Depth, inexperience issues for Tech offensive line
Greetings-
In the final few weeks of the offseason, we’re taking a look, position group by position group, at the 2011 Georgia Tech team. Coming off of a 6-7 season, Tech’s first losing season since 1996, the Jackets have questions to answer along with hope for an improvement on both sides of the ball. Let’s take a look at the roster…
THE OFFENSIVE LINE
Projected starters: LT Phil Smith (Jr., 6-5, 292), LG Will Jackson (So., 6-3, 285), C Jay Finch (So., 6-3, 283), RG Omoregie Uzzi (Jr., 6-3, 300), RT Tyler Kidney (So., 6-2, 262).
Others to watch: Ray Beno, Morgan Bailey and Catlin Alford will push for playing time at tackle. Guard J.C. Lanier will try to build on his first spring tackle on offense. Incoming freshmen Trey Braun, Shaq Mason and Errin Joe are candidates to get playing time immediately.
Key losses: The Yellow Jackets graduated two-time All-ACC center Sean Bedford and saw tackle Nick Claytor leave after his junior season for the NFL draft.
Key fact: Alford, Bailey and Beno were among those missing portions of spring practice, which hindered the line’s chances to develop cohesion. The absences opened room for walk-on Kidney and Braun, an early enrollee, to get useful practice time.
Key fact II: According to espn.com, Georgia Tech’s offensive linemen have the fewest number of combined returning starts in the ACC with 37. The league average is 73.4. Uzzi, a second-team All-ACC guard last year, and Smith have 25 of them.
Key question: Can coach Paul Johnson and line coaches Mike Sewak and Todd Spencer get this group ready to hold its own? In part because of the injuries, the offensive line was routinely outplayed in spring practice. Further, aside from backup center Nick McRae, the other four second-teamers have played a combined four games, which is a stunning number. From the moment fall practice starts, there’s a lot of coaching and drilling to do.
Recent developments: Finch has made considerable gains in the team’s summer strength and conditioning workouts. Lanier switched from defensive line in the spring after playing in just one game as a redshirt freshman.
Outlook: Fair to poor. Uzzi, Jackson and Smith helped the Jackets lead the nation in rushing, and Finch and McRae were key backups. The rest of the line is a considerable question mark. Injuries to Tech’s most experienced linemen will be costly. For what it’s worth, Johnson said he thinks the unit will be fine.
Your turn: How do you think the offensive line is going to look?
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
137 comments Add your comment
GT Fan...
July 7th, 2011
12:41 pm
GT-Jake… How long have yoy been a Tech fan? You have no faith in PJ and what he can do with the team?
And what were all the “experts” predicting GT would do in PJ’s first season? Was it 3 Ws? 4? 2? Wasn’t ONLY Duke they’d beat then too?
If GT “struggles” to win 6 or 7 in 2011, it will not be for the reasons you list. It WILL BE b/c of injuries & TOs.
Take your Dawgs (b/c I think you are a disguised UGA fan)…
In year 1 GT rushes for over 400 yds, BUT commits no costly TOs – UGA commits 2. GT wins
In year 3 GT rushes for over 400 yds again, BUT, this time, has 2 killer fumbles (UGA scores TD on 1 of them) and has 3rd that hurt too. GT loses. No injuries in year 1, a guy named Nesbitt was injured in year 3.
Again, the season will boil down to injuries & TOs.
DawginLex
July 7th, 2011
12:49 pm
Georgia is not going to win the SEC
We might win the east but most likely will finish 2nd to SC
10 wins would be a miracle for us
threetrone
July 7th, 2011
12:52 pm
Protect the QB, thanks for link. I see Lee back there in shotgun. If Tech OL predicted to be fair to poor, a shotgun makes up for low rating. Lee reminds me of Shawn Jones and Eddie McAshan. He’s tall like Eddie was, and like Shawn was. Eddie stood in the pocket and let it fly way downfield to Randy Rhino and Jimmie Robinson just like Lee let it fly. Jones was a little bowlegged like Lee is, and droped back in tall, lanky, athletic movement very similar to Lee. Lee works out of shotgun, not LOS formation which CPJ has used. A shotgun formation for Tech is what Tech should embrace starting this year, and from the looks of Lee on YouTube highlights, Lee might need to play for varsity this year and not for baby jackets. I have never seen Washington throw long bombs for Tech, and I have seen Lee throw long bombs on YouTube clip for 4A hs in NC.
