AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > August > 28 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBennett already steady for Jackets
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
Georgia Tech recently had a quarterback who had skill and passion but was prone to emotional face-plants. There really wasn’t any reason to dislike Reggie Ball. It’s just that after four seasons, Tech fans were sick of watching a whiffleball in a windstorm.
The Yellow Jackets open the season Saturday at Notre Dame. We can’t predict how Taylor Bennett will react to the seemingly out-of-whack expectations set up by his three-touchdown flash dance in the Gator Bowl or the inevitable descent that interrupts any young quarterback’s season. But don’t expect emotions to be an issue with this guy.
Bennett has already endured the toughest setback for a Tech quarterback — Calvin Johnson’s departure. He found out in January when his cellphone made that unfortunate you’ve-got-a-really-bad-text sound.
“I was in Arizona taking a shower, and I could hear somebody sent me a text message,” he said. “I knew right away it was Calvin, because he was supposed to make his decision that day. I got out and picked up the phone and the message just said, ‘I’m leaving.’ I wanted to take my phone and throw it against the wall.’ No kidding.”
Probably serious. But he recovered. Get used to it.
Sometimes you get a sense for whether a kid will have a tendency to pop a spring. Ball was walking blowtorch from the time he stepped on campus. The only question was whether he would ever find the “low burn” indicator.
“Reggie was an unbelievable competitor,” said coach Chan Gailey, choosing his words carefully. “That worked for him sometimes and against him sometimes. But more for the good than the bad.”
Gailey on Bennett: “He’ll be fine.”
That was easy.
The Jackets are loaded with returning starters. But they lost the best player in the country. You can spin it any way you like — a great running game, great offensive line, great balance — but you don’t take a player like Calvin Johnson off a roster and get better.
So the season’s pretty much up to Bennett.
No pressure or anything.
“I don’t mind,” he said, smiling. “If I fail, I’ll just say we lost Calvin.”
He gives the standard response on pressure, that he’s his own worst critic. It turns out his mother is a close second. Wendy Jones would take him to summer camps when he was in high school and quiz her son in diners on defensive coverages.
“I didn’t know anything,” Bennett said. “My mom would pull out sugar packets in the restaurant and start asking me questions. I was trying to figure out what ‘cover 4’ meant and certain blitzes and stuff like that. Now when she sees something in a game, she’ll ask what happened on a certain play and we’ll get out the sugar packets.”
Now he speaks football. As well as Russian and Spanish. The former he took for three semesters, mistakenly believing it fulfilled his language requirement for his International Affairs majors. (For some reason, Tech recognizes only Spanish, French and German for the major. I guess in Tech’s world, the U.S. and Russia don’t have International Affairs.)
But it hasn’t dissuaded from Bennett’s desire to visit Russia or follow up on his career aspirations. He wants to be a spy.
Now might be a good time to design a few misdirection plays.
“I’d like to do something for the Department of Homeland Security, or maybe CIA,” Bennett said. “I don’t want to be like a secret undercover spy who goes around shooting people. But I’d like to be involved in operations abroad. The whole idea of clandestine services sounds interesting.”
South Bend is three days away. This is generally when nerves start to build. Bennett: “Nervousness comes from not knowing things.”
I know. Sounds too good. You think: He’ll walk into the stadium that even he refers to as, “The Holy Land of college football” and his knees were wobble.
But he didn’t look nervous in his last start. He doesn’t seem intimidated now. The whole spy thing? Makes perfect sense to Gailey.
“He’s got that kind of preparation — a little bit of sneakiness to him,” Gailey said.
“If things don’t work out for him in football, I would trust him to safeguard our country.”
Somewhere between eight wins and world peace would suffice.
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By TDone
August 28, 2007 9:00 PM | Link to this
Jeff,
A lot more then eight wins.
Take that to the bank!!!
By Elijah
August 28, 2007 9:52 PM | Link to this
Most of you reporters who think we are going to be hurting without Calvin need to watch some games and quit depending on highlights and hype. Like Vick for instance. Don’t look at what sports writers hyped him to be. The truth was he had a terrible rating. He didn’t score or cause the falcons to score much, and he hurt the team with his fumbles and interceptions more than he helped. Not saying that about Calvin, but with Reggie throwing to Calvin you didn’t have much.
