What is the “Basic Tech Football” page?

The basic Tech football page will consist of all articles outside of previews and recaps. It will also include links to Tech articles around the internet.

Andrew Gardner Out For The Year

Incase anybody hasn’t heard, Tech’s top offensive lineman is out for the year.

Gardner has been playing with a torn Labrum in his shoulder the entire year. He has twice won ACC offensive lineman of the year.

What a loss for the Jackets. Gardner is the backside tackle and leader for this offensive line. Although the backside tackle doesn’t matter as much in this offense, it’s still a big loss.

Gardner should be ready for the 2009 NFL Draft combine.

A First Half “Rewind,” A Second Half Look Ahead

No (exact) Statistics. No (current) Articles. No Research.

This is going to be an article without any outside resources. Just giving exactly what I think about the first half of the season, and a look ahead into the second half of the season. Enjoy.

6-1. How many people around the nation were predicting that for the Jackets at this point in the season. One of the previews I read, from S.I. I believe, had Tech going 3-9, and 1-7 in the ACC. What!? Tech hasn’t been that bad for a long, long time. Nobody thought Paul Johnson and Co. could get their system implemented this quickly. Well, here we are.

Tech is ranked 21st in the AP poll, and 18th in the BCS. The Jackets are atop the ACC Coastal, standing at 3-1 in the conference. Virginia Tech is 2-1, and they have the tiebreaker. So basically, as of now, we are only in first because we have played more ACC games than the Hokies.  So what’s that say for the end of the season? We’ll look into that, later.

Below is a brief recap of the first half of the season, including the Clemson game.

Best offensive player thus far:
Jonathan Dwyer, B Back. Dwyer is averaging just below 100 yards per game, and is averaging just over six yards per carry. I believe he has found the end zone five times. If only I was looking up the stats… Anyway, Dwyer has been the go to guy so far thus season. He has put the team on his back many times, and proved he is the prototypical B-Back. Look for that to continue.

Others Considered: Andrew Gardner, Josh Nesbitt, Demaryius Thomas

Offensive player we can’t afford to not have:
Josh Nesbitt, Quarterback. You’ve seen what happens. Jaybo did a great job vs Duke and Miss St., but it just feels right when Nesbitt is under center. He makes play after play using both his feet and his arm. The players feel they have a better chance to win with #9 in, as do the fans.

Others Considered: Jonathan Dwyer, Andrew Gardner

Offensive Surprise of the year
Demaryius Thomas, WR. No, this doesn’t mean Bebe was never considered talented. Any true Tech fan could have told you that from watching him in scrimmages, and games last year. I just don’t think anyone expected him to have as much production as he has thus far. He’s made some big plays this far, and we need that to continue.

Others Considered: How well the offense has clicked, The Line (in a good way)

Defensive Player of the year:
Morgan Burnett, Rover. Talk about a tough decision to make. I just had to put Burnett in here. He is a ball hawk. He is a very good tackler, and has a knack for making big plays. He is tied for the lead nationally in interceptions, and is sure to re-write Tech’s record books. He should be an All-American at least next year

Others Considered: Michael Johnson, Darryl Richard, Vance Walker, Derrick Morgan, Wow

Defensive Player we can’t afford to not have:
Michael Johnson, DE. One, he is a freak athletically. Two, he makes plays. Three, he gets the whole team fired up. Four, he will be a top five draft pick in the NFL. Five, he is the leader of the defense.

Others Considered: Morgan Burnett, Darryl Richard, Vance Walker

Defensive surprise of the year:
Secondary. If I remember correctly, we have 12 interceptions. Just a guess, but that has to be around the top in the nation, if not first. Jahi Word-Daniels has been a different player than last year. Great Tackler, good coverage thus far. Mario Butler has stepped into the starting role wonderfully. Cooper Taylor and Dominique Reese have done a great job sharing FS duty. Burnett, see above.

Biggest win of the year:
Mississippi State. An Out of Conference game is the biggest win so far? Yes. Why? It gave the team confidence along with the fans. We absolutely drummed an SEC opponent.

Other Games Considered: Boston College

Worst(Only) loss of the year:
Virginia Tech. Not much to choose from here, thankfully. And should we have won? Yes. Are we a better team than VT? Yes. Was that call on Cooper Taylor terrible? Yes.

Worst Win of the year:
Gardner Webb. No Comment.

