Football ends season on three-game losing streak

The football team concluded the 2006 season on a bittersweet note after losing three consecutive games by three points. The last game, the Gator Bowl, was against the No. 12 ranked West Virginia Mountaineers who used a 21-point third quarter to beat the Jackets 38-35.

Before the game began, there were several other events that impacted the Jackets on their trip to Jacksonville. Before senior quarterback Reggie Ball and senior cornerback Kenny Scott were able to pack their bags for the trip, they were declared academically ineligible for their final game of their respective careers.

On Dec. 30, things went from bad to worse for the Jackets as junior cornerback Jamal Lewis was involved in a car accident that killed the driver of a car that drove the wrong direction down a one-way street. The driver of the vehicle Lewis was in was a Jacksonville police officer and a cousin of Lewis. Lewis escaped the wreck with only a few minor physical injuries.

After all of this, the Jackets had to prepare to play against the Mountaineers in the same stadium where they had lost the ACC championship game to Wake Forest 9-6 in early December. The week before that, the Jackets were toppled by their arch rival Georgia in Athens 15-12.

When the team took the field on New Year's Day, it appeared from the onset that they were ready to put everything that had occurred in the past month and a half behind them. The offense was carried by Junior quarterback Taylor Bennett. Bennett was forced into the role after Ball was declared ineligible, and had only started one other game in his career. This was also a result of Ball being unable to start as he was out for last year's game against Connecticut with viral meningitis. Bennett's only significant playing time this year was against Duke.

With all of this considered, Bennett stepped into his newfound role in a big way. For the game, Bennett completed 19 of 29 passes for 323 yards, three touchdowns and a costly interception at the end of the game. Bennett's 326 passing yards surpassed the previous Tech record of 304 yards that was set by Frank Broyles in the 1945 Orange Bowl.

186 of those passing yards went to Calvin Johnson. It was a career high for Johnson who also had two touchdowns in the game. That total pushed him over the Tech career record for receiving yards with 2,927. The Gator Bowl was a fitting end to Calvin Johnson's career at Tech as he stated that he would forego his senior season and declare for the NFL Draft last week. According to scouts and other NFL analysts, Johnson is likely to be a top five draft pick.

The Jackets offense was also able to pound the ball up the field with the rushing attack led by junior Tashard Choice. Choice set a career record high with his 169 rushing total on 27 carries. He added two scores to that as well, and was a big factor in the game. The West Virginia rushing defense is now ranked No. 13 in the nation to close out the season even after allowing 179 yards to Tech.

Looking ahead to next season, the Jackets return six starters on offense, including four out of five starters on the offensive line. On defense, eight starters will most likely return. Kicker Travis Bell and punter Durant Brooks will also be back.

The Jackets will reload with an incoming freshman class that is ranked in the top ten by rivals.com, including five star prospects running back Jonathan Dwyer, offensive lineman Nick Claytor, and quarterback Steven Threet. Threet and defensive end Derrick Morgan graduated early from high school and enrolled in spring semester classes at Tech.

The 2007 season will begin on Sept. 1 in South Bend, Ind. against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.