By GTNC
August 28, 2007 10:07 PM | Link to this
All Bennett has to do is NOT turn the ball over and we’ll be A LOT better! PERIOD. Choice running the ball behind a very good O’Line and one of the best defenses in the country and Tech will win at least 9 games. 10 if we can win down in Miami. But the sleeper game will be against UNC late in the season. Butch Davis scares me and could have things rolling by the time they meet Tech. Take it to the bank. But don’t cash it just yet……
By Muse
August 28, 2007 11:10 PM | Link to this
In addition to starting at QB, Taylor has been quite an attraction at our recent Tickle Piles. It is certainly no accident that he was chosen to represent the team in the National Girlyman Contest. He will do well!!!
By SpoonersLose
August 28, 2007 11:28 PM | Link to this
Muse…Muse…Muse……you mutts have to accept the fact that your qb is a habitual spooner with pics to prove it all over the net…..fantasizing about imaginary tickle piles will not make your dawgnation embarrassment go away…I am so sorry!
By stafford=ticklepilemaster
August 29, 2007 12:24 AM | Link to this
Muse, here are the kings of all Tickle-piles: UGA’s Stafford and Cox. (pics are proof enough.)
http://bp1.blogger.com/aBun-fJmULo/Rjn63vBwcsI/AAAAAAAAAII/3dZKDBhm2Nc/s1600/Pic3StaffordandCoxofcourseCoxisontheground.jpg
By Muse
August 29, 2007 7:13 AM | Link to this
I am not a UGA fan. Why is it that most of our fans are preoccupied with UGA? I went to Tech and I am proud of that fact but I don’t deny my sexuality. I am gay and I know that most of you are. What’s wrong with being gay. We lose all credibility when we accuse Stafford and Cox of being homosexual when it’s obvious they are not.
By Amanda
August 29, 2007 7:35 AM | Link to this
I’m headed to Notre Dame this weekend for the game. I went to Jacksonville—both times-last year and saw Bennett play. I have complete confidence in the guy. He probably can’t run like Reggie could, but when he throws the ball, you at least can have confidence it’s going to a receiver and not the fan sitting in row 5. #22 is going to kick some tail this year, again. The defense is awesome. Offensive line is good. Calvin was great and I will miss him, but I have confidence we will have a good season, beginning with a WIN in South Bend!! GOOOOO JACKETS!
By Muse
August 29, 2007 7:52 AM | Link to this
Ok, so I am a UGA fan and I’m gay. So, what about it? If Stafford and Cox want to play around then what’s the big deal. I was just trying to have some fun with my Jacket friends and you guys jump me. Actually, I guess that wouldn’t be a bad idea, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, get off of my backside about this. And, go DAWGS!
By shivas
August 29, 2007 8:21 AM | Link to this
Good call Amanda. Sounds like TB has a good head on his shoulders and is welcoming the challenge of being the man. Sometines we can get so serious aboutfootball, that we forget that it is played by young men who are barely out of their teenage years. The pressure seems unfair sometimes especially when you are playing in front of an audience in the millions. As a Tech man, I am very proud of our players and coaching staff, and will support them no matter the outcome. However, I believe we will hit the 10 win mark this year because we have the talent and the right attitude.
By GT
August 29, 2007 8:39 AM | Link to this
It is football season and we are opening with Touchdown Jesus. I don’t believe in Yankee football, it is like trying to make soccer work in America. The main highway of college football has eight lanes wide open down south while we are roaming through a corn patch on a dirt road trying to find the ruins of ancient football glory. The press makes a big deal out of it because most of the contributors come from this handicapped background. They have tried like Oral Roberts to raise this drunken has been Irish corpse to the national stage to make this populated area of Saturday Night Live characters proud. You can’t put lipstick on a pig and call it pretty.
By GE
August 29, 2007 9:19 AM | Link to this
I think that you bumble bee and dawg fans are dreaming. You do not win games on this blog but on the field. Mr.Vick and Mr.Ball did win big games despite what you may feel about them personally. Mr. Bennett and his receivers who have replaced Reggie and Calvin must prove themselves in a hostile environment on the field. If they prevail in South Bend, then I will be a believer. If Tennessee wins in Berkley, then I will be a believer. GO VOLS!!!!
