The first decade of a very young millennium has passed and in that span the Flats has seen glory fade only to be reborn and a new age of Georgia Tech football emerge. The future should always be properly anticipated by knowing and appreciating the past. While not the glory days of the 1950’s the Jackets remained a national program with the help of some of the best players to ever put on the old gold and white. The 2000’s are best chronicled by viewing them in the three distinct eras that occurred. Not coincidentally they follow the three coaches employed to guide the Ramblin’ Wreck into the 21st century.

George O’ Leary, the man who brought Tech out of the dark ages of a single-win 1994 season, left to pursue greener pastures in 2001. O’ Leary led the Jackets to the 2000 Peach Bowl and the 2001 Seattle Bowl.

Chan Gailey, the offensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins, was hired to bring a structured Pro-Style offense to the Flats in hopes of bringing top talent and victories to a once dominant institution. The talent came but questionable management and lack of leadership led to under achievement. The seven win seasons would have been a welcome sight in the floundering years following the National Championship of 1990 but Tech had enjoyed eight, nine and ten win seasons under O’ Leary and also appeared in two Gator Bowls. Gailey earned a trip to the team’s first ACC championship game in Jacksonville Florida but the loss was the second of three straight to end the season and Gailey failed to build upon that success the following year. Other than the 2007 Gator bowl, the Yellow Jackets under Chan Gailey played in the dregs of the bowl system. Chan Gailey coached the Jackets in their last bowl victory, a 51 – 14 trouncing of Syracuse in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Paul Johnson was no stranger to the state of Georgia. He won two D-IAA National Titles at Georgia Southern as an offensive coordinator and two more as the head coach. After tenures in Hawaii and the Naval Academy, where he ended the Mid-Shipman’s 43 year losing streak to Notre Dame, “Coach” Johnson was hired to install his ground-based, spread-option offense and bring fire and passion back to what had become a mellowing Bobby Dodd Stadium. In his first two seasons he went 9-4 and 11-3 respectively while leaving the idea that this would be a “boring” offense in the dust. He followed a nine win season in which the Jackets ended a seven year losing streak to the hated Bulldogs, with an eleven win season where the Jackets won their first outright ACC championship since 1990. The Ramblin’ Wreck also received their first trip to the BCS and their first Orange Bowl bid since 1967.

The 2000’s had its share of games and faces and here are my favorites from the last ten years.

Best Game:

Oct. 28th 2000 Georgia Tech 31 – #4 Clemson 28 (O’Leary)

Best Player: Tie

Greg Gathers (O’Leary) A shortened career will always cloud what might have been a very bright future.

Calvin Johnson (Gailey)

Frustrating Moment:

Reggie Ball 2003 – 2006  (Gailey)

Breakthrough Moment:

Nov. 1st 2008 Georgia Tech 31 – FSU 28 First victory over the Seminoles in the ACC.

The Numbers:

81 – 48 – 0 (.642)

National Titles – 0

Conference Titles – 1

Consensus All-Americans – 5

(Chris Brown OT, 2000: Calvin Johnson WR, 2005,2006: Durant Brooks P, 2007: Michael Johnson DE, 2008: Derrick Morgan DE, 2009)

III,