1981 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team

Last updated

1981 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets logo.svg
ConferenceIndependent
Record1–10
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Rip Scherer (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorKen Blair (2nd season)
Captains
  • Dave Lutz
  • Lance Skelton
  • Mark Bradley
  • Ken Carney
Home stadium Grant Field
Seasons
  1980
1982  
1981 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 4 Pittsburgh    11 1 0
No. 3 Penn State    10 2 0
No. 8 Miami (FL)    9 2 0
Southern Miss    9 2 1
No. 17 West Virginia    9 3 0
Colgate    7 3 0
Virginia Tech    7 4 0
Navy    7 4 1
Cincinnati    6 5 0
Florida State    6 5 0
Holy Cross    6 5 0
Tulane    6 5 0
UNLV    6 6 0
South Carolina    6 6 0
Temple    5 5 0
Boston College    5 6 0
East Carolina    5 6 0
Northeast Louisiana    5 6 0
Louisville    5 6 0
Notre Dame    5 6 0
Rutgers    5 6 0
William & Mary    5 6 0
Syracuse    4 6 1
Richmond    4 7 0
Army    3 7 1
North Texas State    2 9 0
Georgia Tech    1 10 0
Memphis State    1 10 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1981 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Yellow Jackets were led by second-year head coach Bill Curry, and played their home games at Grant Field in Atlanta. Georgia Tech produced abysmal results for the second consecutive year under Curry, finishing with a record of 1–10, their worst season in terms of winning percentage in school history (it would later be matched by another 1–10 season in 1994). Their sole win was a season-opening upset victory over the second-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in Birmingham.

Contents

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 12at No. 2 Alabama ESPN W 24–2178,865 [1]
September 19at Florida L 6–2763,876 [2]
September 26 Memphis State L 15–2832,463 [3]
October 3No. 6 North Carolina
  • Grant Field
  • Atlanta, GA
L 7–2839,263 [4]
October 10at Tennessee L 7–1094,478 [5]
October 17 Auburn
L 7–3150,263–50,326 [6]
October 24at Tulane L 10–2737,431 [7]
October 31 Duke Dagger-14-plain.png
  • Grant Field
  • Atlanta, GA
L 24–3830,232 [8]
November 7at Notre Dame L 3–3559,075 [9]
November 14 Navy
  • Grant Field
  • Atlanta, GA
L 14–2020,129 [10]
December 5No. 2 Georgia
ABC L 7–4458,623 [11]
  • Dagger-14-plain.pngHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[12] [13]

Roster

1981 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team roster
PlayersCoaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
QB 2 Mike Kelley Sr
QB 12 Jim Bob Taylor Jr
RB Robert Lavette
RB Ronny Cone
WR Kenny Thompson
WR Jeff Keisler
TE 9 Ken Whisenhunt So
G 64 Ben Utt Sr
OT 78 Dave Lutz Jr
OL Ellis Gardner
OL Ken Howell
OL Mark Schultz
OL Dean Waters
Defense
Pos.#NameClass
DL Mark Bradley
DL Donnie Chisholm
DL Marvin Dyett
LB 56Robert Jaracz
LB Rob Horton
LB Lance Skelton
LB Duane Wood
CB 22Jack WestbrookSo
DB Sammy Brown
DB Paul Menegazzi
DB Mark Sheffield
DB Ted Thurson
Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Rip Scherer Offensive coordinator
  • Jeff McLean Running backs
  • Terry Tuley Wide receivers
  • Brad Roper Tight ends
  • Mac McWhorter Offensive line
  • Mark Hunter Offensive line
  • Ken Blair Defensive coordinator
  • John Guy Defensive line
  • Barry Wilson Inside linebackers
  • Mike Dean Defensive backs

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injury icon 2.svg Injured
  • Redshirt.svg Redshirt

References

  1. "Tech 24, Alabama 21 - it really did happen". The Atlanta Constitution. September 13, 1981. Retrieved February 19, 2021 via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Gators pull Tech out of the clouds in 27–6 beating". The Atlanta Journal & Constitution. September 20, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2023 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Memphis St. QB terrorizes Tech". Greensboro News and Record. September 27, 1981. Retrieved July 25, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Heels take tough one from Tech". Winston-Salem Journal. October 4, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Tennessee rebounds to beat Jackets 10–7". The Macon Telegraph & News. October 11, 1981. Retrieved August 18, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Auburn rips Jackets 31–7". The Macon Telegraph & News. October 18, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2023 via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Tulane trounces Tech 27–10". The Atlanta Constitution. October 25, 1981. Retrieved October 19, 2021 via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Rallying Duke wrecks Tech". The News and Observer. November 1, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Notre Dame unveils 'Small Wonder'". The Vincennes Sun-Commercial. November 8, 1981. Retrieved July 25, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Jackets blow No. 9, tumble to Navy 20–14". The Atlanta Constitution. November 15, 1981. Retrieved July 25, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  11. "After Tech rout, Walker praises Georgia's line". The Palm Beach Post. December 6, 1981. Retrieved October 31, 2023 via Newspapers.com.
  12. "1981 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Schedule and Results". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  13. 2011 Georgia Tech Media Guide Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine . p. 173