A look at Georgia Tech’s safeties
Switching from the front of Georgia Tech’s defense to the back, we take a look at the safeties:
THE SAFETIES
- Returning starters: Mario Edwards, Cooper Taylor, Rashaad Reid, Dominique Reese, Jerrard Tarrant.
- Others to watch: Jemea Thomas, Isaiah Johnson, Lance Richardson.
- Key losses: Morgan Burnett, who is now with the Green Bay Packers.
- Key fact: The defense gave up 66 plays of at least 20 yards last season.
- Key question: Can the safeties put themselves in the right place at the right time to cut down on those big plays?
- Key question 2: How will Jerrard Tarrant handle safety after starting eight games at cornerback last season? He said he was recruited as a safety. Also, can he be the ballhawk that Burnett was the past two seasons when he intercepted 11 passes?
- Key question 3: Charles Kelly has taken over coaching the entire secondary, after he had the corners and former defensive coordinator Dave Wommack had the safeties last season?
- Outlook: Really, and not to be flip, but the entire defense should be better than it was last season. If new defensive coordinator Al Groh calls a lot of blitzes with the linebackers, the safeties will have to pick up those responsibilities. They all have the athletic ability, as well as the speed.
- Your turn: What say you about the safeties?
For a look at the offensive line, go here
For a look at the running backs, go here
For a look at the defensive line, go here
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134 comments Add your comment
one tech fan not drinking the kool aid
June 25th, 2010
1:51 pm
this depth chart looks pretty recent
http://georgiatech.rivals.com/cdepthtext.asp
Delbert D.
June 25th, 2010
2:00 pm
If you looked for info on Jeremy Attochou, I mis-spelled his name. It’s “Jeremiah Attaochu”
Chip Towers had an article about him on 1-24-2010. Here is a quote from Chip’s article:
“I got to know him while Coach Groh he was at Virginia,” said Attaochu, reached by phone in D.C. Sunday not long after returning from his official visit with the Yellow Jackets. “He’s known for his defense and coaching outside linebackers all over the league. I was a defensive end in high school but he felt like I was the right guy to be an outside linebacker. He has three things in his criteria for an outside linebacker: It’s being able to beat a tight end, being able to rush the passer and being functional in space. That’s how he puts it.
“So he basically told me what my role was and that’s the kind of relationship I have with Coach Groh. He’s a smart coach and he knows how to put his players in good positions. I feel good about him and I feel good about the school.”
dawgy
June 25th, 2010
2:03 pm
tech is losing a lot of talent off defense. They will be better schematically, but the overall product will be about the same. Johnson can’t recruit good defenders because nobody worth their salt wants to be chop-blocked everyday in practice. This reality is about to rear its ugly head.
Delbert D.
June 25th, 2010
2:57 pm
one tech fan – I’ve seen that article before and it has a lot of questionable information in it.
1) Phil Smith is listed as 3rd team OT, and he was 2nd team and starter last year when Barrick was injured.
2) Cooper Taylor is listed as 2nd team safety; he is a 2-year starter at safety.
3) Osahon Tongo is listed as LB, and Egbuniwe as a DE. ESPN has those reversed. Tongo converted from LB to DE last year. Wait until August on this one, I guess.
4) Steven Sylvester is listed as 2nd team LB , and Julian Burnett 3rd team behind Brandon Watts. That would be a nice surprise, since both were key players last year and Watts was redshirted.
5) Preston Lyons is listed as 4th team B-back; last year he was #2. With Lucas Cox moved to B-back (again), Lyons may be #3, or maybe Watson showed something special in the Spring. Expect to see Cox at A-back in short yardage situations. He has scored TDs at both positions.
4) J.C. Lanier is shown as 3rd team DE. 6′4, 330 lb. DE. Maybe in goal-line situations?
5) They have Izaan Cross listed at his incoming freshman weight of 250 lbs. He’s 287 now.
