What Exactly Is A Keydet?
VMI Visited Atlanta To Earn A Check This Past Weekend , 59-7
Virginia Military Institute is a small school in Lexington Virginia, about a seven hour bus ride from Atlanta. The enrollment is approximately 1500. The Keydets are members of the Southern Conference.
On Saturday they played Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Each party performed according to expectations. Tech got an easy win, got some backup players on the field, some for the first time, some possibly for the only time. Nobody got hurt .
And VMI got their check.
Mission(s) accomplished.
( RamblinSports file photo)
Tech's offense rolled up 572 total yards, while the defense held VMI to 104. Tech ran up a 38-0 halftime lead and then emptied the roster in the second half to give hard-working back -ups some valuable playing time.
Thus some unusual names led the Jackets' reinvigorated rushing attack– Trelain Maddox, Anthony Carrie and Zach Pyron together accounted for 105 yards and four touchdowns. Pyron scored two of those on short runs up the middle.
( photo courtesy of Georgia Tech Athletics)
Yellow Jacket QB Haynes King passed for 275 yards, hitting on 17 of 22 with no interceptions. Zach Pyron and Aaron Philo each went 3 of 5 passing. WR Eric Singleton led Tech with five catches for 105 yards and a score.
Brent Key summed it all up in his post-game remarks by saying "We played a complete game".
He went on to explain that his team's stated goal is always to play their best on every down, no matter the opponent, no matter the situation. This win over VMI was a good example of that philosophy in action.
Key also emphasized the value of getting playing time for so many on the roster , including "...14 or 15 freshmen", for whom experience will mean much if they are pressed into service in the coming weeks.
He downplayed any goal of getting rest for the starters as this game was approaching on the schedule, saying that such a mindset can get you "... in a dogfight in the fourth quarter".
Instead, Tech wanted to execute at such a level that the starters could easily afford to sit while others who have earned playing time get to enjoy that reward. They did.
With the win, Tech moves to 3-1 on the season, with a road game at Louisville next up. Tech sits at 1-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference , one of only two schools with two league games already played ( the other is FSU , at 0-2).
In fact, most teams have yet to open ACC play, including Louisville who is 2-0 in non- conference play.
Tech goes to work this week to begin prep for the Cardinals who are ranked 19th in the country.
And, for what it's worth, the name Keydet is said to be born of a modified pronunciation of the name "cadet", ostensibly from the regional accent of southwest Virginia.
Patrick Conarro
RamblinSports.com
