Clemson Report: No-huddle could tire Jackets
Posted Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 8:10 pm
CLEMSON - Clemson University's return to a no-huddle offense could provide an advantage against Georgia Tech's defense Saturday, due to its lack of depth.
The Yellow Jackets held Florida State scoreless for three quarters last Saturday but faltered in the fourth quarter of a 14-13 defeat. Coach Chan Gailey said fatigue was a major factor in that decline, because he had used few substitutes.
Georgia Tech lost 10 players in the offseason because of academics, including two starting defensive lineman. A third starting defensive lineman, Greg Gathers, is out because of a kidney ailment.
"I think (depth) will always be a problem, unless one of two things happens," Gailey said. "Either we do like we did the first half (Saturday) and play 16 snaps (on defense), or second of all, we can develop some depth at some point. Right now, we don't have any gimmes on our schedule."
Clemson could wear down Georgia Tech if its fast-paced offense moves the football, but coach Tommy Bowden said he does not believe Georgia Tech is short on players.
"Everybody's first team is better than their second team," he said. "They lost 10, but they've a few more guys on scholarship. ... They give 85, and dadgum you only play 45 in a game. They've got some extras."
Three chosen for sidelines
Clemson will rotate sideline reporters on its radio broadcasts, now that former sideline reporter Pete Yanity will be doing play-by-play for the rest of the season. The sideline reporters on the next three games will be Dave Cohen at Georgia Tech, Billy Davis at Maryland and Ray Williams vs. Virginia. Cohen is a broadcaster who lives in Atlanta. Davis and Williams are former Clemson players.
Expect a close game
Perhaps the oddsmakers in Las Vegas were considering history when they chose four as the point spread for Saturday's game (Georgia Tech is favored).
Last year's game was decided by five points, and the previous six meetings were decided by three points.
Georgia Tech senior linebacker Keyaron Fox said he believes the teams have had fairly equal talent in recent years.
"Clemson, they're not known for having the biggest and fastest guys, and neither are we," Fox said. "We're not known for having the super-sized athletes. But definitely, speed has been the factor of the last couple of years (in games won by Clemson)."
Not on the board
Apparently, Gailey was wrong about one thing this week.
He said he expects quarterback Reggie Ball's statement that Georgia Tech will not lose again this season to be on every opponent's wall for the rest of the year. But Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said that wasn't necessary.
"The kids look at the Internet," Bowden said. "They told me (about the comment)."
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