
Although the Jackets are not playing football this weekend, there is another game that will have a significant impact on Tech's potential bowl invitations. Florida State and Virginia, two of the three teams tied for first place in the ACC, play each other this Saturday at 3:30 in Tallahassee. A Seminole victory will practically lock Florida State into capturing an ACC title, but a Cavalier victory could open up the gates for the Jackets to capture the ACC title and maybe even receive a bowl championship series bid. Too many factors are still unknown, but be assured that the team will keep a close eye on that game.
Nevertheless, the Jackets will have one key conference game on their mind this Thursday. Georgia Tech will be pumped to face Clemson in front of 80,000 roaring fans at Clemson Memorial Stadium before a national television audience.
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Copyright © 1998 by Gregory S. Scherrer, Editor and by the Student Publications Board
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