By Paul
August 29, 2007 11:13 AM | Link to this
Dear Nerds, as long as Gailey is your coach, 7 wins per season and a trip to the middle of nowhere for a bowl game is what you will get. You could even have the talent that Georgia has every year and it wouldn’t matter.
By Muse
August 29, 2007 11:14 AM | Link to this
Mmmm…tickle piles…sweet sweet tickle piles…
Go Dawgs!
By Paul
August 29, 2007 11:17 AM | Link to this
Dear UT fan,
Get used to mediocrity, which is what UT has been for the better part of this decade. Last year’s victory over UGA was an aberration, as we have dominated UT 5 out of 7 years now. Have fun losing in Cal.
By LBOdawg
August 29, 2007 11:26 AM | Link to this
Throwing fish at Coach Devine. Throwing bottles at Coach Bryant. Cheering when Brady Quinn was seemingly hurt. Yeah, you Techies sure “outclass” everyone. Jeez.
By LBOdawg
August 29, 2007 11:26 AM | Link to this
Throwing fish at Coach Devine. Throwing bottles at Coach Bryant. Cheering when Brady Quinn was seemingly hurt. Yeah, you Techies sure “outclass” everyone. Jeez.
By RealDawg
August 29, 2007 11:37 AM | Link to this
Hey GT pussies,
Stafford went to Talledega with Cox and a group of friends. They drank beer and got wasted. They started horsing around and wrestling. They were nearly passed out when that picture was taken.
I was there.
They are not gay.
You are all PUSSIES!
By gt45
August 29, 2007 12:15 PM | Link to this
Wow, Realdog! When was the last time you got la1d? Loosen up a little.
By JustMe
August 29, 2007 12:20 PM | Link to this
Muse is an Emory student that was rejected by GA Tech admissions. He uses various names on these blogs, but seems to have stuck to Muse lately (sometimes he uses Buzz and others).
His name is Sam Cunningham and he tried for a baseball scholarship at GA Tech. Tech rejected him and he ended up very bitter and at Emory (playing for them now). You can goggle his name and find his picture, and all.
We should all pity him. He is in deep need of psychotherapy, and a lot of it.
He started his tickle pile comments over 4 months ago. You would think that if he was smart enough to be admitted to Emory, he would come up with new material by now….
By G-Money
August 29, 2007 12:33 PM | Link to this
Let’s see. Stafford and Cox “drank beer and got wasted. They were nearly passed out”! And they do not have to sit out any games?
By LBOdawg
August 29, 2007 1:13 PM | Link to this
G-Money: You’re an idiot. If they handed out suspensions for “getting wasted” neither Reggie nor Calvin would have ever played a down for Tech. Those guys were permanent fixtures at the Sigma Chi house at Tech, and they were “getting wasted” every single weekend, and some weekdays. But, go ahead and tell me how that was different from Stafford and Cox’s situation. Nerd hypocrites. You’re pathetic, along with everything about your “school.”
By blazer74
August 29, 2007 1:40 PM | Link to this
5 0f 7??
5 of 16
against fla????
By blazer 74 is stupid
August 29, 2007 2:06 PM | Link to this
The answer to your question is 47-35 all-time in favor of the Dawgs. Moron. Next question?
By blazer 74 is stupid
August 29, 2007 2:06 PM | Link to this
The answer to your question is 47-35 all-time in favor of the Dawgs. Moron. Next question?
By Mr Breeze
August 29, 2007 2:13 PM | Link to this
LBODawg What the heck do you know about the goings on at the Sigma Chi house at Tech?? Whether at night OR in the day time? What are you? Some wannabe?? You are so full of “you know what” that you aren’t even worth commenting about. You are the one who really sounds pathetic, so just shut it and leave this post, turkey…
By blazer74
August 29, 2007 2:23 PM | Link to this
oops i thought we were
talking about recent years
i apologise
By LBOdawg
August 29, 2007 2:24 PM | Link to this
Mr Breeze: I know this is probably beyond your comprehension, but I know several Sigma Chis at Tech. And yes, they used to actually brag about how drunk they would get Reggie and Calvin on numerous occasions. But I guess you wouldn’t know anything about that. What, did you not get a bid there or something? Shut up and get back to your cube. I want those TPS reports pronto.
