Technical Tidbits 12/14: Yellow Jacket Freshmen, Alumnus Get Big Honors

Cade will be out of the office the rest of the week, so y’all are stuck with me the next three days.

The Georgia Tech freshmen class picked up a couple more honors yesterday, as first-year players Dedrick Mills and Parker Braun both earned Honorable Mention on Campus Insider’s 2016 Freshmen All-American list. This list is much more extensive than the ESPN list Braun was named to on Monday, featuring a two full teams in addition to a number of honorable mentions, but is still quite the honor and well deserved for both. As a whole the ACC is well represented, with 6 freshmen earning First Team honors, led by Miami’s WR Ahmmon Richards and LB Shaq Quarterman. Three ACC players made Second Team, while 14 (including our two Yellow Jackets) were Honorable Mentions. Another notable freshmen to make the list is Kentucky’s RB Benny Snell, Jr. (Second Team), who the Yellow Jacket defense will have to contain in the bowl game.

A former Yellow Jacket had his name in the news recently for all the right reasons. Last week the NFL announced the 32 nominees for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, with Georgia Tech alumnus Jeremiah Attaochu as the representative from the San Diego Chargers. The award was established in 1970 and seeks to recognize an NFL player who has had a significant positive impact on and off the field. Attaochu was nominated by the Chargers for his charitable work; chiefly his work to raise awareness and support for those suffering from Sickle Cell Disease through his organization, Glory’s Hope Sickle Cell Foundation. This is a big honor for Attaochu and it is really neat to see a Yellow Jacket great recognized for his off-field excellence. The winner of the Man of the Year Award will be announced on February 4th during the NFL Honors Ceremony.

In non-Tech news, things took a turn for the bizarre in Winston-Salem yesterday.

One month ago, on November 12th, Louisville came from behind in the 4th quarter to beat Wake Forest 44-12. After the game, Wake’s Head Coach, Dave Clawson, made some comments suggesting that the Cardinals may have had the Deacons’ game plan. Louisville coach Bobby Petrino denied any knowledge of the situation but Wake started an investigation regardless. Yesterday, the results of that investigation were released and the Deacons found a mole. According to the report, radio color commentator Tommy Elrod “provided or attempted to provide confidential and proprietary game preparations on multiple occasions, starting in 2014.” Elrod, who has been dismissed from his commentator role, actually played for Wake Forest and spent over a decade coaching for the team under former Head Coach Jim Grobe. When Clawson took over the program, he decided not to retain Elrod, which led to Elrod’s move to the broadcast booth. This just leads to a whole host of jokes and questions.

• Why? What was the point? Simple revenge for not being kept on staff by Clawson?
• Do all radio announcers get full access to game plans?
• How many teams did Elrod offer this to? How many accepted it? Did any turn it down?
• Did any opposing coach let Wake Forest know their color guy was giving away secrets?
• Why did people need inside info to beat Wake Forest?
• Did Elrod not give Louisville the information until the fourth quarter?
• Is Paul Johnson right to say that this happens more often than we think?
• Have leaked game plans been all that’s kept Wake Forest from becoming an ACC juggernaut?
• Has there ever been a better hashtag than #wakeyleaks?

Stay weird, Wake Forest.