Satisfied with the first half of the season? Check

SECOND HALF LOOK AHEAD

So after the Clemson win, we made a splash in the BCS rankings, debuting as 18. We are the highest ranked team in both the AP, Coaches, and BCS polls. Where do we go now?

In order to win the ACC Coastal, we need Virginia Tech to lose one more game, and for us to win out. Seeing as VT has FSU coming up this week, I think we can count on that. Heck, VT might even lose two more ACC games, but we can’t count on that. We need to do our part.

We can really make a statement by handling Virginia at home this weekend. It will keep us on top in the ACC Coastal, and send a message to teams we play later on. It’s homecoming, expect a win.

We get lucky that Florida State and Miami both come to Bobby Dodd. Don’t let Miami fool you, they are just a handful of points from being undefeated in the ACC. They’re talented. Luckily, we’ve had their number as of late. Hopefully CPJ can continue that trend.

Before we focus on Miami, the ‘Noles will be rolling in town after the UVA game. The Talahasee crew is led by senior RB Antoine Smith, who has finally burst onto the scene. They have a good defense. This is going to be a huge game, assuming we take care of business vs UVA. It was a heated rivalry before the ACC split into two dvisions, and we saw Tech lose a lot of heartbreakers down south. Hopefully CPJ can return the favor. A blowout would be nice too.

Then we go up to play the Heels. The Heels are already going crazy about basketball season. Maybe they’ll have a scrimmage or something that day. Anyway, they seemed to have lost their pop when star Brandon Tate tore his ACL, and was dubbed with the title ‘out for the season.’ Tough. Maybe that will happen to Hansborough. Just kidding. Maybe.  Anyway, UNC most likely dropped themselves out of ACC contention with a heart breaking loss to UVA in overtime. Their offense showed no spark, and their D laid down when it counted. Playing up in NC is not easy though, and we need to come ready to play, after we pulled off a close win last year.

Then the South Beach-ers roll in. That has been a great series of late. They are athletic as always. They have two quarterbacks, but it is no two-headed monster. In fact, Neither of them are that good. Michael Johnson might end Jacory Harris’ season. He is skinny, and tries to make too much happen with his feet. Of course he torched Duke with 4 TD’s. That was duke though.

Then it’s back to Clean Old Fashioned Hate. I’m not going to give a preview of that on here yet. Who knows what to expect yet, but I do think it will come down to the wire.

So for the predictions?

Second Half Breakout Players

Offense: Roddy Jones. Expect him to start getting more pitches as teams key in on Nesbitt, Thomas and Dwyer. He has the ability to take them down the sideline. Hopefully he’ll provide a spark.

Defense: Brad Jefferson. He was having a good season, but then got injured. Expect him to go back to old ways (beginning of the season.) Gladiator is a fast and strong backer, he should be making plays every game.

Game Predictions: I honestly think we will win out in the ACC. No joke. I think the defense is definitely tops in the ACC, and I think the offense will only get better. Having said that, I think each game is going to be tough. Luckily three out of four are at home. If we come fired up, there is no reason we can’t win them all.

I think VT will actually lose two more ACC games. I just don’t think they are that good. Look for us to be in the ACC championship come early December.

As for the UGA game, No Preview Needed…yet. That should be one hell of a football game. I think we will be 10-1 heading into it, with a chance to Shock Athens, and the rest of the College football nation.

Go Jackets.

JE

ACC Power Rankings through 5/6 Games

Even though It’s not midseason yet, I thought I would go ahead and do my midseason power rankings for the ACC. It’s probably not the brightest idea to do this right before another week, and already one ACC game played last night, but anyway…

I never published my preseason power rankings, but I did write a draft. Below are the preaseason rankings.

1.) Clemson
2.) Virginia Tech
3.) Wake Forest
4.) Florida State
5.) Georgia Tech
6.) UNC
7.) Miami
8.) Boston College
9.) Maryland
10.) NC State
11.) Virginia
12.) Duke

In General, except for a few teams, my preseason rankings were pretty decent. Below are the midseason power rankings, with a little explanation for each.

1.) Wake Forest, 4-1, (2-0)
Fresh off the defeat of Clemson last night, Wake Forest grabs the number one spot in my power rankings. They are the clear cut favorites in the ACC Atlantic now, sitting at 2-0. Not only are they 2-0, they have beaten Clemson and FSU, the two teams thought to be battling them out for the crown. They rank sixth in the ACC in offense, and fourth in defense.

