- A. J. Suggs
Aaron Joseph 'A.J.' Suggs (born
December 8 ,1980 ) was the startingquarterback forGeorgia Tech in the2002 season, and for theUniversity of Tennessee during portions of the2000 season. Suggs went toMcEachern High School and graduated from Georgia Tech with a B.S. degree from the College of Management in2004 .High school
Suggs was a 4 year starter at
McEachern High School inPowder Springs, GA . Suggs earned many honors including All-State, All-Region, All-District and AP Player of the Year for the state of Georgia. After his senior season, he was named to the "SuperPrep"All-American team. [http://ramblinwreck.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/suggs_aj00.html Official profile] ]College
Suggs started his career at the
University of Tennessee . He was given aredshirt season in 1999. In 2000 he started four games for the Volunteers and played in three others, completing 53.8 percent of his passes for 785 yards, with 5touchdown s and 3 interceptions. He was initially sharing playing time withJoey Mathews but both ultimately lost out tofreshman Casey Clausen .cite news | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9903E4DA103BF930A35752C0A9679C8B63 | title= COLLEGES: FOOTBALL; Tennessee's Suggs To Join Georgia Tech | publisher=New York Times | date=January 3 2001 | accessdate=2007-02-26] cite news|first=Ryan|last=Peck|url=http://www.nique.net/issues/2002-08-30/sports/4|title=Battle-tested Suggs comes back home to Georgia Tech|work=The Technique |date=2002-08-30|accessdate=2007-02-26]He transferred to Georgia Tech in 2001 and ushered in the new
Chan Gailey regime, being the first skill position player to play for Gailey who was not recruited by previous coachGeorge O'Leary . Due to eligibility transfer rules, he had to sit out the 2001 season. During that time, he apprenticed under former star quarterbackGeorge Godsey and eventual Delaware transfer Andy Hall.In 2002, Suggs posted a 7-6 record as a starter, throwing 12 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, 2,142 passing yards, and completed 57.3% of his passes. Suggs's last start was in 2002 against
Fresno State University in theSilicon Valley Bowl . He was taken out of the game in favor ofredshirt freshman Damarius Bilbo . [http://www.fansonly.com/schools/geot/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/123102aab.html Suggs benched in Silicon Valley Classic] ]Suggs's most notable game was a victory on
November 2 ,2002 inRaleigh, North Carolina . Georgia Tech was 5-3 headed to face a 9-0 N.C. State squad lead by All-AmericanPhilip Rivers . Suggs led the Jackets past N.C. State in a dramatic fourth quarter rally that ended Rivers' Heisman hopes and N.C. State's national title run.cite news|first=Scott|last=Kretschmann|url=http://www.nique.net/issues/2002-11-08/sports/1|title=Tech outscores NC State in final period to end No. 8 Wolfpack's bid for an undefeated season|work=The Technique |date=2002-11-08|accessdate=2007-02-26] Suggs passed for 211 yards and a touchdown in the victory. [http://www.fansonly.com/schools/geot/sports/m-footbl/recaps/110202aaa.html Jackets Rally Past Wolfpack] ]Suggs lost the starting job in 2003 to a true freshman quarterback from Stone Mountain named
Reggie Ball . Ball would start every game but two for the next four years. Suggs's main playing time as a senior in 2003 came in a loss to Georgia after Ball was injured and a rout of Tulsa in theHumanitarian Bowl .ee also
*
List of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Starting Quarterbacks
*Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets References
External links
* [http://ramblinwreck.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/suggs_aj00.html Official profile]
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