Ball has learned painful lesson

ATLANTA - Reggie Ball doesn't blame the guy manning the down marker.

Nor does he condemn the scoreboard operator.

Yet Georgia Tech's quarterback will never trust either again.

A year ago Sunday, Ball lost track of the downs in the final seconds with his team trailing rival Georgia by six points.

He spiked the ball to stop the clock on a third-down play - believing the sideline down marker, which read second down. Then he threw the ball away to avoid a sack on fourth down - believing the scoreboard, which read third down.

Turnover.

Game over.

Georgia wins 19-13.

That it came against Georgia and cost Georgia Tech an opportunity to snap a three-game losing streak to the rivals magnifies it.

The Bulldogs routed the Jackets the previous two years.

"In the heat of the moment, you're going off instincts and reactions," Ball said Tuesday. "When you see something ... I don't know. I don't really blame it on myself. I blame it on myself because I should have known it was fourth down but I didn't.

"But it's over with. New year. New game. Hopefully a new outcome."

Ball's chance at vindication comes at 8 p.m. Saturday, when the Bulldogs visit Bobby Dodd Stadium.

He's spent the week answering questions about "Downgate," as has Georgia Tech head coach Chan Gailey and offensive coordinator Patrick Nix.

The mix-up doesn't haunt any of them, but they'll never forget it.

"I think its hung with every one of us for about 350-some days now," said Nix, who calls the plays in Georgia Tech's hurry-up offense. "If it doesn't, something's wrong with you. It will hang with me for most of my life."

A similar mistake was made by Alabama's Ken Stabler in a 1965 game against Tennessee.

"You live and you learn from your mistakes," Nix said. "Your life and your career don't end, but you learn from it. You keep going. I don't think any of us will forget it, but at the same time you, don't dwell on it and you don't let it drive you crazy."

The fourth-down play will hover over the Georgia-Georgia Tech rivalry well beyond Nix's lifetime. Georgia Tech was driving for a potential game-winning score after rallying from a 16-point halftime deficit.

After "Downgate," Gailey resisted altering any of his procedures. Nix still calls the plays in the hurry-up offense. They do not clutter up the play-calling by reminding Ball what down it is.

"This is not easy to say," Gailey said, "but I hope it's a once-in-a-lifetime incident."

A repeat is unlikely as long as Ball is his quarterback. The junior's maturity is obvious this season. He's thrown just eight interceptions compared with 18 last year.

And when pressured, Ball is quick to throw the ball away rather than take the sack. He's gone down only five times this season.

"Experience gives you a boost in big games such as the one that's going to take place on Saturday," Ball said. Teammates "know I'm going to stay cool no matter what. It's going to take something very, very extravagant to get me to start showing emotion."

Reach Adam Van Brimmer at (404) 589-8424 or adam.vanbrimmer@morris.com.