2.) Florida State, 4-1, (1-1)
Rank first in the ACC in total offense, and second in defense. Couldn’t get anything going on against Wake, but held on for a big win against Miami this past weekend. Antoine Smith finally looks like the player he was supposed to be coming out of high school. They are off this week before traveling to NC State

3.) Georgia Tech, 4-1, (2-1)
Before anyone starts to complain, yes, I know Virginia Tech beat us. These are power rankings, and standings have no direct effect on these. It’s ranked by who I think is a better team. If we played VT again, do I think we would beat them, yes, without a doubt. We rank second in total offense, and third in total defense. We get a chance to show how good we are when we travel upto Clemson in two weeks. Even though they are playing below par right now, they still have talent. Back to Tech, I still think we have a legitimate shot to win the ACC coastal. We would have a better shot if the Tar Heels didn’t choke against Virginia Tech..

4.) Virginia Tech, 5-1, (2-0)
They have slipped through the cracks against us and UNC. They deserved to lose both games. Beamer is a great coach, and had a big impact in both of those wins. Tyrod Taylor is looking better and better. I think they’ll lose twice in the ACC, giving a couple other teams a chance to take reign of the Coastal. They’ve made it tough by beating their toughest two competitors.

5.) North Carolina, 4-1. (1-1)
We fill find out a lot about UNC tomorrow at 3:30. The heels play host to Notre Dame, led by sophomore phenom Jimmy Clausen. UNC’s do it all man Brandon Tate is exciting to watch, but I don’t think they have a go-to back just yet. Davis has this program on the rise. Jimmy Clausen is much better than his brothers, that could spell defeat for the Heels…

6.) Boston College, 4-1. (1-1)
We are the only team to defeat Boston College thus far, and we could be in trouble if we hadn’t won that game. Chris Crane is starting to look at least a little bit like Matt Ryan. He will never be on the level as Ryan, but he can lead BC to a decent bowl. According to the stats, they have the fourth best offense in the ACC, while they have the second best defense. Stats don’t lie on this one, BC is for real. Next week they play host to Virginia Tech. Georgia Tech fans, keep an eye on that, it could be a big one

7.) Clemson, 3-3, (1-2)
I still think Clemson has the potential to beat any team in the ACC, and even some of the best in the nation. If Cullen Harper, James Davis, CJ Spiller and Aaron Kelly ever decide to click one game, watch out. Hopefully that won’t be next saturday. Bowden is probably gone sooner rather than later. He couldn’t ask for more talent on the offensive side of the ball

8.) Maryland, 4-2, (1-1)
Same thing with us and Virginia Tech. Maryland beat Clemson, but I think they are a better football team. One thing is for sure, Maryland is a complete mystery. They barely beat Delaware, get beat lose to Middle Tennessee, Beat Cal, Eastern Michigan and Clemson, and then get destroyed by UVA. Does that even make sense?  That Means the ACC rankings after 5 are sort of a toss up.

9.) Miami (FL), 2-3, (0-2)
Probably not what Randy Shannon was looking for in his second year. He is a good coach, a good guy, and probably doesn’t deserve all the disciplining he always has to take care of. I think he has this program on the rise. That doesn’t explain their ranking, but I think they are better than Duke, UVA and NC State.

10.) Duke, 3-2. (1-1)
This is surprising. Duke isn’t at the bottom of the ACC power rankings. Tech Dominated them though, and they aren’t as good as advertised. That being said, Cutcliff will make them a legitimate contender in a couple of more years, and Thaddeus Lewis and Eron Riley are a good 1-2 punch on offense. Just like every QB, Lewis has improved under Cutcliffe. Should be even better next year, as a Senior.

11.) Virginia, 2-3, (1-1)
Talk about a mystery. They get smashed by Duke, and then Hammer Maryland. Groh’s job is definitely in question.

12.) NC State, 2-4, (0-2)
Goodbye Duke, Hello NC State. Wolfpack fans are just hoping Philip Rivers can somehow get back into an NC State uniform. Tom O’Brien is a good coach, but he has a lot of work to do.

