Georgia Tech linebacker says opening in Death Valley is a "dream come true"

Clemson will open the season against Georgia Tech on August 29th

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Fri Jul 26 08:27:08 GMT-04:00 2019

For Georgia Tech linebacker David Curry, opening his junior season on the road in Death Valley against the national champs is a dream come true.

Clemson and Georgia Tech will renew their rivalry on Thursday, August 29th, in the inaugural game on the ACC Network. The Network debuts a week earlier and then the Tigers and Yellow Jackets will meet in a matchup between one of the league’s senior coaches in Dabo Swinney and newcomer Geoff Collins of Georgia Tech.

Collins was named as Tech’s head coach after Paul Johnson stepped down following his 11th season. Collins had been the Temple head coach for the past two seasons, leading the Owls to seasons of 7-6 and 8-4. Before that, he was the defensive coordinator at Florida (2015-16) and Mississippi State (2013-14).

His debut won’t be easy, but he’s looking forward to the challenge.

“I mean, it’s exciting,” Collins said. “Anytime you can play such a high-profile game against a great team, it narrows your focus a little bit more throughout the offseason, throughout winter conditioning and even throughout the summer to know you’re going against a program with such great coaches, such great players, and a great environment. It's exciting.”

Curry, a junior who has battled injury problems since arriving on campus in 2015, can’t think of anywhere he’d rather be than Death Valley.

“If you are a competitor, there is nowhere else you would rather be than Death Valley on a Thursday in the opening game against the defending National Champions. It's a dream come true,” Curry said. “I haven't been there since I was a freshman because of injury. That environment is much fun and I can't wait to step into that stadium. I don't buy into all of the hype and this and that. I just think it's another football game and it will be a fun football game, and I think we are going to surprise a lot of people.”

Curry and the Tech defense will have to contend with sophomore quarterback Trevor Lawrence, but Curry played against Lawrence last season and in high school.

“I actually played against him in high school when he was at Cartersville and I was at Buford,” Curry said. “I was a senior and I was a freshman. I was at Buford. We knew he was super talented as a freshman. He is a great player. But I won't say that facing him adds any anticipation to the matchup. No matter who we are playing we are going to be ready to go.”

Curry said that to him, Lawrence is just another player waiting to be sacked.

“I think he's a fantastic player. I think he's one of the best quarterbacks in college football, but to me he is just another quarterback that I am going to try and sack and throw on the ground, you know? I am looking forward to it,” he said.