Cones fall where they may with Tech-Georgia game

He is, after all, a Bulldog ...  baseball player.

“He had Kevin’s jersey on this past weekend at [Georgia Tech’s] senior day, and I told him when we come to Athens I need you to sit with the family,” said Ronny Cone. “He said, ‘I’m not quite sure I’m going to be able do that, dad.’”

Kevin won’t hold it against Zach if he sits with UGA friends. They have their partisan interests.

Kevin, a senior, and Zach, a sophomore, have followed in their father’s athletic footsteps. Ronny Cone was a running back at Tech from 1979-’83 and remains 13th in career rushing yards (1,777), besides spending time with the NFL’s New York Jets.

Both boys played youth football, yet when Kevin drew closer to high school he gave the sport up in favor of basketball and track. His high school coach, Paul Standard of St. Pius X, talked him into giving football another try before his junior season, and it worked out.

Zach always favored baseball. He was drafted by the Angels in the third round out of Parkview High School before opting for Georgia instead. Last season, he started all but one game, and earned the team’s triple crown with a .363 batting average, 10 home runs and 53 RBIs. He led SEC outfielders with nine assists.

“I got popped one time,” he said of youth football. “It kind of woke me up, made me realize baseball was the sport for me.”

For a long time, Tech might have been the school for Zach.

“Oh yeah,” he said. “I was a huge fan growing up. Our parents went to school there. And when Tech was good at basketball, my brother and I were always into that. The only Georgia game I’d been to was Georgia-Georgia Tech until they started recruiting me.”

Ronny Cone said there has been some goading back and forth recently between his sons, who talk to each other at least once every day.

“It’s more hype than anything,” Ronny said. “It’s nothing to see Kevin wearing a Georgia shirt around the house, or Zach wearing Tech stuff. There wasn’t any Georgia stuff in my house when they were growing up. I absolutely root for Georgia baseball. There are a lot of great kids on the baseball team and there are great parents. I absolutely will not root for Georgia in any other sports.”

Kevin, who has caught five passes for 89 yards and a touchdown this season, is OK with the idea his brother might root against his team ... as long as he wears that No. 82 Tech jersey.

“Of course, I’m sure he wants to see his Dogs win, but he’s pulling for me,” Kevin Cone said. “I want him to do amazing [on the baseball diamond]; he’s my brother. But I want the Yellow Jackets to win.”