By yellowblood
August 29, 2007 2:40 PM | Link to this
At first I thought it was just a joke but seriously how pervasive is the gay problem on the UGA football team ? Do they recruit gays via a gay website or are they converted from straight to gay once they arrive in Athens. I think this is a very interesting social abberation and I hope that Corso and Herbstreet will give it some national exposure.
By Bing Cherry
August 29, 2007 2:46 PM | Link to this
Bennett sounds like a real wiz kid.
By Bing Cherry
August 29, 2007 2:46 PM | Link to this
Bennett sounds like a real wiz kid.
By Mr Breeze
August 29, 2007 2:50 PM | Link to this
LBODawg: Again, you don’t bring anything worthwhile to this blog, so go back over to your own. And FYI, my guys have already turned in their TPS reports to me (early), but you had better check your french fries, which are burning…
By yellowblood
August 29, 2007 2:51 PM | Link to this
On Bennett, just give me another George Godsey. Not terribly athletic, not fast, a mediocre passer, but very very SMART. Never threw critical picks, always knew when to throw out of bounds. Avoided turnovers. All Tech needs to do this year is avoid turnovers, keep Choice healthy, and play decent on special teams. Poor Muse, if you were rejected by Tech and had to go to Emory I can certainly understand. Your life must be awful. What do Emory people do when they leave college anyway.
Did you even consider UGA as a last resort ?
By Spike
August 29, 2007 2:56 PM | Link to this
Yellowblood… After I saw the photo of those two grabbing each other and smiling I have some concerns about those two. I would not be making “gay problem” jokes if I were you, especially with that bunch in your end zone who paint themselves in p** yellow and wear those big yellow afro wigs at every home game. How much does Tech offer those guys to do that?
By yellowblood
August 29, 2007 3:58 PM | Link to this
Spike: While reading Playboy when I was in my teens I read that the name “Spike” was the most common gay name next to Ralph. I’m not making jokes about UGA. The whole team is gay.
By Labia
August 29, 2007 10:01 PM | Link to this
Hey RealDawg, I bet you wish he was gay! I know it hurts when someone makes fun of your first crush.
Sincerly,
Labia
By G-Money
August 29, 2007 10:09 PM | Link to this
To LBOdawg:
Sorry for the late response dawg! Just a typical 12 hour work day; managing a bunch of “Mutts” and having to troubleshoot and correct all their mistakes.
My point! Yeah, these kids are going to booze it up once in while and have a good time, but you do not post such comments about your star player- and with great pride-on the blog ( maybe this should have been a directive to your son REALDawg)…
By G-Money
August 29, 2007 10:33 PM | Link to this
Hey REALdawg!
Sorry for the late response; just put in another typical 12 hour day at the office troubleshooting and resolving the problems created by all the “Mutts” within my company.
Look, I know the kids are going to do things like your son REALDawg stated in his post, but there’s no need to advertise it on the blog.
BTW, why does your son spell your family’s last name “Dawg” and you spell it “dawg”?
And finally, when speaking of “Class”, have a talk with young Realdawg regarding his salutation’s (i.e. greeting), to the fine folks reading this blog!
By Lee
August 29, 2007 11:27 PM | Link to this
Emotional face plants. That’s about as good a description of Reggie Ball’s many miscue’s as any.
For those of us who aren’t Tech fans, watching Ball was great sport.
On to Bennett….
I saw him in two games last year and he really looked impressive. Looks as though he has a strong and accurate arm as well as a good control of the offense. I remember flipping through the channels and came upon a Tech game just as Bennett got flushed out of the pocket and threw a 55 yard strike to CJ for a touchdown. My immediate thought was “you had an arm like that on the bench while you continued to play Ball? What the he11 were you thinking?”
Anyway, it’s gonna be interesting to see how Bennet does with a full year under his belt.