6) Correy Earls is shown as 3rd team WR; Tech’s roster shows him as a DB. The roster may be wrong, unless Earl Groh has claimed him. Earls started the final 5 games at WR last year.
7) Antonio Foster is listed as 2nd team OT, true freshman at 280 lbs. He’s a redshirt FR who weighs 310 lbs.
9) Anthony Allen is listed at 225 lbs. According to the roster, he’s 239.
10) True freshman BJ Bostic is shown as 3rd team A-back, and #2 punt returner. I hope that is true, since Tech rotates 3-deep at A-back, and he is talented enough to play immediately. He enrolled in January.
10) Anyone else whose experience is listed as “HS” is suspect. They may be RS freshmen.
T3
June 25th, 2010
3:00 pm
IMPORTANT NEWS
NC State has just announced they have hired
University of Maryland AD Debbie Yow as the new NC State AD.
So, why is that so important?
Yow was opposed to UMD considering an invitation from the Big10.
And, people familair with the UMD Athletic program know that the
UMD Athletic Program has BIG financial issues.
Look for UMD to hire a new AD who will be “more receptive”
to discussions with the Big10.
Look for the new UMD AD to have some previous experience
or relationship a Big10 program.
Also, this will probably be UMD HC Ralph Friedgen’s last season at UMD.
Jim Delaney has to be thrilled with this news.
Happy Valley View
June 25th, 2010
4:02 pm
That could be an imporant chnage at Maryland.
Big10 did put feelers out to Maryland. Yow said no.
A regime chnage at Maryland might just mean another round
of expansion bingo.
For Maryland to make a chnage, it would have to be a package deal including at least one other ACC school. Probably a 4 school package.
college football
June 25th, 2010
4:33 pm
who cares???
Delbert D.
June 25th, 2010
5:06 pm
The ESPN report on Yow moving to NC State is “she’s going home” (my quotes.) Sister Kay coached there for over 30 years.
Life is a lot easier in Raleigh than in the D.C. area. Plus, “Yow inherits a program that has spent millions on facility upgrades — most notably in football ” ESPN qoutes.
Morgan Burnett
June 25th, 2010
5:38 pm
After Caleb King and Washaun Ealey toasted me all night long, looks like the next set of gt safeties is in for a LONG year!
Delbert D.
June 25th, 2010
7:33 pm
“Johnson can’t recruit good defenders because nobody worth their salt wants to be chop-blocked everyday in practice. This reality is about to rear its ugly head.”
The poster really has no idea how many teams use zone blocking techniques. Tennessee ran it 100% last year, to name one that Georgia fans should remember. Florida State uses it.
“Chop” or more correctly called “cut” blocking is part and parcel of zone blocking. The penalty for doing cut blocking wrong is “Illegal Chop Block.”
Also, prospective recruits would not be deterred because of the number of NFL teams that use the technique. All use it to some extent, and the Redskins, Packers, Panthers, Raiders and Texans base their entire offense on it, as did the Broncos when Shanan was coach (and the Falcons, when Mora was coach). Seattle just signed a player because he had experience in it.
Alex Gibbs, line coach at Denver at the time turned a 6th round draft pick/6th string tailback into a 2,000 yard rusher and Super Bowl MVP. That guy is Terrell Davis; ring a bell? Gibbs was OL/Asst. HC for the Falcons under Mora for 1 year and special consultant for the next 2.
jay jarrell
June 25th, 2010
7:58 pm
dems suck!
Open questions at The Flats
June 26th, 2010
8:34 am
Big question is: Will APD allow Tech’s # 37 to play ANY position without checking in with his bail bondman. If there are any women in the stadium ………… this could be a problem.
Calling all cars ………..calling all cars …………….
POAD
June 26th, 2010
12:00 pm
hope we play well.
Reality Stinks
June 26th, 2010
1:05 pm
There is no question Tech wont
macrotech
June 26th, 2010
1:32 pm
“college football”, apparently you do!
