Finch likely out for Clemson
Greetings-
First, sorry about the filters. It seemed like they were out of control today. I apologize. Here are the notes. As you may have already read, it doesn’t look good for Jay Finch to play Saturday, which is not good for a couple different reasons. Nothing against Nick McRae, but he’s quicker off the ball than McRae and is just more experienced. Onto the notes.
1. Georgia Tech will most likely be without starting center Jay Finch for its Saturday night game against Clemson. Tech coach Paul Johnson said Finch is “probably out” for the game with a lower-leg injury.
Finch has not practiced this week after sustaining the injury on Tech’s first play from scrimmage in the loss to Miami last Saturday. Nick McRae, who replaced Finch last Saturday, would be his likely replacement.
“He’s played well,” Johnson said of Finch. “I think for the most part, anytime you lose a starter, it’s tough, but it’s like I’ve said before, the next guy’s got to step up.”
McRae, along with guards Omoregie Uzzi and Will Jackson, will have their hands full. Clemson nose guard Brandon Thompson is projected to be the first tackle taken in the NFL draft.
“I think [Finch's injury] affected them a great deal” in the Miami game, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Wednesday.
On his Wednesday night radio show on 790 the Zone, Johnson said that he hopes Finch will be back for the Nov. 10 Virginia Tech game after the open date and that Morgan Bailey will back up McRae, assuming Finch can’t play. It would be the second career game for Bailey, a redshirt freshman who has fought injuries since coming to Tech.
(I owe a debt of gratitude to the fan who asked Johnson about Finch’s prognosis. I asked about Finch after practice, but didn’t ask about his availability for Virginia Tech. Fail for me. Don’t know if you heard it, but the callers were not the typical “We love ya, Coach” variety. One guy told Johnson he needed to hire a special teams coordinator, which got his goat a bit, but hung up before Johnson could fire a question back at him.)
2. Despite Clemson’s offensive firepower, Tech won’t play any more conservatively on defense than usual, secondary coach Charles Kelly said.
“We’re going to play what we play,” he said.
The Jackets will have to be mindful of Clemson’s various formations and motions, know where the Tigers’ playmakers are and communicate well before the snap. Tackling the ball and preventing yards after catch will be other keys.
“I think what it’s going to boil down to is our individual battles summing up to us winning the play,” defensive end Jason Peters said.
(This is going to be a stress test for the defense. Offensive coordinator Chad Morris tries tries to run 80 plays a game – Tech ran 62 last game – which means quick snaps as soon as the ball is placed. Players are going to have to be on their P’s and Q’s.)
3. Johnson said he’ll keep his kicking and punting specialists the same Saturday as last week – David Scully on kickoffs, Justin Moore on field goals and Sean Poole on punts. Asked if Zach Laskey would field punts again, Johnson replied, “We’ll see when the game starts.”
Of the team’s practice this week, Johnson said that “it’s hard to be real up-tempo. Guys are banged up, beat up, so I think they’re focusing on what we’re trying to do with our game plan.”
(If I had to guess, I’d say Laskey will be out there again. For his sake, I hope he gets another chance.)
4. The betting spread on the game has dropped a half-point to a point from its opening line because of money being wagered on the Jackets. Most lines initially had the Tigers as a 4-to-4.5-point favorite. Caesars Palace sports book analyst Todd Fuhrman said that among professional gamblers, “there is some appetite out there in the market to take Georgia Tech as a home underdog.” Johnson’s success against Clemson – he is 3-1 against the Tigers – has made the Jackets a popular bet among “sharps,” Fuhrman said.
(That was interesting, I thought. Fuhrman said he thought the less-informed betting public will lay money on Clemson and the professional bettors will go with Tech. Take it for what it’s worth.)
5. Mike Patrick (play by play), Craig James (color) and Jenn Brown (sideline) will call the game for ABC. The game will be broadcast across the Southeast and into Pennsylvania, Indiana and Arkansas. The rest of the country will see the Stanford-USC game.
(I think they did the Tech-N.C. State game, if I’m not mistaken. I guess “Jenn” is the popular spelling among sideline reporters. My friend Jenn Hildreth, who works for Fox Sports South, does the double N. I guess one day when I replace Erin Andrews, I’ll go by Kenn Sugiura. For a lot of reasons, that would be a bad day for television.)
