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Second-year coach Chan Gailey has been under fire from fans and alumni, who desperately want to avoid a repeat of last year's disappointing 7-6 season. Sure, the Jackets earned a school-record sixth consecutive bowl berth, but disheartening losses to rival Georgia and then to a depleted Fresno State team in the Silicon Valley Football Classic cast some doubt as to the wisdom of hiring Gailey. The offseason was not kind to the Jackets, either. First, offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien defected to league rival Maryland just a few days after Signing Day. Then, in late May, 10 Georgia Tech football players, including tailback Tony Hollings and defensive end Tony Hargrove, were declared academically ineligible and dismissed from school. Finally, in July, six more players -- including starting DT Alfred Malone -- were also declared academically ineligible. Gailey, who will be calling his own plays this fall, is year wiser now, and he’s hoping for better results this time around. "There are no guarantees," he said. "You just go do the best you can do and don't make excuses. Just keep working and do the best you can do, whatever it is." OFFENSIVE KEYS: Georgia Tech entered last fall with major question marks at both quarterback and tailback, and those concerns remain. Senior A.J. Suggs proved he wasn't the answer at quarterback. His disappointing play prompted coach Chan Gailey to reopen the battle for the starting job. Redshirt sophomore Damarius Bilbo has all the physical tools but never fully grasped things last fall. He will, however, be given every opportunity to win the job.Hollings averaged 158.3 yards and 16.5 points in four games before tearing the ACL and lateral meniscus in his knee against BYU. His loss is a huge blow to the Jackets' offense. Gailey will turn to a sophomore Ace Eziemefe or senior Jermaine Hatch, though highly regarded freshman Rashaun Grant is likely to get a strong look in preseason camp. Senior receiver Jonathan Smith has the potential to be a star, but nagging injuries and a tendency to take plays off from time to time have limited his effectiveness. Senior center Hugh Reilly and behemoths Nat Dorsey and Leon Robinson will anchor what should be a solid offensive line. Depth, however, could be a concern up front. DEFENSIVE KEYS: Defense has been a strength of the Yellow Jackets in recent years, and there is no reason that should change in 2003, even with Hargrove out of the lineup.Linebackers Daryl Smith and Keyaron Fox highlight a veteran unit. They bring great football instincts and have the attention of NFL scouts. The Yellow Jackets hope to have senior defensive end Greg Gathers back after he missed most of last season to battle a kidney disorder. The school's career leader in both sacks (31) and tackles for loss (57), Gathers has not yet been cleared to take part in fall full-contact drills. Question marks abound in the secondary, where Tech has to replace three of four starters. SPECIAL TEAMS: The loss of All-ACC kicker Luke Manget and punters Dan Dyke and Chris Morehouse could be problematic. Manget's backup the past three seasons, senior Dan Burnett, will inherit the kicking chores. Gailey opted not to sign a scholarship punter this spring. Walk-ons Hal Higgins and Andy Thomson took most of the reps in the spring, but freshman Travis Bell, a preferred walk-on, could ultimately win the job.FINAL ANALYSIS: A rugged 2003 schedule, especially early on, won't make things easy on Tech and its embattled coach.A tailback must emerge to replace Hollings, and Gailey and his staff will need to coax better production from the quarterbacks. If not, this could be a long season. Defensively, Tech should be solid, particularly its front seven. That group will have to play well and consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks because it is backed by an inexperienced secondary. The Jackets' string of six consecutive bowl appearances could come to an end this fall in an improved ACC. • Click here for complete index of 2003 team previews
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