“reality stinks”, your obsession with Tech football is fantastic!
“Delbert D”, great post….I’m willing to bet that “reality stinks” thinks it stinks!
CPJ has done some amazing things in the short time he’s been here….this could have the makings of a special year if our defense catches up with our ‘high school’ offense! GO TECH!!!
POAD
June 26th, 2010
1:36 pm
Open ?: Tarrant was not found guilty and didn’t even go on trial. TRY again. You need to worry about LeMay getting a HUMMER on school property.
.
June 26th, 2010
1:51 pm
I have gas……….
Hey POAD
June 26th, 2010
3:54 pm
LeMay got one possibly. Good for him …..boy meets girl.
# 37 ……….. RAPES a girl. He got off due to the Waffle House of Money and Tech grads that own the Awful House.
Man ………. one is one thing and the other is a c-r-i-m-e.
messin with.........
June 27th, 2010
9:03 am
reality is that dogbois will again have a consistently mediocre season with laid back cmr on the sideline.
UGA is Pitiful:
June 27th, 2010
9:38 am
With your easy and louzy schedule, I don’t think you will need any safety’s. I mean, Louisanna Layfette, Vandy, Kentucky, Miss State, Arkansas. What’s your almighty SEC schedule rated, like 150th in SOS! Joke Schedule, Joke Team, Joke City and Joke Fans. THWG! With the exception of UF, and GT, you play NO preseason ranked teams. It’s an embarrassment, but typical UGA football. LMFAO!
UGA is Pitiful:
June 27th, 2010
9:41 am
It was nice seeing you awesome basketball players go high in the 20th round of the NBA draft.
mwh6767
June 27th, 2010
9:43 am
Wow, see the humpers are on Tarrant now. You guys are about 2yrs late on that one. He was cleared of FALSE charges long ago! I’m hearing the reason a judgement on UGA “super-recruit” LeMay is because he was caught getting a hummer not from his girlfriend but from, ahem… one of his team mates, of the same sex variety that is. Interesting. Gotta love the doggies and their never ending quest to bash tech when their own program is in disarray.
GT- stands for?
June 27th, 2010
10:18 am
GT- Gun Toters …………see Ethhyl St and NBA’s Crittendon
GT- Go Taliban- see recent results of TERRORISM trial in Richard B. Russell Bldg (named after a UGA grad)
GT- Go To de Trunk, said Joey Hamilton and Reuben My Man Houston
GT- Gone To Yemen ( pumping gas now are the two Navy jet pilots)
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAH Thugs and punks and an empty stadium unless Clemson or NC or UGA play there.
macrotech
June 27th, 2010
2:08 pm
“GT- stands for?”, ‘GT-Go To de Trunk, GT-Gone to Yemen’….wouldn’t that be GTdT and GtY? It’s good to know that you can tickle yourself so easily, though! “AAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAH”
Does anyone leave the city of Atlanta on business?
June 27th, 2010
2:43 pm
I reside in N Fulton County and travel all over the USA and on rare trips to Japan, Ireland and Germany.
At dinner with factory types, many of whom are engineers, we talk women, soccer ( I could care less about it ) and we talk politics and now lately, we talk about how the international business community has no respect for our Pres,etc.
On the subject of American football my dinner guests usually know of Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Alabama, Florida and Texas, Ohio State and Southern Cal ( the real USC) and University of Georgia. I will be very honest ………..they know UGA because of H. Walker and they know USC because of OJ SImpson and his trial and they know Alabama, because of the current NC and Bear Bryant. They see things in a long term view ……….not one or two years, like most college fans.
Tech? Some Germans remotely acknowledge the school but they always confuse it with Auburn, which has supplied NASA with more astronauts than any school. They don’t recognize Tech as a stellar engineering school or football school. They mention MIT, they mention Cal Poly and one knows a German kid that is in the Poly school in Marietta …………but not Ga. Tech. His parents live in E Cobb.
