Friday, December 31
Moss may give Tech another nightmare
Associated Press
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- At least Georgia Tech no longer has to
face Peter Warrick, the All-American receiver from Florida State
who ran circles around Tech's fresh-faced defense in a devastating
loss back in September.
That doesn't mean the Yellow Jackets are in for a bargain in the
Gator Bowl.
Next up is Santana Moss, the explosive flanker for No. 23 Miami
who has drawn comparisons to Warrick, no matter how hard he tries
to avoid them.
"He has things he can do that I can't, and I have mine that he
can't do," Moss said. "I just think we're both great athletes and
good receivers."
Still, the comparisons are difficult to ignore. Both have the
same terrifying speed. Both are exceptionally elusive in the open
field. Both are a threat to score any time the ball floats in their
direction, either on a pass or a punt.
The 17th-ranked Yellow Jackets can only hope the results aren't
the same.
"I think he has the potential to be as good or better than
Warrick, if he's not already," Hurricanes quarterback Ken Dorsey
said, referring to Moss. Dorsey started the final three games for
Miami (8-4) and will share time with Kenny Kelly on New Year's Day.
"Just to do some of the things he's done is beyond
imagination," he said. "If you get the ball near him, no matter
where it is, he'll go get it."
That can't be good news for the Yellow Jackets (8-3), whose
defense has given up 30.3 points a game, four times yielding at
least 40 points.
Four opponents had 290 yards passing or more, and four of them
connected on touchdown passes of at least 40 yards.
Moss, a 5-foot-10 junior from Miami, must be licking his chops
at the opportunities that await. The Gator Bowl has all the makings
of a shootout, and Moss is perhaps the most dangerous weapon for
the Hurricanes.
"We're not going to take these guys lightly just because they
give up 30 points a game," Moss said. "You've got to go out there
and take them like they have a swarming defense that doesn't give
up anything."
A diplomatic answer, indeed, but nothing close to reality.
The greatest assault on Tech's young defense -- eight starters
are either freshmen or sophomores -- came in the third game of the
season when Warrick nearly single-handedly destroyed Georgia Tech's
hopes in a 45-38 victory.
He turned short passes into big gains, caught passes behind the
secondary and ran through the defense on a 17-yard touchdown
scramble after lining up at quarterback.
Moss isn't likely to play quarterback, but the threat is no
different.
"It's the speed," Tech cornerback Travares Tillman said. "His
overall speed is great and that's going to give any defender
problems. He makes good cuts. He's just a complete receiver."
But is he another Warrick? Georgia Tech coach George O'Leary
isn't so sure, raising his eyebrow when Warrick-Moss comparisons
were broached.
"Peter Warrick was probably the most exciting player in the
country, the best open-field player in the country," O'Leary said.
"I think Santana Moss is a very, very good player. But I think
Peter Warrick is in a class by his own."
Moss can do without the comparisons, not to mention the talk
about him being a Heisman Trophy candidate next year.
"I'd advise people not to put me on those early lists because
I'm not thinking about it," Moss said. "I'm not worried about it.
I'm just going to go out there and have a great summer workout and
have a great offseason training and work my behind off, because I
know this is my last time to do my thing."
Moss can break away at almost any time. He did it against Ohio
State with an 80-yard touchdown catch in the first game of the
year. He nearly did it to Florida State with another 80-yard TD
that kept the Hurricanes close before a 31-21 loss.
His 1,798 yards receiving place him third on the career list at
receiver-rich Miami. He also has returned two punts for touchdowns
this year.
Before he goes to work on his final season, Moss has one game
left this year to "do my thing" in a game that figures to feature
one big play after another. While Georgia Tech has a Swiss-cheese defense, it led the NCAA in total offense.
"I think everyone predicts that, but we're not looking at it
that way," said Moss, whose Hurricanes are playing in their first
New Year's Day bowl game since 1995. "We just want to win, no
matter how hard it comes or if it's got to be high scoring."
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