Preview: Ga. Tech vs. Samford

Sports

Preview: Ga. Tech vs. Samford

Photo preview of Tech-Samford football game for Sept. 8, 2007. All but Samford photo by Johnny Crawford / AJC, copy provided by Mike Knobler and condensed and edited by ajc.com online sports producer Wendy Parker.

Taylor Bennett looks to rebound from an inconsistent opener against Notre Dame when the Yellow Jackets play their first home game Saturday against Division I-AA Samford.

Former Duluth QB Dante Williams, now a backup at Samford, is one of 22 Georgians playing for the Bulldogs, who have never beaten a Division I-A team.

Vance Walker (99) typified a stellar game for the Tech defense by stripping the ball from QB Demetrius Jones. "There's so many opportunities I can think of when I was playing last year when I was in position to take the ball out and I just overlooked that. I'm trying not to do that this year," Walker said.

Georgia Tech's 19 tackles for loss against Notre Dame last week were the most by any team in the nation. Darrell Robertson accounted for three of them.

Wide receiver James Johnson will miss the game due to injury, but it's a chance for Greg Smith and Demaryius Thomas, Rashaun Grant, tight end Colin Peek, fullback Mike Cox and some of the backups to add to their receiving statistics.

Tashard Choice, who had a career-high 196 yards at Notre Dame, has eight consecutive games of 100 yards or more. But Tech would love for him to do that without extending his streak of four consecutive games with 20 or more carries.

The Samford game is another opportunity for the Jackets to break in some talented true freshmen, including running back Jonathan Dwyer, who scored a touchdown against the Fighting Irish.

Another impressive true freshman was defensive back Morgan Burnett, breaking up a pass intended for Notre Dame's Konrad Reuland.

Perhaps the most anticipated moment of the day for Tech fans is whether the Rambling Wreck will be ready to roll after an accident this summer. Odell Burnett installs new carpet and upholstery as repairs were being completed this week.

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Taylor Bennett looks to rebound from an inconsistent opener against Notre Dame when the Yellow Jackets play their first home game Saturday against Division I-AA Samford.

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