Dynamicbigboy
July 7th, 2011
12:53 pm
To GENIUSJACKET, your right the line will not have to block very much, most of what they do is chop blocking, going for the opponents knees. It’s amazing that the bumblebees don’t have more talent on the O-line considering what a genius CPJ is, or should I say thinks he is.
just the truth
July 7th, 2011
12:54 pm
It’s been said by the coaches that big interior lineman sometimes are not the smartest, making it hard for them to qualify at Tech.
dawgfan
July 7th, 2011
12:55 pm
GT Fan…, its really quite unfair that Georgia Tech has to deal with so many injuries & TOs. Its bad for college football when Paul Johnson’s infinite genius is constrained by so many injuries & TOs. I propose the following:
1) Turnovers do not apply to Georgia Tech. If they fumble or throw an interception, they will just lose a down and not possession. That way we can all enjoy watching more of Paul Johnson’s offensive wizardry;
2) A committee of Techies should be formed at the end of every season to determine which games Georgia Tech would have won if not for injuries. Once the committee has reached its decision all W-L records affected thereby will be amended accordingly.
I say we petition the NCAA immediately to move forward on this.
GT Fan...
July 7th, 2011
12:55 pm
Nice try dawgfan….
4 GT’s first 6 games (game 6 is Oct 8th) are vs. teams GT either lost to, were in bowl games in 2010, or both.
Kansus … L
UNC … Bowl team, W
NCST … Bowl team, L
Maryland … Bowl team, DNP
And here’s a juicy tidbit for you……according to Lindy’s ranking of the top 120 teams, your Dawgs play more teams ranked BELOW 50 than GT does.
Tony
July 7th, 2011
12:59 pm
It will help to begin the season by playing non ACC schools. That will give the O-line some much needed experience. The O-line needs to keep their line healthy the rest of the way. That keeps the continuity that is needed to have success running the ball and protecting the quarterback. Good luck Jackets!
Old Gold
July 7th, 2011
1:00 pm
Thank Goodness that this should be Johnson’s last year!
GT Fan...
July 7th, 2011
1:05 pm
Dawgfan…
Apparently your mental-midgetness prevents you from accepting reality…
Limiting injuries & TOs will equate to more Ws. It doesn’t mean you get to “go back and changed the past” it’s just a simple fact. Go ask any coach what his chances are of more Ws will be if his team has limited injuries & TOs. Don’t you think your dawgs would have a couple more games last year had AJ (tantamount to being INJURED for 4 games) played and fewer costly TOs were committed. Is it really that hard for you to understand?
dawgfan
July 7th, 2011
1:10 pm
Nice try GT Fan…
Western Carolina: 2-9 in FCS level play last year
Middle Tennessee State: 6-7 in 2010
Kansas: 3-9 in 2010. They did play a tough Big 12 schedule though. If not for gimmees against cupcakes like Georgia Tech they might have went 0-12.
UNC: 8-5 ACC team. For comparisons sake, that’s like a 6-7 SEC team.
NC State: 9-4 ACC team (7-6 in SEC at best)
Maryland: 9-4 ACC team (7-6 SEC at best)
Its a crap schedule Techie. Deal with it. Only in the ACC is going to a bowl game such a big hairy freaking deal. Good grief who cares. UGA has stunk to high heaven the past two seasons and we’ve played in bowl games. You don’t see us bragging about it. Nobody cares about irrelevant ACC teams playing in the GoDaddy.com Pizza Hut Tough Actin Tinactin Bowl. Shut up about it.
Thanks.
Donezo
July 7th, 2011
1:14 pm
What difference does it really make when our kickers can’t kick a 30 yd field goal consistently and our punters can’t manage 40 yds, and kickoffs aren’t consistently inside the playing field?
Our problems will center around special teams and special teams alone. Can’t blame a defense if the other team starts at the 45 every time we kick off. Did anyone see this issue that I saw at the White and Gold game? It was pathetic, mistakes all day with 0 pressure. We don’t win without defense, as proven last year, and our special teams does nothing to help that out!
George Stein
July 7th, 2011
1:34 pm
Give us a break, dawgfan. Last I checked the ACC has swept the vaunted SEC in bowl games the past two years and the SEC is (I think) two games over .500 against the ACC.
Both lines are undersized
July 7th, 2011
1:34 pm
Tech projected starting oline 284lb
Mid tenn state 296 lbs
Kansas 304 lb
Unc 319 lbs
Virginia 306 lbs
V tech 287 lbs
Maryland 312 lbs
Miami 319 lbs
Clemson 308 lbs
UGA 329 lbs
Huge droppoff in size on DL after 3 starters and Barnes.
