Georgia Tech – Virginia Preview

The first thing I will say is we have won our last twelve homecoming games. Let’s hope that continues.

The second thing I will say about this game is I’m glad it’s not in Charlottesville. I usually don’t believe in sports curses, but the “Charlottesville curse” is tough to disregard. We can never win when we go up there, even when we are a much more talented team.

The third thing I will be saying/asking, is what UVA team can we expect to roll into Bobby Dodd today? The team that got lit up by duke? Or the team that hammered Maryland?

Another thing I will say is I am actually a little bit nervous. Usually every Tech game, I have this feeling we are going to win. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely think we are going to win this game, but for some reason I am just a tad bit nervous. Hopefully there will be no need for that come 3:30. Anyway, let’s take a look at the mathcup

When Tech Has The Ball
The first thing you need to know about UVA’s defense is that they run a 3-4. We haven’t faced a 3-4 yet this year, and this should be the only one we see.
How do I think the 3-4 will effect the run game? To be honest, I think it will help us. One thing the offensive line has struggled with this year are big defensive tackles. Well UVA will only be playing one defensive tackle. If our lineman can somewhat adequately get out to their backers, Jonathan Dwyer could have a big, big day. Expect to see him pop a lot of 5-7 yard carries, before the linebackers drag him down from behind. Oh yeah, their defensive line doesn’t return any starters from last year.

As for the linebackers, this is their strongest group on the team. They have three very good backers, Antonio Appleby, Clint Sintim and Jon Copper. The three lead the team in tackling. We really need to get some blocks out on them early. Hopefully when Nesbitt pulls, we can get the two middle backers to come up. Honestly, they have to, so that shouldn’t be a problem. If our tackles and the opposite A-back can hold of the ends, we should have a lot of “2-1’s” on the outside that could go for big plays.

The secondary is a bit of a mystery to me. I haven’t really watched UVA play, so that is probably why. Anyway, the secondary is led by sophomore safety Ras-I Dowling. Dowling has three picks, all returned for zero yards. Their best cornerback is Vic Hall. Hall has one interception, but is a pretty good coverage guy, and a very good tackler. Nesbitt will need to keep his eye on Dowling when throwing downfield. Missing Tyler Melton could hurt. Hopefully Corey Earrls can return to the Corey of last year, and make some big plays in the passing game. Look for Demaryius Thomas to have another big game, especially when Hall isn’t lined up on him.

All in all for the offense, I think you’ll see it work pretty effectively today. I think it’s really starting to come on with Nesbitt back under center, and I don’t see UVA being able to shut it down by any means. I believe both Dwyer and Nesbitt will have good days rushing the ball, and I also think either one, or both of the A-Backs could have a good day. As usual, the offense will run through JD. If Nesbitt is sharp on his reads, fakes and passes, I think the offense could roll.

When Virginia Has The Ball
Cedric Peerman. That’s who Tech needs to take care of today. Peerman missed some action early, but has since returned and proven to be back and better than ever. Peerman is averaging six yards a pop, and has danced into the endzone six times as well. Of course he hasn’t faced a defense like Tech’s all years. If we can hold Peerman to under 100 yards, I believe we will definitely win this game. If we hold him to below 75, the UVA offense might not do much of anything. Look for Mikell Simpson to get some spot duty, but not do much of anything against Tech’s vaunted front four.

The man under center for the Cavaliers is Marc Verica. After Peter Lalich got booted, and Jameel Sewell had to leave for academic reasons, Verica whas thrusted into the starting role. All that being said, Verica has been pretty solid thus far. He has completed 65 percent of his passes, but his TD to INT ration is 3:7. Against this ball-hawking secondary, that could spell trouble for Verica and the UVA passing game.

UVA’s biggest WR threats are Kevin Ogletree and John Phillips. Ogletree has 455 yards receiving, and has found the endzone three times. Phillips has only found it once. Maurice Covnigton had a lot of hype coming into the seas, but has not lived upto it yet. Tech’s secondary should be able to play pretty good man-up coverage against these guys today.