That’s all for now,

JE

In My Opinion, Tech’s Best 8 Players

Note: These are NOT in any order, just who I think are overall, Tech’s best seven

Andrew Gardner, Left Tackle #64, 6′6″, 305 pounds
Why He’s on here:Far and away Tech’s best offensive lineman, and arguably the best in the Conference. Gardner has held down that left tackle position since day one. Has been an All-ACC performer, and he has a shot to be an All American in 2008. Already named the ACC-offensive lineman in week 1, and should receive that honor plenty more times this year

Darryl Richard, Defensive Tackle #95, 6′4″, 290 pounds
One thing I love about Darryl Richard is how he plays the entire line of scrimmage. Countless number of times, I have seen Darryl make plays that were made ten, even fifteen yards away from the original ball spot. He has a motor that doesn’t quit. Really knows the position well, and always eager to learn. Will disrupt defenses all year, which should lead him to be a first day draft pick. He is definitely the leader of the defense.

Jonathan Dwyer, B-Back #21, 6′0″, 228 pounds
Did you see Dwyer vs Jax St? Yeah, It’s Jax St, but still… He fits the B-Back mold perfectly. He’s strong, fast, and knows how to lower the shoulder. He showed he can run up the gut (29 yard TD) and the QB B-back option (21 yard TD). He’s only going to get better in the offense, and should amass well over 1000 yards in each of his three seasons remaining. He is the premier back.

Morgan Burnett, Rover/Safety #1, 6′1″, 198 pounds
It’s simple, he can play. He has the brain to be a great safety, as well as the athleticism. He is a ball-hawk, and is in on just about every play. Tech will be very lucky if he stays for his senior year, because he has potential to be a first rounder in the 2010 draft. He gets it done, period.

Michael Johnson, DE #93, 6′7″, 260 pounds
I don’t know why I heard so many people talking about why Michael didn’t get any pressure on Perriloux, and thought his draft stock was already slipping. One, he left the game early, and two, they doubled him most of the night, using six offensive linemen, while we brought 4 on 80 percent of the plays. Onto his game… He’s an athletic freak. He’s 6′7″, 260 and can run in the high 4.5’s. He will be in QB’s heads all season. Every QB is thinking “where is 93?” on just about every play. He should be a top 10 pick in the draft, and he deserves it. A Humbled leader

Josh Nesbitt, QB #9, 6′1″, 214 pounds.
Some might be surprised by this selection, but you really shouldn’t be. Josh is the perfect mold to run the option-oriented offense, and will only get better as time goes on. He runs in the 4.5’s, and can throw the ball harder than any of Tech’s past five or so quarterbacks. He still needs accuracy work, but the arm strength is there. I’ve seen him throw bullets across the middle, and catching one of them would not be easy. He is adapting well to the offense, and looks like he is becoming a leader as well. He will be leading this offense for three more years, so get used to see him piling up the stats. Definitely in the top eight

Vance Walker, DT #99, 6′2″. 293 pounds.
A returning Rivals All-American, and an SI preseason All- American, and he still doesn’t enough respect. He plays the whole line of scrimmage like Richard, and is also a good leader. He is unbelievable off the snap, and is great at getting in the backfield, shown by his 8.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. He should definitely be a day one draft pick, and most likely late first round, or early second. Without him, the D-line would not be the same.

Derrick Morgan, DE #91, 6′4″, 270 pounds.
Had his coming out party against Jax St, displaying a great combination of speed and power, and nose for the ball. Had two sacks, and was in on many plays. It shouldn’t be a surprise Tech’s whole defensive line is on here, either. Morgan is a great fourth piece to the puzzle. He will be an All-ACC player someday, and possibly an All-American. He has not come close to reaching his potential yet. He and the three other D-line starters should make for one of the best in Tech history.

Let me know what you guys think,

JE

2008 Tech Predictions:

So here they are, my predictions, maybe they will be all right, maybe they will be all wrong, who knows

Note: I am usually biased when picking the outcome of Tech football games, and will do my best not to be

August 28th, Georgia Tech vs Jacksonville State, 7:30 PM
So They have Ryan Perriloux, and it’s also the first time the new Triple Option offense will be tested, but who cares, it’s Jacksonville State. I don’t buy anything about Ryan Perriloux running and throwing all over us. One, we have an amazing defensive line, while their offensive line is not very good. Two, our Offensive line should dominate their defensive line, and we should average 5+ yards per carry. Anyway…
The Prediction, Georgia Tech, 38, Jacksonville State, 10

September 6th, Georgia Tech AT Boston College, 12:00 PM
Boston College was very good last year, mainly because Matt Ryan. Well, he’s gone now, along with their starting running back, and top two receivers. Their offense will be suspect, and Crane (QB) will just be getting his feet wet when Tech visits Massachusetts. He doesn’t have too much star power around him either, as they return six starters(one won’t even start this year) on the offensive side of the ball, although their line should be pretty good. Their defense has the potential to be good, but potential is a key word.
The Prediction, Georgia Tech 17, Boston College 14 (Not even being biased)

