Yellow Jackets’ Lynch reaches milestones
When a football program has been around as Georgia Tech’s, it’s rare that a player gets to experience a first.
That happened for Clinton Lynch on Saturday.
When Lynch caught a 41-yard pass from TaQuon Marshall in the second quarter, it put him over 1,000 yards receiving for his career. That made the senior from Norcross, Ga., the first player in school history to have 1,000 receiving yards and 1,000 rushing yards.
Lynch didn’t try to pretend like he was surprised to learn of his accomplishment. In fact, he had a ear out to listen to the announcement over the stadium loudspeaker.
“I was really listening in for the announcer,” he said. “Once I heard him, say like 40-something … I knew I did it. I had my little moment and went on to the next play.”
Otherwise the day was rather pedestrian for Lynch. The A-back ran three times for 18 yards and didn’t catch another pass. But in a program that has seen dozens of exceptional skill position players come through the system, Lynch has carved out his own niche in Georgia Tech lore.
“I’m really just in awe about that,” Lynch said. “I’m the first one to do it. It hasn’t hit me yet. It’s weird. I’m just taking the emotion as best I can.”
Georgia Tech (2-3, 0-2 ACC) plays at Louisville (2-3, 0-2) on Friday night.
Consistency has been a hallmark of Lynch’s career. After being redshirt in 2014, he had 457 rushing yards and 273 receiving yards in 2015. He ran for 415 in 2016 — averaging 11.2 yards per carry — and had 490 in receptions. Last season, despite not being healthy until late in the year, he rushed for 209 and had 43 receiving.
This season he’s only rushed 10 times for 62 yards and has seven receptions for 209 yards.
“I’m happy for Clinton,” coach Paul Johnson said. “He’s a good player and he’s been consistent. If there’s one guy that always seems to be around the big play, it’s Clinton. He seems to be in the right spot at the right time and if he’s there, he makes the play.”
The closest anyone has come to doing the 1,000-yard feat was Jerry Mays, who played from 1985-89. He had 869 receiving yards and 3,699 rushing yards, second on the school’s all-time list. Robert Lavette had 862 yards passing and 4,066 yards rushing, the school’s all-time leader.