Aug. 7, 2006
ATLANTA–After four practices without contact, the Georgia Tech football team will practice in full gear for the first time Tuesday in a morning workout scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at Rose Bowl Field.
[Please note, the time for Tuesday’s practice is a change from previously published schedules.]
“It’s always an interesting day,” said Tech head coach Chan Gailey following Monday’s practice in shorts and shoulder pads.
Gailey was asked if the Tech offense, which returns is eight starters, is ahead of where he would expect.
“We do have a lot more experience,” he said. “I think in many ways we are ahead, but we’ve got some news things that we’re looking at and we’ve sped up the installation. We have more maturity than we’ve had in the past, so we’re able to do that. The faster you get everything in, the more time you have to polish it. So it doesn’t look as clean and crisp as we’d like right now, but we’re getting there.”
Defensively, Tech must replace three starters in the secondary as well as one linebacker.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” said Gailey. “I think the front seven has meshed together better than the back seven. Of course, the linebackers are involved in both of those, and we’ve still got a lot of work to do.”
True freshman cornerback Laurence Marius is trying to make an impact in the secondary.
“He has shown himself very well in the early practices, and we’re giving him some reps to see how much he can learn,” said Gailey.
Marius, from Key West (Fla.) High School, was one of the most highly-regarded signees in Tech’s freshman class.
Gailey announced that true freshman linebacker Osahon Tongo has suffered a season-ending knee injury. Tongo, from Naperville, Ill., was injured in Saturday’s practice.
The Yellow Jackets open the season four weeks Sept. 2 when they host third-ranked Notre Dame at Bobby Dodd Stadium/Grant Field (8 p.m., ABC).
PRESEASON PRACTICE SCHEDULE
Subject to Change, Open to the public and media for the first two weeks
Tuesday, Aug. 8 9:30 a.m. (full pads) Wednesday, Aug. 9 9:30 a.m., 5:15 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10 4:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 11 9:30 a.m., 5:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12 3:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14 9:30 a.m., 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 17 9:30 a.m., 5:15 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18 4:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19 Fan Photo Day, 10 a.m. – 12 noon
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