Septermber 13th, Georgia Tech AT Virginia Tech, 3:30 PM
This one will be very tough to win. First off, winning in Lane Stadium is a rarity, except for 06 when we smashed them. Anyway, VT has never been known for their offense since Vick (Mike) left, and that won’t change. Their line is good, but their WR core is awful, Glennon is a version of Reggie Ball, and who knows about Tyrod Taylor. Their running back is Kenny Lewis, and he should be alright. That being said, there defense is downright nasty. They do have to replace the losses of Backers Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi, but they should be able to do that without a huge dropoff, as they have two seniors and a junior starting. Their secondary is tops in the ACC, in my opinion, led by CB Victor “Macho” Harris. The others aren’t too well known, but they are all athletic, and all playmakers, especially Kam Chancellor. In all honestly, I don’t see us getting blown out, if we can stop the run well, we will have a shot, because their passing game will be terrible.
The Prediction: Georgia Tech 10, Virginia Tech 13

September 20th, Georgia Tech Vs Mississippi State, TBA
This could be the biggest game of the year for the Jackets. Yes, I am aware it is an out of conference game, but it could be a deciding factor on whether we go to a bowl or not. According to my predictions, we will be 2-1 going into this. Do we spring ahead to 3-1, or drop to .500? Onto scouting, Missippi State could have a very good offense, but it’s probable they won’t. (Does that make any sense?) Their running game should be dangerously good, but they need QB Wesley Carroll to run the west coast offense well. His receivers are question marks. They return two starters on the line, but one will probably drop back to second string. On defens they return eight starters, and they are led by star safety, Derek Pegues. Pegues was All-SEC last year in only his first year at FS. It will be very tough to pass on them, considering they return all 4 secondary starters. Hey, good thing we run the triple option. They return their 2 DT’s, each weigh over 300 pounds, but their D ends are huge question marks. Three new linebackers are starting as well. This one should come down to the last three minutes or so.
The Prediction, Georgia Tech 24, Mississippi State 21

October 4th, Georgia Tech vs Duke, TBA
Duke finally made a smart move by bringing in David Cutcliffe, and I think they’ll be pretty good in a couple of years, but not yet. They do have a pretty good tandem with Thaddeus Lewis throwing to Eron Riley, both who are athletic and make plays. Their offensive line is decent too, but their running backs look like a couple of high schoolers. Their linebackers are good, but their secondary and D-lines are both awful. If Techd didn’t have a bye week the week before, this one could be kind of close, but not with a bye
The Prediction, Georgia Tech 31, Duke 10

October 11th, Georgia Tech vs Gardner Webb, TBA
Can’t really ask for anything more than duke followed by Gardner Webb. To be completely honest, I don’t know a thing about Gardner Webb, so, IF ANYONE DOES, email me or post a comment, I’ll put it in there. On that note,
The Prediction, Georgia Tech 38, Gardner Webb 7

October 18th, Georgia Tech AT Clemson, TBA
This game could be the toughest of the year, even tougher than Georgia. In my opinion, Clemson is a National Champion dark horse. They have the best QB, and ACC preseason player of the year, Cullen Harper, the best running back tandem in the ACC, and quite possibly the nation, probably the league’s best receiver in Aaron Kelly, and Jacoby Ford is also a playmaker. If there offensive line, four new starters, is somewhat decent, Clemson should win the ACC. They have a good defensive line, decent backers, and a stellar secondary. Oh yeah, they also have the best special teams in the ACC. That being said, Tech always seems to play with Clemson, with the exception of ‘06. Still, this game will be very tough to win since it’s in Clemson, SC. I expect us to hang with them the first half, but can’t seeing us stopping that prolific attack enough.
The Prediction: Georgia Tech 14, Clemson28

October 25th, Georgia Tech vs Virginia, TBA (Homecoming)
This game could be huge for Tech. Virginia will likely be just below .500 in the ACC this year, and if Tech wins this game, it could assure us of being ahead of them come bowl invitations. We usually play pretty well against UVA at home, as well as in Homecoming games. Peter Lalich steps in for UVA as his first year under center, with backs Peerman and Simpson lining up behind him. Simpson and Peerman make a pretty good tandem, and their receivers are a little bit worse than Tech’s. They are not bad, but not the focus of the offense. (Peerman and Simpson) Their O line is led by Eugene Monroe, one of the best in the league, but they don’t return their center, or either guard spot. As for the defense, their D-line is flat out weak. They return zero starters, and we should manhandle them upfront. While their line is terrible, their backers are outstanding. They return their best three, and this is the strong point of their team. Their secondary is “consistent” but not great. Consistent because you know about their skill level, and don’t expect much more or much less. (Tech’s secondary is potentially very good, depending on the younger players, but could be below average) They lose both their kicker and punter.
The Prediction: Tech 24, UVA 17