As far as UVA’s offensive lone goes, they are led by Eugene Monroe. Monroe is projected as high as the 2nd pick overall in the upcoming draft. He will go up against Michael Johnson. Assuming they go 1-on-1, I still give the advantage to Johnson. I just don’t think anybody in the nation can handle MJ 1-on-1. Of course if anybody can, it’s proably this guy. That will be an interesting matchup to watch.

As for the other part of the offensive line, they had to break in new starters at both guard positions, along with center. Think first year starters are looking forward to going up against Vance Walker and Darryl Richard? Me neither.

So what do I expect from UVA’s offense? Not too much. The front four is the best in the ACC, and possibly the nation. I don’t see Verica picking us apart with pressure. If we hold Peerman to low yardage, the UVA offense will ahve trouble moving the ball.

Overview
So there you have it, my brief preview of the game. I think the Jackets are definitely the better team in this matchup, but this is football, and that’s why they play every game. Off the top of my head, I think we are 14 point favorites in Vegas, and that will be tough to cover. Look for us to have a big day running the ball, with the usual 5 yards per, and then a couple of long ones. Look for the defense to have another dominant effort.

Prediction
Georgia Tech, 24, UVA, 7

Clemson Preview

This is a pretty hard game to preview. It’s tough to know what to expect from Clemson this week, but I figure I might as well give it a shot.

This is the first time in a while I sort of disagree with what Paul Johnson has said. CPJ said he thought the Tigers would come out and play like “their hair is on fire.” I’m not saying I expect Clemson to roll over from the kickoff, and just hand Tech the win. I definitely don’t expect that. This is always a big game, and the majority of the time, it has been a close one. Kerry Watkins’ one handed grab in the back of the endzone, along with Calvin’s coming out party were two of the best Tech games I have ever seen or heard of. I just don’t see Clemson playing their best ball this weekend. I think their is too much confusion going up there. ACC Preseason player of the year benched, (Relatively) Longtime coach fired, players split over whether the decision was right or wrong. (I don’t have to tell you what Cullen Harper said, do I?) Their offensive coordinator is gone, and they expected to be more aggressive this weekend. Will that work against Wommack and the Jackets. And on a very small note, CJ Spiller is out this weekend. Let’s take a look:

When Clemson has the Ball

This offense still has the weapons to explode any game, at any time. I don’t know if I would call Davis and Spiller ‘thunder and lightning,’ and that’s not an insult. Davis has more speed than most people know, and Spiller has more power. Luckily, the Jackets will only have to focus on Davis. They have a good receiver in Aaron Kelly. Willy Korn will get the start this week, after Harper got pulled, and now is expected to have shoulder surgery. Their offensive line? Abysmal.

I really expect Wommack to bring four and five the majority of the time. Why? Because I think that’s all we need to bring to put pressure on Willy Korn. Clemson’s guards are not very good. One starter was supposed to be a student assistant, and has been thrusted into the starting role. Their tackles are o.k., but not good eonugh to stay with Morgan and Johnson. My main concern is Willy Korn’s mobility. He has the ability to beat a team on the ground, but I don’t think our line will let that happen. If Korn could pick one game not to start, I think it might be this one. Why in the world would you want to start your first game against one of the best defensive fronts in the nation? I can’t think of a reason, unless you are one cocky son of a gun. I expect us to force Korn into some bad throws, and our Secondary should benefit. I think Korn might try to make to much happen with his feet. He might get a ten yard scramble once in a while, but I see us getting sacks more than once in a while.

Their downfield threat is receiver Aaron Kelly. Kelly is a playmaker, and people expected him and Harper to tear up opposing secondaries this year. Much like the rest of the roster, Kelly hasn’t lived upto the preseason hype, but has the ability to take it to the house any given time. Although he’s yet to find the endzone yet this year…
Tech also needs to keep an eye on Jacoby Ford. He has more yards than Kelly, and has also scored twice. He has legit 4.35 speed.

The offensive line for Clemson is the glaring weakspot. Our line should have a field day against them. They are unorganized, and frankly just not that talented. Any time our D-ends have a one-on-one, we should be able to exploit it. Their guards are actually worse than their tackles, so expect to see #99 and #95 wreaking havoc.