The Oline may be larger than Western Carolinas.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 7th, 2011
1:35 pm
dawgfan, you want to comment on the comparative worth of the likes of Coastal Carolina, New Mexico State, Kentucky, and Vandy? Ole Miss, Miss State, and UT haven’t exactly been stellar members of the SEC lately either, although I guess they are on about the same level the mutts have been lately. And lest you forget, Boise State was only added as a special replacement game for yet another on of the mutts’ standard patsy foes. While Tech has certainly not had a lot of respect over the past 40 years, with a few notable years excepted, lately the mutts have certainly not fared any better. The “dream team” MIGHT provide some relief for you in a couple of years, but I wouldn’t bet the house on it.
gtkenz
July 7th, 2011
1:43 pm
This will hamper the passing game more than anything else. If they get behind early or need a last minunte drive to win, I suspect it will not be good for Tech. Nesbitt ran for his life most of the time. Tevin doesn’t look nearly as mobile to me, so I see long sacks and interceptions. But they will run the football so they should be fine with clock management and big plays on the ground. Defense must hold teams to fewer points and big plays though.
Big Macon DAWG
July 7th, 2011
1:45 pm
@ DawginLex
Disagree. Schedule sets up well for a run of the table.
We beat BAMA in the SEC Championship and play for NC.
Vaunted SEC
July 7th, 2011
1:57 pm
ACC has only one program that has finished in final top ten since 2004, VT has managed 3 times.
ACC BCS bowl record 2-11
SEC BCS bowl record 15-5
Pathetic conference.
St. Richt
July 7th, 2011
2:02 pm
Big Macon DAWG, surely you can’t be serious. Put down the crack pipe and the Budweiser man! Thanks for a good laugh! UGA is always unbeatable in the preseason, ALWAYS.
George Stein
July 7th, 2011
2:05 pm
What does it say about the SEC then that they can’t dominate that pathetic conference?
OldSchoolTechFanatic
July 7th, 2011
2:06 pm
If we can throw and catch just a little it will make the O-lines job a lot easier, but if all we can do is run, we are in trouble !!!
Vaunted SEC
July 7th, 2011
2:09 pm
Kentucky plays better football than Tech.
George Stein
July 7th, 2011
2:11 pm
Sure thing, Vaunted.
Great Match-Up
July 7th, 2011
2:16 pm
If the Kick-Off Classic in the Dome wants a crowd, they should invite Kentucky to play GT. Kentucky fans will follow their team to the ends of the earth. Besides that, it would actually be a great match up.
Tech tradition Ancient History
July 7th, 2011
2:18 pm
Tech football 3 top ten finishes since 1957 , 3 major bowl games since 1957, same number of 1 or 2 win seasons as 10 or 11 win seasons.
Vaunted SEC
July 7th, 2011
2:23 pm
Kentucky would be a terror in the ACC.
George Stein
July 7th, 2011
2:24 pm
Thanks for the history lesson, tradition. That was a really nice addition to the comments
George Stein
July 7th, 2011
2:26 pm
Of course they would, Vaunted.
83Alum
July 7th, 2011
2:47 pm
Keys to Tech winning in ‘01 and beyond with CPJ’s offense:
1.Tough, athletic and quick offensive linemen. Not NFL style linemen.
2.Not an average QB, but an exceptional QA at running the option. A QB that can not only run the option but can accurately complete throws to open receivers. A tough kid who wants to take over games when needed.
3.Receivers who can catch the football. In this offense, pass completions are critical to loosening up the defense and taking advantage of the run focused defenses. We must catch the football, there will be openings and we must take capitalize.
NOTE: 4 – 5 Star running backs and receivers are not needed. The offense can function at a high efficiency with average sized, speedy RB’s, and receivers with good hands.
gtfanfrom1951
July 7th, 2011
2:48 pm
Maybe UGA should be in the ACC….I forgot they lost to UCF……Maybe Big East will take them…
Hayseed Dixie
July 7th, 2011
2:53 pm
The O-Line is the biggest fundamental in football, and BTW fellas, you need it for passing AND running.
For the biggest example of this, watch LSU and Iowa blow up our O-Line during both losses: every other loss has been a variation on that theme.
Either we get an opposing D-lineman who’s one year removed from the NFL crashing the entire party, or our guys are missing assignments and not playing with speed and precision.
Like my pop warner coach used to say, I don’t care if you’ve got Walter Payton back there, if you can’t block up front it don’t make no dadgum difference.
wrecked wreck
July 7th, 2011
3:08 pm
83alum, 1 out 5 ain’t bad. Just like Navy Pjs recruited a bunch of small fast running backs.Pj= service academy football, if that’s what you like.
Here we go
July 7th, 2011
3:10 pm
Kentucky would be more of a terror in the ACC than UGA, that’s for sure
Harvey D. Pooka
July 7th, 2011
3:13 pm
RE: OL One good point, despite their youth, each projected starter got some (some more than others) experience behind them. Countering that point, there is very little room for error and no backups with experience. Bedford made some stupid penalties on ocassion but I think his overall outstanding play and stability will be greatly missed.
