Before the end of the season, Georgia Tech players voted for permanent captains for the 2020 team, but the selections were not announced at the time. The players chosen were defensive tackle Djimon Brooks, linebacker David Curry, right guard Ryan Johnson and left tackle Zach Quinney, a team spokesman informed the AJC this week.
In being chosen, David Curry earned a place in Yellow Jackets history. Curry became the first non-quarterback to be named a captain of more than one team in almost 30 years.
While three quarterbacks during former coach Paul Johnson’s tenure were voted to be team captains in multiple years – Joshua Nesbitt, Justin Thomas and TaQuon Marshall – it’s been more rare for players at other positions. The most recent was Steve Pharr, who captained the 1991 and 1992 teams as a linebacker and defensive tackle.
Curry, who led Tech in tackles in each of the past two seasons, has joined select company among non-quarterbacks. Besides Pharr, other former Jackets to have captained more than one team include offensive tackle David Lutz (1981-82), who played 13 NFL seasons, linebacker Lucius Sanford (1976-77), who was an All-American in 1977 before his 10-year NFL career, and defensive tackle Rock Perdoni (1969-70), a consensus All-American in 1970 before playing in the CFL.
Brooks’ election is likewise of significance. He is the first former walk-on to be voted a captain since running back P.J. Daniels in 2005. After enrolling and redshirting in 2016, Brooks played one game in his first two seasons before he earned a spot in the playing rotation as a junior and then started eight games this season. While Brooks is a senior, he is expected to return with the extra season of eligibility granted to all fall-sports athletes.
Like Curry last season, Quinney joins a small group of players who have been voted captains as non-seniors. Quinney finished his third season as a starter and has started 34 consecutive games.
Johnson became the third grad transfer to be named a captain, following tight end Tyler Davis and offensive tackle Jared Southers last year. Johnson has announced his intentions to return for a second senior season.