Thanks for reading. Come back Thursday morning for something or other. Please follow on Facebook and Twitter.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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228 comments Add your comment
juvenal
October 27th, 2011
9:57 am
Lex, hope you are half wrong-i know you guys live in the past, try to explain how the graduation rates were thru ‘04, applying to a coach we fired, (& some folks complain CPJ doesn’t recruit as well!)…..it’s hard to find 3*+ atheletes who care anything about education, that’s how $port$ is, these days….
Fields
October 27th, 2011
10:01 am
Georgia Tech: Where good coaches go to commit career suicude.
Johnson will make a fine high school ciach in Cobb in a couple of years
CloudmanJacket
October 27th, 2011
10:02 am
@ DawginLex…you may be right about the UGA game; I can see it going either way…BUT there is no way our high school offense scores 38 with the speed that Clemson has. We scored 13 on them last year with a better running QB
CloudmanJacket
October 27th, 2011
10:02 am
@ Fields…who says CPJ is a good coach?
TampaDawg
October 27th, 2011
10:03 am
No way Lex, Dawgs win 27-21
Fields
October 27th, 2011
10:05 am
Cloudman –
You are correct.
Clemson – 52
Yech – 9
5150 UOAD
October 27th, 2011
10:08 am
17 Clemson
24 Tech
Fields
October 27th, 2011
10:10 am
Cloudman –
I was just being polite
Most Yech fans are still trying convince themselves that Johnson didnt really con them in a multi- year contract and is really the savior they have dreamed about. I will be shocked if you are a rational, intelligent, informed Tech fan that isnt drinking the koolaid….
DawginLex
October 27th, 2011
10:16 am
The home crowd is worth a lot for Tech plus it is at night and it is going to be cold.
I see a shootout but of course I saw one last week too.
Our best WR is hurt and Florida gets their QB back. All bad signs
GT Fan
October 27th, 2011
10:16 am
Clemson’s D-Line unit was better last season; however, their best lineman this season is NG, and GT will be starting it’s 2nd string C … not good. #90 (DE) is also good for Clemson … not good for Tevin (who appears to be a deer caught in the headlights since the 2nd half of Maryland).
Miami’s D, in particular their D-Line has been decimated with injuries, and the YJs stunk it up big time vs. that D. Clemson’s D is in much better shape.
I don’t know how in the H— it’s only a 3.5 spread. I have a bad feeling that Vegas is WAY off on this one. Clemson’s playing with too much confidence, and GT …. well, I can’t seem to shake how bad they looked vs UVA & the U.
CloudmanJacket
October 27th, 2011
10:16 am
@ Fields…I hate his offense and feel he is a stubborn fool. In the last 2 years with HIS players, he has lost to unranked NC State, KANSAS for God’s sake, Virginia, Miami, Air Force, and probably the worst mutts team in decades. His record last year was equal to Chan’s next to last year and he is on pace this year to equal Chan’s final year if we lose to Clemson, VT, and the mutts which I think is a real possibility.
Why does he think he is smarter than the other 49 coaches in the top 50 who don’t run the triple option exclusively? I guess he knows something they don’t…OR maybe it is the other way around. I am not a Kool-Aid drinker and I am tired of having a mediocre football program and fans being OK with that.
Fields
October 27th, 2011
10:16 am
5150 UOAD makes my point for me. Yech has given up nearly 26 points in every ACC game yet he says Yech’s horrible defense is going to hold Clemson to only 17?!?!
I was at least being honest with my prediction.
DawginLex
October 27th, 2011
10:18 am
juvenal
Me living in the past?
Or was that directed to others?
Fields
October 27th, 2011
10:19 am
Cloudman –
Not sure how you are a Yech fan. You are honest, logical and sane. Are you really a bug fan??
5150 UOAD
October 27th, 2011
10:20 am
Fields I am being honest with my prediction too. You may not agree, but that is your right.
dry dirt road
October 27th, 2011
10:22 am
Usually when a top ranked team comes to Grant Field, they do win. This used to happen when I was at tech. Auburn and Pat Sullivan came to GF and won, Charlie Waters and Clemson, Theisman and Notre Dame for a night game. Those teams really do play better. NC State last year is another example, putting on the shotgun clinic for CPJ. The reason Washington is coughing up handoffs and tosses is because of the insecurity of the home jersey numbers color change, which is a no no for the Fall, when only leaves change colors, such as the display outside of BD Stadium as seen from the blimp last year on tv. Insecurity brings out the worst in men b/c they are not supposed to be fickle and change their minds about decisions they’ve made like women as expected to maybe do. Perhaps a woman decided to change the colors of the numbers of Tech’s home jerseys. That’s probably why Tech is losing now…b/c of a “female coach”, like the woman’s basketball team at Tech has. As a male Tech grad, I cannot accept the color change of the home jerseys AT ALL, and I don’t wear an earring in any of my ears either.