Tech is neither fish nor fowl. This says it all. When I ask do you know who Bobby Dodd is or do you know who Bobby Ross is or do you know who Eddie Lee Ivory is? they shake their heads in the negative.
When I name two or three ACC schools beyond UVA, they shake their heads. They know UVA because of Thomas Jefferson. They do recognize VaTech because of all the tragic shooting murders up there.
Tech is like Obama …………an urban program that gets no world wide respect.
mwh6767
June 27th, 2010
2:59 pm
Does anyone, Quick question If I go to The sudan or to Congo or Laos etc. and they haven’t heard of the Dallas cowboys or the LA dodgers does that mean by your logic that those teams just aren’t that good or popular? Lets just come out with it little fella, you are just another little dog fan trying to spew some more hate at tech and its fans. Why??? Because its easier for you guys just to poor mouth tech and its fans than to acknowledge that uga isn’t going anywhere, except for another 3rd tier bowl game. YOU ARE PATHETIC.
Delbert D.
June 27th, 2010
7:55 pm
“They mention MIT, they mention Cal Poly..”
Not a very convincing story. It would be more plausible if CalTech were mentioned in the same narrative with MIT. Cal Poly is not classified as a national university because it does not have doctoral programs. Good engineering undergrad program, ranked along with the 3 US military academies.
Sounds like those dinner participants have “file and forget” memories. Herschel Walker, OJ Simpson, Bear Bryant and who was picked as national champions last year. Next time, if there really is a next time, take notes.
macrotech
June 28th, 2010
12:33 am
“Does anyone leave the city of Atlanta on business?”, of COURSE they’ve heard of uga….stop quizzing sweat shop workers!
Carolina Gator Lover
June 28th, 2010
8:20 am
Enter your comments here
Carolina Gator Lover
June 28th, 2010
8:25 am
To: here are your facts 11-0-1
I find it very interesting that you have to go back to before most on this blog were born to come up with numbers that try to make UGA look good. Take a look at the last 20 years:
UGA vs. UF 3-17, average score 33-17, UGA vs. GT 15-5, average score 29-20. Face the facts UF has dominated you much more than you have dominated GT!
15 wins in 50 years
June 28th, 2010
9:20 am
Carolina, Much to your Dismay football was played in the Southeaster Conference prior to 1990,
Florida Zero Sec championships. SEC titles since 2000 UF 3 , LSU 3. UGA 2 . Auburn 1, Alabama 1.
Curios, how you know the ages of those who post on this blog?
A look at Georgia Tech’s wide receivers | Georgia Tech
June 28th, 2010
9:28 am
[...] For a look at the safeties, go here [...]
Brent
June 29th, 2010
11:54 am
I think Tech’s secondary is going to have a very good year! They’re talented and experienced which should help a lot. And they have a very good DC in Groh. I think Tarrant will fill-in Morgan’s spot rather nicely. He is just as athletic as Morgan was and he has the experience needed for Tech to improve on defense. I think Tech will win 10+ games this year ‘cuz their offense should be just as productive as last year’s with Nesbitt back at the helm and their defense is going to be much better which some people would disagree with ‘cuz of losing Derrick and Morgan, but we return 8 starters and add new DC Groh. And I’m also excited about the newcomers Ayers, Young, Holton, Johnson, and Bostic. These guys are going to help out Tech’s defense maybe not as much this year, but in the next few years they have the potential to be some great players. And I think Tech is going to get better with each year ‘cuz they’re starting to recruit some top level players and they have one of the best coaching staffs in the country. GO JACKETS!!!
SAINT SIMON
June 30th, 2010
8:26 am
UGA 30 – GT 24!!!!!!!!!!!!
UGA 73 – GT 66!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!!!!!!!!
WE RUN THIS STATE!!!!!!!!!!!!