Tech seniors want to leave on winning note

Some came directly from hometowns in Florida and Alabama.

Others took detours to Oklahoma and Connecticut before enrolling.

But most came from various hamlets, towns and cities across Georgia.

Together, they are Georgia Tech's seniors and after spending four or five years together, they will be playing their last home game on Saturday when the Yellow Jackets host Duke.

Its membership totals 20. Some classmates who left early are now playing in the NFL. Others just left. Some have become men with families of their own. Some have already graduated. Some have overcome devastating injuries.

They have had two head coaches, two very different offenses, three defenses, four bowls, 41 wins, played for two conference championships and, most importantly, won one ACC title. Though they say this has been the most frustrating season many of them have experienced, they will leave with pleasant memories.

"It's been overall good times. Just coming here ... meeting my brothers," Brad Jefferson, a linebacker from Wrightsville said. "It's sad that I'm about to leave them. As a senior group, we've been talking about it a lot, that we are about to leave. It's really getting sad around here."

The class has a unique composition, one that coach Paul Johnson said he's never experienced.

Of the regular contributors, there are as many transfers as original signees from the previous coach, Chan Gailey. Starting outside linebacker Anthony Egbuniwe came from Greenville, S.C., via Tulsa. Starting B-back Anthony Allen came from Tampa via Louisville. Starting safety Mario Edwards came College Park via Virginia Tech. Wide receiver Kevin Cone came from Stone Mountain via Shorter. A-back Lucas Cox came from Lewisberry, Pa., via Connecticut.

"It's crazy to see where we ended up at from where we came from," Egbuniwe said.

Others, like All-ACC center Sean Bedford, were walk-ons. Called the "smartest man in the world," by Allen, Bedford was a defensive lineman from Gainesville, Fla., who Johnson moved to the offensive line because he kept beating everyone on that side of the ball. Jeff Lentz, a Marietta native, walked on and earned a spot as a short-snapper. Zach Krish, who played at South Gwinnett, walked on and earned a scholarship as a reserve on the offensive line.

"We weren't the guys that everybody thought they were going to have 4 1/2 years ago," Bedford said. "We're a very close-knit group and I think we're proud of what we accomplished together."

Other seniors came up the traditional way.

Kicker Scott Blair, cornerback Mario Butler, quarterback Joshua Nesbitt and Jefferson played immediately as freshmen, either at their natural positions or on special teams. Others, like wide receiver Correy Earls, played some when they were younger, dropped off for a while when they changed positions, but have worked their way back onto the field again in their original roles. Austin Barrick was recruited as a tight end out of Moody, Ala., moved to A-back for a few snaps and eventually became a starter at offensive tackle.

The players say they have grown up since first arriving on campus. To call Allen, whose videos during home games are quite funny, a free spirit now would fail to capture his humor and imagination. He said his behavior today is nothing compared to five years ago when he left Tampa for Louisville: "If you had seen me back in those days, I was a wild kid," he said.

A management major, Allen said he's developed a much healthier respect for football and for academics.

The biggest lesson that most seniors said they have learned is that hard work is its own reward. Lentz, who isn't on scholarship, worked diligently to come back from a knee injury sustained two years ago and earned his starting spot again.