When Tech has the Ball

Clemson, on average, is letting up 122.2 yards per game. That’s not very good to start with, and they haven’t faced a run heavy team like the Jackets. I expect us to pile up a lot of yards on the ground.

They have a very talented defensive line. Led by ends Daquan Bowers and Ricky Sapp. Both Tackles are returning starters, Dorell Scott and Rashaad Jackson. After saying they are talented, I will say they have vastly under-achieved. Clemson has a ACC-low six sacks thus far, averaging only one a game. The ACC leader, Tech, has 19.

Clemson’s backers are their second weakest spot, where they return zero starters. They have shown promise here, but they do not perform on a consistent enough basis.

Clemson’s secondary was very highly touted coming into the season. They return all four starters, led by cornerback Chris Chancellor. This group has, again, under-achieved. They are letting up just under 200 yards per game through the air, and rank seventh in ACC pass efficiency defense.

I didn’t really feel like breaking down each unit too extensively, but moreso just talk about what I think we need to do.

Boy is is nice to have Nesbitt back. Calvin Booker is a great  leader and locker room guy, but he just can’t run the triple option. Nesbitt is unbelievably quick to the outside. I was watching some clips of him yesterday, and his three step drop is amazingly fast, and he gets to the corner faster than any QB I’ve seen in bigtime College Football since #7 lined up in Blacksburg.

I would make Clemson stop Dwyer before I did anything else. If they prove they can stop him, look for Nesbitt to pull the ball, and run the option with Cox, Peeples, Jones or even Wright. I hope to see more of my favorite play with Nesbitt back. One A-back goes in motion, stops, and then lead blocks for a Nesbitt-Dwyer option. It was the play that beat Boston College, and has lead to more big plays than any other. Stopping Nesbitt and Dwyer is not an easy task. Just ask the people up in Chestnut.

I think we have a chance to have some big plays through the air. I don’t see another 230 yard performance from any one receiver, but I do think Bay Bay will eclipse the 100 yard mark again. I expect to see Roddy, Luke and Dwyer also catching the ball some. It’s like the secondary gets lulled to sleep, and then we go for a big play next time we snap the ball.

Anyway, that’s what I see happening throughout the game. I don’t think the Tigers will be competeley focused, and I think this one is Tech’s for the taking. We are two point favorites heading upto Clemson, and I do not expect to see another dud similar to last week. I expect CPJ and company to have the players fired up, as we embark on the second half of the season. Buckle up, as this is a huge game for the Jackets.

The Prediction: Georgia Tech, 24, Clemson, 10

Virginia Tech Preview

So this is my first true blue preview of a Tech football game. Last week I ran out of time, and the week before, Jax St., wasn’t much of a preview. When I write a preview, it will consist of “When we have the ball,” When they have the ball,” “Special Teams,” “Coaching Advantage,” “Miscellaneous,” and “Prediction.”

So here it is…

When We Have The Ball

Here’s how this will compare to the Boston College game: Dwyer will be able to run up the gut much better, but we won’t be able to get outside as easily. Their interior defensive line is definitely not as good as Boston College’s, but their defense as a whole is much faster, and possibly better. One of the biggest questions about VT’s defense coming in this week is Victor “Macho” Harris. Harris is VT’s best player on either side of the ball, and when he is healthy, he is a lock down corner. Victor has a beat up ankle, and is probable for the game, but doesn’t look to be full speed. This could be big for getting outside, and of course in the passing game.

Their defensive line is led by Orion Martin, the only returning starter. Along the line with him are two sophomores, and a junior, and the D-line is a bit of a question mark, which could lead to a big day for Dwyer. Don’t expect Dwyer to break too many runs for big gains, but expect to see a lot of 5-10 yard carries.

Once Dwyer gets through the D-line, he’ll face Cam Martin, Purnell Sturdivant and Brett Warren. Cam Martin returns as a starter, but Sturdivant and Warren have big shoes to fill, Xavier Adibi’s and Vince Hall’s. Dwyer should be able to fight through the backers with decent blocking, and should have shots to make moves into the secondary.

