1979 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team

The 1979 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology during the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Yellow Jackets were led by head coach Pepper Rodgers, in his sixth and final year with the team, and played their home games at Grant Field in Atlanta. Rodgers was fired as head coach after a 4–6–1 campaign.[1]

1979 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
ConferenceIndependent
Record4–6–1
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorLarry Travis (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorJack Westbroook (2nd season)
CaptainTom Daniel
Home stadiumGrant Field
Seasons
← 1978
1980 →
1979 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 6 Florida State       11 1 0
No. 7 Pittsburgh       11 1 0
UNLV       9 1 2
No. 17 Temple       10 2 0
Tulane       9 3 0
Rutgers       8 3 0
Tennessee State       8 3 0
East Carolina       7 3 1
No. 20 Penn State       8 4 0
South Carolina       8 4 0
Navy       7 4 0
Notre Dame       7 4 0
Southern Miss       6 4 1
Syracuse       7 5 0
Colgate       5 4 1
Boston College       5 6 0
Holy Cross       5 6 0
Memphis State       5 6 0
Miami (FL)       5 6 0
North Texas State       5 6 0
Villanova       5 6 0
Virginia Tech       5 6 0
West Virginia       5 6 0
Georgia Tech       4 6 1
Louisville       4 6 1
William & Mary       4 7 0
Illinois State       3 8 0
Northeast Louisiana       3 8 0
Army       2 8 1
Air Force       2 9 0
Cincinnati       2 9 0
Richmond       0 11 0
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule edit

DateOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 8No. 2 AlabamaABCL 6–3057,621[2][3][4]
September 22at FloridaT 7–760,313[5]
September 29William & Mary
  • Grant Field
  • Atlanta, GA
W 33–728,511
October 6at No. 10 Notre DameL 13–2159,075
October 13at TennesseeL 0–3185,524[6]
October 20No. 14 Auburn
L 14–3854,236[7]
October 27at TulaneL 7–1251,963
November 3Duke
  • Grant Field
  • Atlanta, GA
W 24–1423,445[8]
November 10Air Force 
  • Grant Field
  • Atlanta, GA
W 21–030,113
November 17Navy
  • Grant Field
  • Atlanta, GA
W 24–1424,318
November 24Georgia
ABCL 3–1648,781[9]
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[10][11]

Roster edit

1979 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 2 Mike Kelley So
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB 81 Al Richardson Sr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Larry Travis – Offensive coordinator/offensive line
  • Steve SpurrierQuarterbacks
  • Norm Van BrocklinRunning backs
  • Terry Tuley – Receivers
  • Les Hanly – Offensive line
  • Jack Westbrook – Defensive coordinator/defensive backs
  • Ed EmoryDefensive line
  • Ken Blair – Outside linebackers

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  •   Injured
  •   Redshirt

References edit

  1. ^ McCollister, Tom (December 19, 1979). "Georgia Tech Fires Pepper Rodgers". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 1A.
  2. ^ "Tide floods Tech's revival, 30–6". The Atlanta Journal. September 9, 1979. Retrieved February 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Browning, Al (September 9, 1979). "Tide hits Atlanta like Sherman did". The Tuscaloosa News. p. 1A. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
  4. ^ Meade, Doug (September 9, 1979). "Alabama dominates Georgia Tech in 30–6 breeze". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
  5. ^ "Tech, Florida: A 7–7 standoff". The Macon Telegraph & News. September 23, 1979. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Streater leads Tennessee to whitewashing of Tech". The Macon News. October 14, 1979. Retrieved May 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Brooks powers Auburn past Tech". The Pensacola News-Journal. October 21, 1979. Retrieved October 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Jackets handle Devils". The Macon Telegrapgh & News. November 4, 1979. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Dogs whip Georgia Tech in rain 16–3". The Sunday Ledger-Enquirer. November 25, 1979. Retrieved October 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "1979 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Schedule and Results". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  11. ^ 2011 Georgia Tech Media Guide Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine. p. 173