University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina To Face Nation's No. 1 Offense
October 8, 1999 | Football
Oct. 8, 1999
By Dave Droschak
The Associated Press
ATLANTA (AP) - It's only natural for the naked eye to gravitate toward the flair of Joe Hamilton.
But Georgia Tech coach George O'Leary will tell you it's his offensive line that has the Yellow Jackets (3-1, 1-1 ACC) scoring at a near Atlantic Coast Conference record-setting clip.
"It is probably a sorely overlooked area because everybody looks at the guy doing it or the guy catching it or the guy running it and forget about the guys who are really doing the job up front," O'Leary said. "I try to spread the wealth really well with them and make sure we understand the job is getting done in the trenches, that's why other people are successful."
The No. 7 Yellow Jackets are averaging 43.5 points and 517.3 yards per game - both tops in the nation - heading into this weekend's game with slumping North Carolina (1-3, 0-3).
Florida State holds the ACC marks for scoring and total offense per game at 48.4 points and 550.7 yards, set in 1995. However, the Yellow Jackets are on a record pace for yards per play, averaging 7.2 yards per play compared the Seminoles' 7.0 average in '93.
"Any time you see a team doing well in either the passing game or the running game I think you have a front line that is playing with great chemistry and a line coach who has them putting hats on people," O'Leary said. "Then, you are able to let your good athletes be good athletes."
The Georgia Tech offense will face a North Carolina defense that has allowed at least 30 points and 413 total yards in each of its last three games.
The Tar Heels will also try to do something they couldn't do last season in Chapel Hill in a 43-21 loss - contain Hamilton. All the senior has done so far in 1999 is complete 71.4 percent of his passes and account for 15 TDs to lead the nation in passing efficiency.
"I don't think you are going to stop Joe Hamilton but you've got to make sure he's not consistently making the big play," said North Carolina coach Carl Torbush. "One thing between him and Peter Warrick, Joe (Hamilton) has his hands on the ball every snap, so he's a threat anytime the center snaps the ball."
Prior to last season, North Carolina had won five of six in the series, including two wins in Atlanta.