November 1st, Georgia Tech vs Florida State, TBA
Talk about bringing back some potentially great games. Georgia Tech has had great battles with FSU in the past, and should create for some exciting ones down the road. They are pretty good in the backfield with Weatherford, who should be better this year, and Antoine Smith, who is a freakish athlete. Greg Carr is back, and he is used in the endzone most of the time, with 25 TD catches, and WR Preston Parker is also back, and could have a breakout season. Their O-line is pretty young, and bad, and our D-line should cause major problems in this game. The ‘Noles D-line is always athletic, and don’t expect that to change. Watson and Nicholson are an unbelievable tandem, and FSU’s group is arguably as good as UVA’s group of backers. They have a pretty good secondary, with two solid corners, and Mr. Everything Myron Rolle. This one should be close, and should also be low scoring. FSU is more athletic, and I think a week or two after this, our offense will start to roll.
The Prediction: Georgia Tech, 14, FSU 17

November 8th, Georgia Tech AT North Carolina, TBA
This is probably the biggest in-conference game in terms of ‘bowling’ and standings. UNC is definitely a program on the rise under Butch Davis, and I expect them to be great at times this year, and at times look like the regular UNC. T.J. Yates lead the ‘O’ at Quarterback, while converted receiver Greg Little starts at tailback. In my opinion, they rival Clemson for the best WR group in the ACC, with Hakeem Nicks and Brandon Tate leading the way. Greg Little will also see time at WR. Their offensive line is pretty solid, but Center remains a question mark. Their defensive line could be second in the league to the Jackets, depending on Marvin Austin. Austin, the #1 DT out of high school should become an All-American down the road, and could have a big year this year. UNC has two returning starters at linebacker, but they’re not exceptional, and they have nobody behind them. They return everybody in the secondary, but three of them are sophomores. They must replace Connor Barth in the kicking game. This should be another close one, and will have a big impact in post-season play.
The Prediction: Georgia Tech 24, UNC 21

November 20th, Georgia Tech vs Miami, 3:30 PM
And yet again, here is another big game. The winner of this one will probably finish second in the ACC Coastal, so it will have huge implications. The running backs are talented, and deep. Led by Javarris James and Dedrick Epps, they are good, and Graig Cooper will see the field as well. As of now, Jacory Harris is starting game 1 at QB, while Robert Marve is first on the depth chart. Marve is suspended for the opener, typical. Miami’s passing games will be on the shoulders of Sam Shields, and a bunch of freshmen, they are talented, but still freshmen. They have a lot of potential on the offensive line, as well on defense. If freshmen step up, they D-line could be scary. Their linebackers are a bit of a question mark, but with an exclamation mark at the end. Arthur Brown is expected to contribute immediately, and if he does, watch out. In the secondary, they return both corners, but neither safeties. The defense is very athletic, and could be very good, but only time will tell. If this was away, it could be trouble, but since it’s at home, and we had twelve days to prepare…
The Prediction: Georgia Tech 21, Miami 17

November 29th, Georgia Tech AT Georgia, TBA
Here it is, Paul Johnson’s first game in “Clean Old Fashioned Hate.” And nobody really knows what to expect. It’s expected that Georgia will be in the National Championship, won’t happen,(schedule) and it’s also expected Tech will go 4-8, once again, won’t happen. Now to the ‘preview.’ Georgia has the best backfield in the SEC, and probably the Nation. As much as I HATE to say that, it’s true. Stafford has NFL written all over him, Moreno is a Heisman contender, and Caleb King will be very good. Their receivers are o.k., but if A.j. Green hits his stride, he will be very good. The offensive line, along with the receivers, are the worst parts of UGA’s team. Their offensive line has both depth and experience issues. On defense, they have one of the best DT tandems in the nation(so does Tech) with Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens, but their D-ends are suspect. They have a great LB Trio. Ellerbe and Curran are two of the best in the SEC, and Akeem Dent is very good as well. Their secondary is also best in the SEC, led by Asher Allen, Prince Miller and Reshad Jones. Overall, UGA’s talent is unreal, and I can’t stand to say that. I despise of UGA more than anyone, but since I’m not being biased, I must give credit where credit is due. I do think eventually CPJ will put this series back in Tech’s favor, and after talking about how good UGA is this year, do not expect this to be a blowout. Coach Johnson will have our players ready to play, but I just don’t think we can out-do them in Athens this year,
The Prediction: Georgia Tech 17, Georgia 27

