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DEL.ICIO.USWhisenhunt made name for himself at Tech
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s a story I have told before, and don’t mind telling and re-telling again, and it couldn’t be more timely than right now. It dates back to a day when football at Georgia Tech was in a sad funk. One coach followed another until Homer Rice, the athletics director, reached into the NFL and brought Bill Curry back to campus from Green Bay. And Curry sashayed to Augusta to look at a high school senior named Ken Whisenhunt.
Curry found he had little competition. Whisenhunt had wrecked a knee early in the season and other recruiters had lost interest. In fact, Curry didn’t even have to invest a scholarship in him. Whisenhunt was looking for an education, a degree in engineering, and walked on.
“When he came in for a visit in the spring I took him out to watch practice,” Curry recalls. “After it was over, I asked him what he thought.
He said, ‘I can help you,’ and not in any kind of cocky way.”
Whisenhunt got into two games as a freshman, both at quarterback, and it was on a Saturday in November that he delivered on his promise. It was the same day of that historic game between Georgia and Florida and all eyes were on Jacksonville, the day of the Buck Belue-to-Lindsay Scott pass. Notre Dame was playing Tech at Grant Field, a serious mismatch, and I had stayed home to cover it. Tech had won only one game. Notre Dame was No. 1 in the nation.
By the second quarter, Tech was out of experienced quarterbacks, and on came Whisenhunt. The freshman. The kid. He completed three passes for 29 yards, one for 23 yards that set up a field goal and a 3-0 lead that lasted until the last four minutes. In desperation, the Irish kicked a field goal that tied the score, and thus the game ended, 3-3, one of the astounding upsets in Tech history.
Whisenhunt was never a quarterback again. He was hastily given a scholarship, became a tight end, played well enough to be drafted by the Falcons (12th and last round) and finished his playing career in Washington, with 56 catches and five touchdowns.
He had, as it turned out, pretty well achieved his ambition, and then some. As a freshman he had been asked what he wanted to be when he grew up. His answer: A doctor or a pro football player. I don’t know what happened to engineering, unless you might say that’s what he is involved in now in Arizona.
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By Carolina Jacket
December 31, 2008 5:10 PM | Link to this
Ken was a tough guy and still is. This is the first time I will be really pulling agaist him.
By MatersJackets
January 1, 2009 7:38 AM | Link to this
Good story that can not be re-told too often. One thing, though, Doug Weaver hired Bill Curry. Homer came in the next year.
By CW
January 1, 2009 5:48 PM | Link to this
That 3-3 tie still stands out in my memory as one of the biggest surprises in Tech football history. The Jackets were absolutely horrible that year and had no business playing Notre Dame to a 3-3 tie.
By Insectinside
January 1, 2009 10:59 PM | Link to this
If not for that tie, UGA likely does not win the national championship.
By The BlogFather of Scroll
January 2, 2009 8:18 AM | Link to this
Only 4 wisenheimers commented on Whisenhunt?
Falcons 45 Cards 31
By Bored in Atlanta
January 2, 2009 2:12 PM | Link to this
Here’s a comment… WHO GIVES A SH*T???
By Mac
January 2, 2009 3:05 PM | Link to this
When Blank hired Putridino, I thought “You pass over Ken Whisenhunt for this POS?”
But, much as I like the Whizzer, I must say I’m glad we got Mike Smith.
By Pi$$onaDawg
January 2, 2009 8:13 PM | Link to this
UGA say THANK YOU to TECH FOR YOUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND SIT THE F DOWN. TECH also played BAMA great that year too. B. CURRY was quoated, “If you had told me that a Field Goal (with 4+ minutes to go) would have won that game I would have kicked it instead of going for it on 4-1 on the ND ? yrd. line. Greatest Quote from the BAMA vs GT games was when Bear beat us at Grant Field in the 70’s and was ask “How do You Feel about the win Coach?” (the Tech student section had thrown all kinds of items at BAMA) and Bear held up a Bottle of OLE CROW Whiskey and said “I thought TECH HAD BETTER TASTE.” TECHMAN91 Do you think the DOME was full of TECH GRADS? Well you must tell all of those fans they are not welcome for their money and support because they didn’t go to TECH. I did ask You if you were running down your dad’s leg when K. Wheisenhunt was a Tightend playing QB and now Furman told the STORY so you can read it since I know you didn’t see it as I DID.
By SC Dawg
January 3, 2009 1:50 AM | Link to this
that 3-3 tie didn’t give UGA the mnc, the win over ND in the sugar bowl did!! all it did was put GA #1 in the poll
By hop
January 3, 2009 6:00 AM | Link to this
Great story furman about a guy who has done very well since tech.
Ken has experience a great professional career especially with the pittsburgh steelers ,as offensive coorinator when they won a super bowla few years ago.
here’s hoping it does not happen this year with the cardinals!
By Pi$$onaDawg
January 3, 2009 1:39 PM | Link to this
SC DAWG read HISTORY if Tech hand not tied ND, UGA would not have been in the GAME to start with.