Vaunted SEC
July 7th, 2011
3:20 pm
since 1970
Uga vs Kentucky 34-7
Uga vs Tech 30-11
George you were right Tech is a little better than Kentucky.
The SEC is good
July 7th, 2011
3:25 pm
The SEC is a good conference, which is why a crappy team like the dawgs have only won it twice in 25 years. Thats pathetic.
uga is just an also ran in a conference that has some really good teams.
George Stein
July 7th, 2011
3:28 pm
The records of the two teams versus UGA tell us nothing about the relative strength of Tech against Kentucky. And as we all know, there is no transitive property in sports.
BlackandRedDAWG
July 7th, 2011
3:29 pm
I think Techs. line is about the right size for the triple option offense tech. runs. Experience is the same as for the UGA line. Need more and it takes time in the trenches. I would think Tech. would be better off with smaller Ol’s, that have good speed, since they will not often be asked to hold at the point of attack that long. I am not an expert on the triple option but I would think lighter linemen, means they can release and rather than hold their block and maybe help change the direction of the defense in a way that might get the defense out of position and not ready for the run going the other way.
chuck allison
July 7th, 2011
3:32 pm
The offensive line is the key to football success every year, not just this year. Tech has some very good material in terms of strength, athleticism, and intelligence. If the young men are willing to exert themselves in training and during the games, they can be extremely effective and even dominating. The choice is theirs alone.
Old Blind Dawg
July 7th, 2011
3:39 pm
GT has the luxury of a less than challenging schedule early in the year which will give the OL time to find their legs. UGA on the other hand has two early challenges.
I can hardly wait for fall………………..
surfrider
July 7th, 2011
3:49 pm
Some of Tech’s returning starters are an upgrade in talent for this scheme and there is talent depthwise if not experience. Smith has been around 3 years or so and played even or ahead of Claytor who was a top notch recruit. Key to me is can Tech get a lead blocker into play, rollout option/pass, and can the passing game finally make the connection we need to hit 50% plus to be effective and throw say 15 to 25 times per game.
Born2Buzz
July 7th, 2011
3:52 pm
CPJ didn’t invent the game of football, but he’s related to the man who did.
And he hasn’t cured cancer…yet.
George Stein
July 7th, 2011
3:58 pm
Well, I think Old Blind Dawg has finally posted something we all can agree on.
Eight weeks, boys.
PerimeterCenterJacket
July 7th, 2011
4:10 pm
Almost Fall…My fiance’s early wedding present to me and herself? Season tickets to Bobby Dodd Stadium plus a whole slew of tailgating gear! My streak of no missed home games looks to continue from bachelorhood into family life. Thank God her daddy dressed her in White and Gold!
Eight weeks, indeed. GOOO Jackets!
wrecked wreck
July 7th, 2011
4:21 pm
Is it poor coaching when an offense has receivers that can’t catch or Qbs that have bad throwing mechanics or RB’s that fumble and O linemen that commit penalties at the most inopportune times?
What about bad defenses and even worse special teams could that be attributed to poor coaching?
No the coach is a genius we can out rush everyone. Look at the 2008 roster compare to this roster, which would you rather have? Nesbitt or Washington, Dwyer or Lyons, Thomas or Hill, Walker , Richards Johnson and Moergan or the current D line. Yes PJ really has recruited in better talent .
George Stein
July 7th, 2011
4:29 pm
What about horrible writing and reasoning skills could that be attributed to poor intellect why is my sentence structure so bad does it effect you’re ability two understand what I’m saying?
Kidney Fan
July 7th, 2011
4:34 pm
Tyler Kidney is one of the hardest working kids I have ever had the opportunity to coach. This is a young man who suffered a season ending knee injury his senior year. He is clearly the epitome of what hard work and determiantion will do for you. Tyler will hopefully start this coming season after being a walkon and not having a single scholarship opportunity coming out of high school. Tyler do your thing, Coach Mac
Ramblin Man
July 7th, 2011
4:49 pm
Dawgfan loves to rave about the SEC until he argues with other SEC fans then he claims LSU, Alabama, Fla., and Auburn all cheat to get recruits and for allowing what he feels are ineligble players to play. Your arguements are all over the place, but you do always give me a good laugh. I again thank you for spending so much of your time reading and posting about a team you consider irrelevant.
Paddy
July 7th, 2011
5:27 pm
Tech’s linemen seem big enought to me. Experience will tell the story.
My prediction; Washington will not be the starting QB. That really may too obvious but, what the hell!
Seminole
July 7th, 2011
5:29 pm
I think Tech sucks………