Total Record: 8-4 (5-3 ACC, T-2 in Coastal, but winning tiebreaker(s)
ACC Championship Prediction: Clemson over Virginia Tech
Georgia Tech Bowl Prediction: Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl

So there you have it, my predictions. I think they should be pretty accurate. If you agree/disagree, please leave a comment

JE

Tech Offensive Preview

So, I’ve talked a lot about Tech football on the site, but i haven’t really come out and said what I truly think will happen.. So Here it is:

Coaching Staff
I really think Paul Johnson was a very good hire. No matter who criticizes him, he stays true to his offense. Yes, he must tweak it here and there to fit the program and players, but he basically keeps it the same. He is very involved in practice, and I really think he is most of all, a winner, which is really all anybody cares about. It might take him a year or two to get his offense running on all cylinders, which is o.k., because I think he can still do what Gailey did year in and year out, even when his offense isn’t clicking. While the staff he brought with him isn’t well known, they know what they’re doing.

Dave Wommack isn’t as aggressive as Jon Tenuta, but he does blitz more than the average Joe, but in a smarter way. If you really watched Tech games, a very good offensive coordinator, with a good zone blocking scheme knew how to drill Jon Tenuta, example: Boston College. I don’t think Wommack’s defense will provide as many sacks, and tackles for loss, but I also think they will be way more consistent.

Over to the offensive side, where Brian Bohannon comes in. Bohannon coaches the backs. Bohannon is great at teaching Quarterbacks to read defenses when it comes to the triple option. If the quarterback doesn’t learn how to read that, the offense isn’t going anywhere. Watching Bohannon during practices is great, because you can tell he is really involved with his quarterbacks, making sure they drill every little detail.

Overall, I think the coaching staff will be much better than in years past. Jon Tenuta never got along with Coach Gailey or Pat Nix, because he thought they were too soft, which they were. Johnson gets along with all of the coaches, and that should help the team overall.

OFFENSE
The thing about Paul Johnson’s triple offense, is everybody has to be working together. The Lineman have to nail their blocks, the Quarterback has to make sure to secure the handoff, then start to read the defense immediately. The backs have to carry out the fakes, and whoever ends up with the ball must hit the hole hard. It’s what they refer to as a “grenade” offense, meaning it kind of rolls for a while, then explodes for one big play.

It all starts with the Quarterback, which is expected to be Josh Nesbitt. Nesbitt definitely has all the tools to run this offense very, very effectively. He runs in the 4.5’s in the forty, and pending the outcome of him learning the offense, he could be great. He has a rocket for an arm, and throughout the early practices, his passes have gotten much more accurate. Josh should only get better with practice, and as the season comes rolling around, he should be getting into form. When asked about Nesbitt, “I think Josh has a chance to be pretty good at this,” Johnson said.

Behind Nesbitt, it’s kind of up in the air. I think they’re are two candidates for the backup spot, Calvin Booker and Jaybo Shaw. Booker will be a senior, and is an unbelievable leader. He doesn’t fit the system as well as Nesbitt or Shaw, and is more of a passer. He passed for 100+ yards in the T-Day game, along with two touchdowns. Shaw was a late pickup for the Jackets in recruiting. He ran a very similar offense in High School, and even ran the exact same one early in his high school career. He is very mobile, and has clocked a 4.49 in the forty yard dash. He already is picking up the offense, and seems to be making very good reads throughout practice, but I don’t see anyway he could surpass Nesbitt. A darkhorse that possibly could grab the second spot is Bryce Dykes. Dykes was the star of the T-Day game, and really ran the offense better than any other quarterbacks. He is faster than he looks, but might just not be athletic enough to run the offense. The last quarterback is Tevin Washington. Washington is a natural to run the offense, but will most likely redshirt. He is a little behind the other quarterbacks in picking up the offense, but after a year of sitting out, should really grasp the offense.

