COLLEGE FOOTBALL Kemble finally gets his chance

The offensive tackle for Georgia Tech is looking for a strong finish in the Seattle Bowl under a new coach.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
The Georgia Tech football team is in the doldrums right now after losing its last two games and also its football coach.
But Jason Kemble of Canfield, a starting offensive right tackle for the Yellow Jackets, has confidence in the leadership ability of interim coach Mac MacWhorter, who will replace George O'Leary in the upcoming Seattle Bowl.
Kemble should know. The new coach has been Georgia Tech's and Kemble's offensive line mentor for the last two seasons under O'Leary, who left as coach after the last game about two weeks ago for the Notre Dame coaching job.
O'Leary was fired by the Irish one week after taking the job because he lied about his academic and coaching credentials.
Respected: "I think the players all respect [MacWhorter]," said Kemble (6-foot-4, 305 pounds), a fifth-year senior who had been a second-string performer since his second year at the college but became a starter this year.
"He comes to practice every day and tries to make us work and tries to have fun," Kemble said. "He has been a coach a long time. He understands the game and our offenses and defenses."
However, Kemble, who is looking to make the most of his final college game, admitted, "Obviously, when you lose your head coach it is going to affect the team, but we are going to run the same offense and defense and also the same schemes. And the rest of the coaches will be here, so I think it will be about the same."
Comeback mode: Georgia Tech also will try to recover from back-to-back losses to Georgia and Florida State that dropped the Yellow Jackets to 7-5, when it plays Stanford (9-2) at 4 p.m. on Dec. 27 in Seattle, Wash. The game will be televised on ESPN.
"We lost our last two games to finish on a low note," said Kemble. "We had a little time off and some rest, and we will come out and play hard."
Kemble said he played very little before this year.
"I was playing behind a couple of good offensive tackles the last couple of years. They have been around for a while," said Kemble. "I was pretty much waiting my chance, and finally got it this year."
Seasoned: His experience and the fact that he formerly played tight end have helped him at offensive tackle, he said.
"I just graduated this past Saturday, and being matured and experienced and understanding the game of football [have] helped me," said Kemble. "I was a tight end in high school and my first year here, so I think my footwork may be lot better than a lot of linemen's."
The son of Gary and Margie Kemble, Jason is majoring in management with a minor in information technology and has a 2.4 grade-point average.
Kemble's coach at Canfield was Tony Ross, who helped him get to Georgia Tech after he and Ross reviewed various colleges within a 12-hour driving time.
"I took an official visit down here and just loved the atmosphere [in Atlanta]," said Kemble. "What really sold me was the academics at the school and atmosphere of the team, how they got along together."
Kemble would like a shot at playing professional football.
"I'd really like to have a chance to [play in the NFL]," said Kemble. "If I get the opportunity, I'd really like to try out. If I don't get drafted, then I'll try to get a tryout."
kovach@vindy.com