Georgia Tech began bowl practice Sunday. The Yellow Jackets will likely have 11 practices leading up to the Orange Bowl Dec. 31. The team has practice scheduled every day from Sunday through Dec. 20, when players will be released until the 26th.
Often, the team has practiced closer to 15 times, but the team’s participation in the ACC championship game, final exams and the necessity of coaches to be on the road recruiting has limited the number of available days.
Last year, even with the regular season ending with the Georgia game, Tech practiced 11 times prior to the Music City Bowl, a loss to Ole Miss. That may become more the norm because of a change to the NCAA recruiting calendar instituted last year that puts in a “dead period” to protect prospects’ time over the holidays and to likewise give coaches a break. In exchange, however, it places more of a priority on coaches to be on the road in the first half of December, making practice difficult.
Mississippi State began practice Friday and will have nine on-campus practices before players are released for Christmas. Depending on the Bulldogs’ travel schedule to Miami, they might add another three or four practices before the game.
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