Once our backs hit the secondary, their eyes will be on Kam Chancellor. Chancellor is the starting safety, and will be an All-ACC player this year or next. Getting through the secondary will be tough, because as always, they are very fast. If Macho can run, he can probably catch anyone in the ACC. Their other corner spot is held down by Davon Morgan, someone we could possibly attack. He is young, a sophomore, and is still learning the position. This could be their strongest defensive position, depending on Harris.

The passing game should have pretty good success this game. With Harris not 100 percent, and Morgan a bit of a question, we should be able to attack sidelines, and the occasional deep route. When Tech has the ball, I would really like us to ride Dwyer in the beginning of the game. Make them stop the up the gut run before we do anything else. I’m not sure how the latter half of the triple option will work due to VT’s speed. I would like to see Nesbitt roll out, and have the option to let him make plays with his arm or feet. Thomas and Melton need to have good games both catching and blocking.

When They Have The Ball

Make them pass the ball. It’s that simple, in my opinion at least. Glennon is not a good decision maker, and Taylor doesn’t have the arm to beat a team solely on passing. Glennon has all the physical tools, but the mental side of his game is questionable. When Taylor is in the game, I think we should stack the box with seven or eight players. When Glennon is in the game, I’d keep seven in.

Va Tech returns three starters on the offensive line, and that is easily the best part of their team. Ed Wang and Nick Marshman anchor that unit. Although I believe that is the strongest part of their offense, I still think Johnson, Morgan, Richard and Vance will cause them trouble all day. In fact, I think they will trouble every team we play this year. We should only need to bring 4 or 5, and maybe six in order to pressure on passes.

Although we have already reviewed their Quarterbacks, let’s go over it one more time. Taylor can run, and pass the ball relatively well, but not well enough to beat you. Glennon has a good arm, and a terrible head. Kenny Lewis is their starting tailback, and he’s nothing to brag about. He only has 108 yards on the ground through two games. Darren Evans is their backup, but has just one yard less in less carries. Keeping one back fresh will be key for Virginia Tech, as one back will wear down against G Tech’s defense.

Virginia Tech’s receivers are terrible. That’s really all you need to know. They lost Justin Harper, Eddie Royal and Josh Morgan this past year. They are very young, and led by two freshmen and a junior. Their tight ends are their best receivers, and three of them receive playing time, but none of them are difference makers.

When Virginia Tech has the ball, I really think we should stack the box. If they want to run, make them do it with eight players in the box, and if they want to pass, take the chances in the secondary with Glennon’s lack of brains, and Taylor’s lack of arm strength. I think we should be able to play very good defense against Va Tech, limiting them to short drives, fewer points than Boston College, and overall a very good defensive game.

Special Teams

Hello, Beamerball. When playing Virginia Tech, special teams aren’t all about making field goals, and kicking coffin corner. They are more about getting punts off, and not letting them block kicks for touchdowns. Dustin Keys is the Hokies kicker, and he only has one field goal attempt this year. Victor Harris is their top return man, but my guess is he will sit those out so he can be good to go at cornerback.

On our side, I still believe Scott Blair can be a good kicker. He has a very strong leg. He is a good punter as well. We do not need to be fumbling any punt returns or kick returns in Lane Stadium, because that will get the crowd going, which is not what we need.

As you can tell, I’m not big on Special Teams previews

Coaching

In my opinion, Beamer and Johnson may be the best two coaches in the conference. Beamer is one of only two coaches to win 10 games the past four years. (Pete Carroll of Southern Cal is the other.) Paul Johnson looks like he will succeed in his first year at Tech, and that was a bit of a surprise. Almost everyone expected him to succeed in two or three years, but not this quickly. He gets in players faces, and is a big part of the game.

Miscellaneous

Lane Stadium is one of the hardest places to play in the nation. The noise basically echoes on the field. Although it is not a huge stadium, the fans definitely make up for it. They take their keys out on every third down, and are loud basically the whole game. We will need a quick touchdown to take the heart out of the fans. If they get going early, the crowd goes crazy, and that spells trouble for the visiting team.

Prediction

I’m changing my prediction from the beginning of the season. Tech’s defense should definitely limit Va Tech’s offense, possibly to single digit points. We should be able to put 14 or so on the board, which I think will be enough. It will come down to the wire, but in the end I’m saying:
Georgia Tech, 14, Virginia Tech, 10