Clemson-Georgia notes

Posted 8:09AM on Sunday 1st September 2002 ( 22 years ago )

ATHENS - Georgia coach Mark Richt left himself open to a lot of second-guessing with his call on the next-to-last play of the game. Clinging to a 31-28 lead, the Bulldogs faced fourth-and-1 on their own 38 with 40 seconds remaining. Instead of punting, the safe bet since Clemson was out of timeouts, Richt called his last two timeouts and decided to go for it. Fortunately for No. 8 Georgia, the play known as ``Blastoff'' worked. Musa Smith dove over the line for a 2-yard gain that sealed the victory. ``I probably would have punted if we didn't have the timeouts,'' Richt said. ``My initial gut reaction was to punt.'' After thinking it over, the second-year coach changed his mind. ``It looked like about 10 inches. I just felt confident that we could get it,'' Richt said. ``If we didn't make it, the game's not over. They're still not in field goal range.'' Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said he wasn't surprised by Richt's gutsy call. ``To be ranked eighth, you must convert those kind of plays,'' Bowden said. MUSA'S BACK: Georgia running back Musa Smith showed no signs of a groin injury that plagued him most of last season. Smith carried 23 times for 105 yards, hopping right up after taking a big hit that sent him flying through the air near the end of the opening period. ``It felt really good,'' he said. ``I worried about it a little bit, but I was breaking tackles and running hard. It all worked out.'' Smith was able to make only five starts last season. He still finished as the team's second-leading rusher with 548 yards and six touchdowns. CLEMSON NEWCOMERS: The Tigers had new starters at a couple of key positions. Willie Simmons, a graduate student who still has two years of eligibility remaining, made his first start at quarterback after backing up Woody Dantzler the last two seasons. Simmons completed 17-of-37 passes, including a 21-yard touchdown to Kevin Youngblood with just eight seconds left in the first half. He also was intercepted once when he made a poor decision, but his numbers would have been much better if not for two potential touchdown passes that were dropped. Senior Bernard Rambert finally got a chance to start at tailback after playing behind Travis Zachery the last three seasons. Rambert rushed 10 times for only 35 yards, but he did score on a 1-yard run. SHAKY KOPP: Former Georgia punter Wynn Kopp struggled in his return to Sanford Stadium. Kopp, a native of Athens who was Georgia's No. 1 punter in 1998-99, transferred to Clemson in 2000 after the Bulldogs signed Jonathan Kilgo. Kopp averaged 37.3 yards on eight punts and made a critical mistake in the second quarter, setting up a Georgia touchdown. The trouble began when Kopp dropped a snap, then he rushed the kick even though Georgia's rushers had already peeled back to block. The shanked punt traveled only 17 yards, and Thomas Davis brought it back 18 yards to the Clemson 15. Georgia scored three plays later. OPENING NIGHT BLUES: You could tell it was opening night. Several technical glitches marred the first half at Sanford Stadium. A bank of lights went out above the north stands and the play clock flickered on and off at one point. Neither problem was enough to halt the game. Also, the public-address announcer left his mike on between plays several times, mumbling comments that could be heard by the sellout crowd. EXTRA POINTS: Georgia honored former player David Jacobs by having LB Tony Gilbert wear Jacobs' old number, 99. Jacobs was stricken by a stroke last season, ending his playing career. Gilbert didn't get a chance to show off the number for long, hurting an ankle in the first half. He didn't return, but coach Mark Richt said the injury is not believed to be serious. ... During a pregame ceremony, Georgia celebrated the 30th anniversary of the first black players to letter for the Bulldogs. They were running Horace King, tight end Richard Appleby, defensive lineman Chuck Kinnebrew, linebacker Clarence Pope and defensive back Larry West. All entered school in 1971, but freshmen were ineligible to play at that time. All except Pope went on to earn three letters for the Bulldogs.

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