B-Back
B back is basically like a fullback. He is in a three point stance, right behind the QB. He is involved in almost every play, although a decent amount of the time it could be carrying out a fake. Jon Dwyer has a firm grip on the starting position, and could be great in this offense. Dwyer is Tech’s leading returning rusher. He found the end zone nine times as well. The problem with the B-back is he gets hit on ninety nine percent of the plays, whether faking, blocking, or carrying the ball.
Behind Dwyer looks to be RS Sophomore Lucas Cox, Mike Cox’s younger brother. Luke has shown promise in this offense, and has even taken some snaps at A-back, and shows the toughness and speed to get some time at B-Back. Behind Cox will be Quincy Kelly. Kelly checks in at 238 pounds, and is a bruiser of back. He could definitely be counted on for blocking and for 2-3 yard gains.

A-Back
In CPJ’s offense, the A Back is more of a traditional back in size and speed. He is mostly used on sweeps and options, but will sometimes take it up the middle. With the departure of Jamaal Evans, only one A back spot looks to be locked up. It appears Roddy Jones will definitely get one starting, but who will be opposite him is somewhat up in the air. Andrew Smith, converted WR, is the punt returner and has looked good thus far in practice. He knows the offense, and he has the speed and ability to get outside. Greg Smith, converted receiver, should definitely see some time at A back, and could split it with WR as well. He is the Jackets leading returner in receiving, and could be dangerous. He has been hurt as of late in practices, but nothing too concerning. Behind the two Smith’s, it’s really a toss up. Both Freshmen Marcus Wright and Embry Peeples have shown flashes of brilliance, and CPJ recruited them specifically for this position. Both are small, agile, and speedy. Wright was arguably the fastest player in all of Texas last year, and player in the Army All American game. Both have the ability to go the distance at any time, and should definitely compete for playing time as true freshmen.

Wide Receivers
Wide Receiver in Paul Johnson’s offense is a little bit different than in a normal offense, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be catching any passes. They will be counted on heavily to block opposing defensive backs, but will have opportunities to make big time plays. When offenses focus too much on the run, Receivers could be streaking open down field.

The two starting receivers look to be Correy Earls, and Demaryius Thomas, both who have a ton of ability. Thomas is built like Calvin Johnson, and showed last year he can go up and get the ball. He has big play ability, and is a great chop blocker, something receivers in this offense will do often. Earls is more of a blazer, and runs great routes. He should be able to beat corners deep when they come up for the run. The third receiver is Tyler Melton, who came in a year after his recruiting class due to injury, but looks great on the field. Melton gets it done in every way, and kind of reminds me of Marvin Harrison. Has great hands, runs good routes, and he could be very good down the line. Behind Melton, it’s up in the air. A back Greg Smith could see some time, but behind that who knows. Sophomore walk on Kevin Cone had a good T-Day game, and while Walk-ons R.B. Clyburn and Zach Fisher are next.

Offensive Line
The offensive line works a little bit different in CPJ’s offense. D lineman will be in pain during the game and after from all of the cut blocks. The line will still be led by All-ACC lineman Andrew Gardner. Gardner has gotten it done ever since he stepped foot on campus, and will definitely be drafter in 2009. After Gardner, at tackle, it’s a little shaky, but could be surprisingly good. Dan Voss, who was thrown into the mix last year, will move over and start at center, after Trey Dunmon decided to transfer. The Guard spots will be held down by Cord Howard and A.J. Smith, both of who started six games last year tackle. The tackle spot opposite Gardner will be taken by senior David Brown. Brown is great at exploding off the ball, and should fit the offense well, but he does have Clyde Yandell right at his heels. Nick Claytor, a highly rated recruit is behind Gardner, and has a ton of talent, he could be plugged in at times, and has a bright future down the road. Freshman Nick Mcrae, a center, definitely could see time due to the lack of depth at that position. The One freshman who I definitely think could contend for some serious playing time is Omoregie Uzzi. He comes from nearby Chamblee, and really gets it done. He will most likely play Guard in college, and he really could push Howard and Smith for playing time, with him, Yandell and Claytor all available down the road, it should lead to one of Tech’s strengths. The line could be surprisingly good this year, everyone on the line has talent, and if they grasp Mike Sewak and Todd Spencer’s blocking schemes, watch out.
When talking about the line, “We’re going to try to mold those kids into our scheme,” co-offensive line coach Mike Sewak said. “The thing about option is you try to go where you have the numbers, then you try to go where you have the angles, then you try to find any personnel mismatches.”