Wreck for Tech?
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The first college football Saturday is in the books. A lot of questions have been answered now that games have been played but some new ones have been presented. In the case of Georgia Tech I have to wonder are they in trouble?
The Yellow Jackets played Boston College in Dublin, Ireland. Both teams were terrible last season finishing with identical 3-9 records. The Eagles were winless in ACC play and Tech only won one conference game.
The teams seemed evenly matched but Ga Tech wants to have a bounce back year and I thought they would easily beat BC. Tech won 17-14 but the way they played is cause for concern.
With about 2:45 remaining in the fourth quarter Tech was facing fourth-and-19 at their own 32-yard line. Justin Thomas completed a 22-yard pass to A-back Qua Sercy to keep the drive alive. The offense scored the game-winning touchdown with 35 seconds left.
“He’s basically on the ground and he somehow kind of rolled out of it and kept his feet and threw the ball away, or it might have been fourth-and-50 eventually,” BC head coach Steve Addazio said. “But the kid made that play, which was an unbelievable play.”
The odds of converting on 4-and-19 are low. For an option offense like Georgia Tech it’s even more difficult. I think luck was involved for them to convert that. If they didn’t they would have lost.
Tech is supposed to be one of the best rushing attacks in the nation. They only rushed for 119 yards on 44 attempts or 2.7 yards per carry. Maybe there are some factors to take into consideration. Boston College was ranked No.1 nationally in total defense last year. It was also raining so weather could have played a factor.
At the end of the day I think Tech mainly suffers from a lack of talent. Since Paul Johnson took over as head coach in 2008 he has not done well recruiting.
For instance the 2016 recruiting class was ranked 68th in one poll I saw. They were behind programs like Marshall, Western Michigan, Temple, Colorado State, Memphis and Central Florida. The class was 13th in the ACC with only Boston College ranked worse.
I also think the offense plays a big factor in why they struggle to land talented players. It’s no secret Johnson likes to primarily run the spread option offense. Typically, service academies run the option to force teams into playing disciplined and sticking to assignments. It also helps hide the talent disparity between the teams.
A player that has a future in the NFL does not want to play in this system. Elite quarterbacks and wide receivers will not have an opportunity to put up big numbers.
The defense has also consistently underperformed in the CPJ era. BC gained 313 yards to Tech’s 238. The unit ranked 42nd last year in total defense.
The next game is against FCS in-state opponent Mercer, which will be an easy win. There are other opponents on the schedule that have owned Ga Tech in the Johnson era like Miami, Virginia Tech, Clemson and Georgia. Va Tech is the only team in that group they should have a chance to beat.
I believe they will struggle to win six games and get back to a bowl game. I hope they can do it but regardless of what happens I think they need to make a coaching change at the end of the season.
