Post Game Notes: Miami vs. Georgia Tech
Oct. 13, 2007
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery 
MIAMI NOTES:
RUSH HOUR… The Hurricanes rushed for 167 yards – including 108 yards in the first half – versus a Georgia Tech defense that ranks sixth nationally in rushing defense (68.5 ypg). It is the most rushing yardage allowed by the Yellow Jackets this season, surpassing Virginia’s 121 yards in its 28-23 win at home over Georgia Tech on Sept. 22.
It was the fifth-straight game UM rushed for more than 100 yards and the sixth time in seven games this season.
Miami’s 108 first-half yards marks the second time this season that the Hurricanes have rushed for over 100 yards in the first half, as they ran for 110 yards in their 23-9 win over FIU on Sept. 15.
MOVING UP THE CHARTS… With Kyle Wright’s fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Sam Shields, he has moved into eighth place on Miami’s all-time list for touchdown passes. Wright entered the game with 34 career TD passes, tied with Brock Berlin (2003-04), and now has 35.
Wright has also moved into 6th place on Miami’s all-time list for pass completions, passing Vinny Testaverde, who had 413 completions from 1982-86. Wright entered the game with 411 career completions and now has 419 completions.
Kyle Wright has also moved into 8th place on Miami’s all-time list for pass attempts, passing Steve Walsh, who had 690 attempts from 1986-88. Wright entered the game with 681 career attempts and now has 698.
ON THE MOVE… Georgia Tech’s Tashard Choice ran for 204 yards versus Miami, becoming just the third 200-yard rusher versus the ‘Canes since 1986. West Virginia’s Amos Zereoue ran for 206 yards in a 28-17 WVU win at the Orange Bowl on Sept. 27, 1997 and Pitt’s Craig Heyward racked up 254 yards in a 37-10 UM win on Nov. 8, 1986 (at Pitt).CAREER FIRST… Freshman Shawnbrey McNeal scored his first career touchdown with a career-long 39-yard run with just over two minutes remaining in the opening quarter.FAST START… This season the Hurricanes have outscored opponents 41-0 at home in the first quarter and 71-0 in the first half.
Miami’s 101 yards of first-quarter offense are the most this season, and the most since a 110-yard opening quarter at Maryland on Nov. 11, 2006. The previous season-high was 90 yards of first-quarter offense in Miami’s 31-3 win over Marshall in the season-opener on Sept. 1.
COMEBACKS… Including today’s loss, the Hurricanes are 193-20 when scoring first. Despite Miami’s success when scoring first, Georgia Tech has managed to come-from-behind in two-straight meetings. This afternoon the Yellow Jackets came back from a 7-0 first half deficit and in 2006, Georgia Tech overcame a 13-3 UM lead en route to a 30-23 win in Atlanta.FIRST PICK… Junior cornerback Bruce Johnson recorded his first career interception, picking off a Georgia Tech pass in the endzone with 6:32 remaining in the first quarter. It was Miami’s eighth interception of the season in the seventh game for the Hurricanes – who grabbed a total of 12 interceptions over 13 games last season.START IT UP… Several Hurricanes made their firsts career starts on Saturday – sophomore tight end Richard Gordon, sophomore defensive tackle Joe Joseph and sophomore fullback Jerrell Mabry.COACHING CONNECTION… Miami’s offensive coordinator Patrick Nix and running backs coach Tommie Robinson face their former team in Georgia Tech this afternoon. Coach Nix spent five seasons (2002-06) with the Yellow Jackets – including the last three as their offensive coordinator – before joining the Hurricanes staff in January, and Robinson coached Georgia Tech’s tight ends from 2002-05.TODAY’S CAPTAINS… Today’s captains for Miami are Calais Campbell and Derrick Morse.
GEORGIA TECH NOTES:
Georgia Tech’s win today gives the Yellow Jackets…
… a record of 4-3 overall and 2-3 in the ACC
… a 2-2 record in road games this season
… a 9-4 all-time record vs. Miami, including a 2-1 record vs. the Hurricanes on the road
… three consecutive wins over Miami
… a 3-1 record vs. Miami under Chan Gailey, including a 2-0 mark in the Orange Bowl
… a record of 41-30 in six seasons under Gailey
… an 11-7 record in October under Gailey
… an all-time ACC record of 97-82-2
… the 650th victory in the history of the program and an all-time overall record of 650-439-43 in 115 seasons
Miscellaneous
… Miami had more rushing yards against Georgia Tech than any Yellow Jacket opponent this season; the previous high was 121 yards rushing by Virginia; the Hurricanes are just the second team to rush for 100-plus yards against Tech this season
… Miami is the first team team to have a rushing play of more than 30 yards against the Yellow Jackets this season
… Miami’s 56 yards passing were the fewest passing yards by a Georgia Tech opponent this season
Slow Starts
Georgia Tech continued its trend of slow starts and facing a deficit in the first quarter. After outscoring Notre Dame and Samford by a combined 34-0 in the first quarter, the Yellow Jackets have since struggled in first quarters.
… Tech failed to score in the first quarter since Sept. 15 vs. Boston College
… the Yellow Jackets, over the last two games combined, have scored just three first-quarter points
… in three ACC road games this season, Tech has been outscored 42-10 in the first quarter; all three of those games just happen to kick off at 12 noon
… Georgia Tech was held scoreless in the first half for the second time this season (also vs. Boston College)
… in the second and third quarters combined this season, Tech is outscoring opponents 94-38
For Starters
Sophomore Dan Voss made his first career start at guard today and senior guard Nate McManus saw his streak of consecutive starts end at 32. Senior guard Matt Rhodes started for the 41st consecutive game.
Streaks
126 consecutive games without being shut out (last time came on Oct. 18, 1997 – a 38-0 loss at No. 3 Florida State
118 consecutive PATs without a miss by senior Travis Bell (entering today’s game)
3 straight 100-yard rushing games by Tashard Choice
Sophomores Greg Smith and Colin Peek have caught at least one pass in every game this season
Tashard Choice, Sr., RB
… rushed for a career-high 204 yards today (previous career-high was 196 yards at Notre Dame on Sept. 1, 2007)
… moved into fifth place on Tech’s all-time career rushing list today, passing Joe Burns (2,634 yards from 1998-01); Choice entered today’s game with 2,622 career yards
… moved into sixth place on Tech’s all-time rushing attempts list today, passing C.J. Williams (539 attempts from 1994 to 1996); Choice entered today’s game with 535 career attempts
… rushed for 100-plus yards for the third consecutive game and for the fifth time overall this season
… rushed for 100-plus yards for the 15th time in his career, tying Jerry Mays for the third-most in school history
… rushed for 150 yards for the second time this season (he had 196 yards vs. Notre Dame) and for the fourth time in his career
Josh Nesbitt, Fr., QB
… made his first career reception
Taylor Bennett, Jr., QB
… rushed for the second and third touchdowns of his career (he also rushed for a touchdown vs. Samford earlier this season)
Travis Bell, Sr., K
… entered the game with a streak of 118 consecutive PATs made
Correy Earls, r-Fr., WR
… returned to action for the first time since suffering his injury at Virginia
Colin Peek, So., TE
… had his longest pass reception of the season (previously 15 yards) with a 17-yard reception in the third quarter
Game captains: Tashard Choice, Philip Wheeler, Kevin Tuminello
Coin toss: Miami won toss and elected to receive