Fields
October 27th, 2011
10:23 am
Juvenal –
Yech ATTEMPTS to recruit about 90% of the same football players UGA does. Just like how UGA ATTEMPTS to recruit about 90% of the basketball players that Yech does. Stop fooling yourself.
GT Fan
October 27th, 2011
10:23 am
Here’s the deal for UGA fans:
The Dawgs are not losing to the Gators on Saturday … the SEC East is an absolute joke this season (and I’m not trying to sling mud, just stating a fact). Only UGA & SC are worth a darn.
Try to stay grounded after Saturday’s win over the Gators … they are not good.
Winning the East this season is like being the tallest midget. But hey, somebody has to represent the East in GA Dome on December 3rd, so why not be that team.
I’ll be more surprised if UGA is NOT the SEC East Champ than if they lose to UF on Saturday.
5150 UOAD
October 27th, 2011
10:27 am
10/23/2010 @ *Clemson (6-7) L 13 27
9/10/2009 vs. *Clemson (9-5) W 30 27
12/5/2009 vs. *Clemson (9-5) W 39 34 @ Tampa, FL ACC Championship
10/18/2008 @ *Clemson (7-6) W 21 17
9/29/2007 vs. *Clemson (9-4) W 13 3
10/21/2006 @ *Clemson (8-5) L 7 31
10/29/2005 vs. *Clemson (8-4) W 10 9
9/11/2004 @ *Clemson (6-5) W 28 24
9/20/2003 vs. *Clemson (9-4) L 3 39
9/14/2002 @ *Clemson (7-6) L 19 24
9/29/2001 vs. *Clemson (7-5) L 44 47
10/28/2000 @ *Clemson (9-3) W 31 28
Not many Blow outs for either team the last 10 years.
I don’t care about the records. This is usually a good close game.
TampaDawg
October 27th, 2011
10:45 am
Lex, they may be getting Brantley back but it isn’t like getting Tim Tebow back. Brantley was mediocre at best even when healthy. The Gators are a team in flux and may be for some time.
@juvenal, yes, as has been explored thoroughly on UGA blogs, GT and UGA recruit from the same pool and offer scholarships to many of the same players.
juvenal
October 27th, 2011
10:45 am
Lex, not you in particular, you as in,Y’all-the group you hang with, guilt by association…wonder if the unhappy techies above will care that CPJ will bring up the graduation rate…90%?-got proof? typical blinders remark, unless you are talking about sending kids letters(they get mad if you don’t)-doubt we recruited that RB….(lower case j, btw)
Fields
October 27th, 2011
10:46 am
5150 UOAD –
Using your own info, when Yech has won they have barely won and on several occasions when Clemson has won it has been a massacre. Doent look good for your bugs.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 27th, 2011
10:48 am
Fields, the Tech defense has not given up 26 points per game; you have to take away the points that the Tech offense has given up with boner plays or mistakes. The Tech defense has probably given up less than 20 points per game, and most of those points in the early games were given up by the 3rd string defense. The 1st string defense isn’t great, but it’s not as bad as you imply
Fields
October 27th, 2011
10:52 am
I said against ACC opponents. None of Yechs 3rd stringers have entered ACC games this year. And yes, they average 25.4 points scored on in those games.
juvenal
October 27th, 2011
10:53 am
Cloudman, agree(see numerous posts X 3 years)he is too inflexible, but chan was worse(0 ACC champs) with better players(who graduated less & drew sycophants who drew the nzaa)& NEVER BEAT ugha!
Supersize that order, mutt
October 27th, 2011
10:55 am
Fiedls, au contraire, 3rd stringers entered both the UNC and NC State games.
juvenal
October 27th, 2011
10:55 am
strawberry, is that you, cup-head?
Fields
October 27th, 2011
11:08 am
They entered those games for mop up duty? Are you really that stupid???
Supersize that order, mutt
October 27th, 2011
11:10 am
Fields, I don’t know why they entered those games, but relatively speaking, Tech was in better shape before they came in than when the game ended
Fields
October 27th, 2011
11:11 am
Juvenal –
Johnson has zero ACC titles as well
Supersize that order, mutt
October 27th, 2011
11:13 am
Fields, UNC scored 14 points in the FOURTH quarter, to make it close. The first string defense was not playing at the time. And YES, they did make it close—-too close for comfort, but the first string defense had done their job for most of the game.
