By By JEFF FISHER / Niles Daily Star
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The 2007 Fighting Irish came into the season with three important questions: who will be the starting quarterback, how will the 3-4 personnel group revitalize the Notre Dame defense, and how will they replace several All-Americans.
Those questions are still unanswered as Georgia Tech pounded the Irish, 33-3, in the home opener on Saturday.
Georgia Tech tailback Tashard Choice burned the Irish for 196 yards on 26 totes along with two touchdowns.
"Honestly folks, I did not see this coming. I thought we were good defensively. I did not know that we would be able to run the ball the way we did. I did know that we had a good offensive line coming back," Yellow Jackets head coach Chan Gailey said.
For the first time since Sept. 20, 2003, someone other than Brady Quinn was the quarterback for the Fighting Irish.
Sophomore quarterback Demetrius Jones got the starting nod. Jones was named quarterback because of his running ability, that gave Notre Dame the best chance against the Ramblin' Wreck defense.
Georgia Tech took an early 6-0 lead on two field goals from Travis Bell.
The Yellow Jacket defense began to get at Jones. He went 1-for-3 in passing for four yards and was sacked once.
With five minutes remaining before halftime, Choice rumbled in from 22-yards out to put the visitors up 16-0. The score stood at the break.
Notre Dame made a quarterback change going with junior Evan Sharpley. Sharpley was unable to get anything going as he went 2-for-3 for nine yards and was canned twice in the second quarter.
The Ramblin' Wreck defense finished with nine sacks in the game, including Sharpley seven time.
"They got at us all day with their defense," Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis said.
"Our guys are good blitzers and stunners and were able to get on the edge and get at them," Gailey said.
Bell added another field goal to put the Yellow Jackets up 19-0.
Notre Dame would finally get on the scoreboard when Sharpley connected with tight end John Carlson at the 12-yard line, but the drive would stall out and the Irish would have to settle for a field goal from freshman Brandon Whittaker.
After a 7-yard touchdown from Choice, a 7-yard scamper from Jonathon Dwyer would complete the Georgia Tech scoring.
The Irish would make one more quarterback change, going with heralded freshman Jimmy Clausen. Clausen, who went 4-for-6 for 34-yards and was only sacked once.
"I figured that I would get his feet wet," Weis commented.
Notre Dame travels to Penn State on Saturday.
Georgia Tech 6 10 3 14 – 33
Notre Dame 0 0 3 0 – 3
GT – Travis Bell 32 yd field goal
GT – Bell 29 yd field goal
GT – Bell 40 yd field goal
GT – Tashard Choice 22 yd run (Bell kick)
GT – Bell 39 yd field goal
ND – Walker, Brandon 24 yd field goal
GT – Choice 7 yd run (Bell kick)
GT – Jonathon Dwyer 7 yd run (Bell kick)