Wednesday September 26, 2007

Georgia Tech Preview

Georgia Tech Preview

Last Wednesday I wrote that the NC State game was a must win for the Tigers but win or lose this week would be another must win. Had Clemson lost last week the Tigers would have had their backs against the wall. They did not lose so now this week is a must win because the stakes are now higher. Actually I was having fun and last week was not a must win and this week is not either. But if this team is to get to where it wants to go then a win Saturday would be another big step.

However, because the Yellow Jackets have lost two conference games in a row, they now really do face a must win game when they play host to the Tigers. Also this is a revenge game for Tech as they were embarrassed by Clemson last year 31-7.

This Tech team has many of the same parts and schemes but other things have changed. Reggie Ball is gone and that is good news to Jacket fans but Calvin Johnson is also gone. Patrick Nix left to become the offensive coordinator at Miami but the scheme has not changed a lot on either side of the ball.

Georgia Tech is very good on defense but average on offense. They have a very good back but an average offensive line, quarterback and wide receivers. Their front seven has played better than their secondary. And finally they are very good on special teams.

Georgia Tech Offense

Tashard Choice says his hamstring is better and he says he will play this Saturday. Before the injury Choice had 196 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries in South Bend against Notre Dame. He followed that up with 110 yards on just 11 carries in the win over Samford. But the last two weeks he had just 50 yards on 20 carries and he has not been in the end zone. It might be too simple to say that the Tech offense goes as Choice goes. But the threat of running is different when the Jackets Choice healthy and opponents’ game plans change when he is healthy. Tech also likes freshman Jonathan Dwyer.

Tech’s passing game feeds off of the running game when Choice is healthy. Taylor Bennett was effective as the quarterback in the first two contests when he connected on 19 of 32 passes for 206 yards. However the last two games he has struggled including a 17 of 40 performance against Virginia last week. Their offense has changed under Bennett because he is not the running threat they got accustomed to under Reggie Ball.

The Jackets really miss Calvin Johnson as they are now 11th in the league in passing. James Johnson has been hurt but he is expected to play against the Tigers but so far he has been held in check with only four catches for 60 yards. Greg Smith and Demaryius Thomas are the leading receivers this year. Thomas had a 56-yard touchdown against Virginia last week.

Andrew Gardner is the highest rated of this average offensive line. Tech’s line will also block in the “Wildcat” formation with Choice in the contest as a quarterback.

Tech has had a hard time in the red zone especially last week when they had to settle for three Travis Bell field goals.

Georgia Tech Defense

This is one of the best defenses in the ACC and is usually one of the toughest to prepare for. Tech utilizes a zone blitz scheme that usually sends one or two linebackers but drops defensive linemen in coverage. They usually play zone behind the blitzes that most of the time send five defenders. Georgia Tech plays a three under and three deep package out of this scheme in most cases but they have mixed coverages more this season. The difficult part of this defense is finding the blitzers that are coming from different areas each snap and finding the open zones in their pass coverage.

I still believe that players are more important than schemes and it will essentially come down to personnel this Saturday. Tech makes big plays on defense but they also give up big plays like it did giving up 527 yards to Boston College because Matt Ryan was on fire.

The Yellow Jackets are very strong up front with veteran players like Darryl Robertson, Darryl Richards, Adam Oliver and Michael Johnson. The two senior starting linebackers return in Phillip Wheeler and Gary Guyton. And their secondary is lead by strong safety Jamal Lewis, Djay Jones and freshman Morgan Burnett.

Through four games the Yellow Jackets are fifth in the league in total defense giving up just 316 yards per game and second in the league against the run allowing only 72 yards per contest. However teams have lit them up through the air for 236 yards per game.

Georgia Tech Special Teams

The Jackets led the league in punting and are 10 of 11 on field goals though four games. They are also excellent in their kick off coverage. They also lead the league in kick off returns and are fourth in punt returns.

I would think it is safe to say that Georgia Tech has had the best special teams in the ACC through four games but it was a muffed punt in the fourth quarter that led to Virginia’s game-winning touchdown.

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