Fields
October 27th, 2011
11:13 am
Riiiiiight. They were tight games, so if they entered the coach thought they were his best option, therefore it wasnt mop up duty.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 27th, 2011
11:15 am
Funny how you stupid mutts make more out of the ACC championship game being vacated than Clemson does. Clemson has not made any claims to the vacated title, because they knew they got beat on the field of play. If they don’t dispute it, why do you silly mutts?
Fields
October 27th, 2011
11:17 am
Try again. It was a two possession game going into the START of the fourth quarter. No one ever entered that game for mop up duty.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 27th, 2011
11:18 am
Fields, they were not tight games until towards the end. Should the first team defense have remained in the game? Of course not, 2nd and 3rd stringers need the playing time. Did those 2nd and 3rd stringers do their job? No, not really, or it wouldn’t have gotten close. What’s your beef anyway? Just about every mutt I have seen on these blogs claims that UGA “let up” on Vandy, and that really Vandy was never in the game. UGA could have EASILY lost to Vandy (and almost did); how is that different from Tech’s 3rd stringers not doing their fair share of the work at the ends of those two games?
Fields
October 27th, 2011
11:19 am
Moron, what is there for Clemson to dispute? The game never happened and Clemson doesnt count the loss. Serves your thugs right for CHEATING
5150 UOAD
October 27th, 2011
11:21 am
Supersize give up. Fields isn’t called that because he won the Field’s Medal.
Fields
October 27th, 2011
11:21 am
You are such an idiot and a liar. UNC scored a TD within the first seconds if the fourth quarter numbnuts, which made it a 21-28 game.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 27th, 2011
11:23 am
Fields, it was 28 – 14, going into the 4th quarter. A 2 TD lead is not insurmountable, and UNC DID tie it up. But, the 1st string D DID return after the 2nd and 3rd stringers got us in that mess. And the offense did their job and took care of things
Fields
October 27th, 2011
11:23 am
Good one CHOAD. Sorry I do not allow you fantasy boys to get away with posting outright lies.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 27th, 2011
11:24 am
Fields, UNC was NEVER in the lead in that game
Supersize that order, mutt
October 27th, 2011
11:24 am
uhhh, Fields, I believe you are the one who is lying. You just said UNC led 28 – 21. That’s a bold-faced lie
ansley market
October 27th, 2011
11:25 am
Tech never played their third string. Those games were way too close. Stop tryng to sell crazy and just admit your defense sucks as bad as your offense.
juvenal
October 27th, 2011
11:26 am
strawberry, i was there, names don’t mean nuttin, nobel peace prize winner drops bombs everywhere……CU folks don’t argue(sides, appeal on 11/15, ain’t over till it’s over)…waiting for those italics, or Ken to break the code…..
Supersize that order, mutt
October 27th, 2011
11:27 am
ansley market, go hang out with the rest of the Q’s at Ansley. It’s obvious you know nothing about football
Supersize that order, mutt
October 27th, 2011
11:28 am
Fields, are you going to admit your lie?
Fields
October 27th, 2011
11:28 am
You are dumber than dirt. 21-28 clearly means the HOME team has 28. UNC made it 21-28 at the very beginning of the 4th quarter.
5150 UOAD
October 27th, 2011
11:28 am
FG 09:47 Justin Moore 36 Yd 7 20
TD 07:37 Nelson Hurst 6 Yd Pass From Bryn Renner (Thomas Moore Kick) 14 20
TD 01:25 Tevin Washington 1 Yd Run (David Sims Run For Two-Point Conversion) 14 28
FOURTH QUARTER UNC GT
TD 14:53 Eric Ebron 20 Yd Pass From Bryn Renner (Thomas Moore Kick) 21 28
TD 07:22 Giovani Bernard 55 Yd Run (Thomas Moore Kick) 28 28
TD 05:20 Tevin Washington 5 Yd Run (Justin Moore Kick) 28 35
Supersize that order, mutt
October 27th, 2011
11:29 am
since when do you give the home team’s score second? That’s crap. It was 28-21, not 21-28
Fields
October 27th, 2011
11:30 am
Thank you CHOAD for proving my point and showing yet again how much of a liar supertroll is.