Will Tech be ready for Virginia power game?
Georgia Tech outside linebacker Brandon Watts didn’t need any review of game video to recall last year’s loss to Virginia.
“They just beat us up front,” Watts said following Tech’s win over Presbyterian Saturday. “They beat us on the edges, on the perimeter, just ran the ball right down our throat.”
In case you don’t remember as well as Watts does, a refresher. Tech went to Charlottesville with a 6-0 record and No. 12 ranking. In defensive coordinator Al Groh’s first professional return to his alma mater since his firing after the 2009 season, the Cavaliers trampled the Yellow Jackets with 272 rushing yards in a 24-21 upset.
Virginia controlled the ball for 10:59 of the fourth quarter, including the final 5:58. In that final period, the Cavaliers running game was so commanding that their fans expressed their dismay (to put it gently) every time quarterback Michael Rocco dropped back to pass.
“Those tall guys, once they get a hold of you, it was pretty hard for you to get off,” defensive end Izaan Cross said that day.
That brings us to this week and an opportunity for Tech to reveal how far it has come. The Jackets looked considerably better against Virginia Tech, holding the Hokies to 17 points and 302 yards in regulation. For whatever it’s worth, they dominated Presbyterian. A cynic could discount the performance against the Hokies with the argument that they’re not a very good offensive team this season. Tech’s defensive effort against the Blue Hose was considerable, but it was a poor-to-average FCS team. One could also point out that Virginia may not actually be that good, requiring the aid of a remarkably errant placekicker to beat Penn State at home on Saturday.
All that to say, Saturday’s date with Virginia should reveal far more about the state of the Tech defense than we’ve learned to date. The Virginia offensive line has three returning starters from the unit that controlled the Tech defense with stretch plays and tosses last year. Running back Perry Jones is back, too. Tech should expect to face plenty of power football from coach Mike London’s bunch.
Said Watts, “I think we’re better prepared this year. We’ve got a whole lot better players. We’ll be better.”
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216 comments Add your comment
GT Joe
September 11th, 2012
3:07 pm
Wisenhunt going from the NFL to an assistant position at Tech? Come on.
Fridge as a QB coach at tech? even funnier.
old dog
September 11th, 2012
3:17 pm
I keep seeing the Reggie Ball comments….no doubt he was OUR MVP when he was QB. Seriously, folks (for some sick reason) thought him to be the next Joe Hamilton, and he was not. (Nobody is…..bad as I hate to say it, Hamilton is one of the best college QB’s I ever saw, and I’m a DAWG, for goodness sake!) Y’all will have to have two QB’s, whoever gets the start. In the offense you have, the QB takes a whoopin’, so you gotta be ready. Y’all will show your mettle against Virginny, and you will win. You, quite frankly, do not have a top-notch defense, but it is improving, and will continue to do so.
pj experiment should be over
September 11th, 2012
3:34 pm
If Wisenhunt becomes available hire him as head coach and let PJ coach o lineman.PJ is in way over his head , except against the likes of Presbyterian.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 11th, 2012
3:42 pm
Thanks, old dog. You obviously know more about college football that “experiment” does
Supersize that order, mutt
September 11th, 2012
3:42 pm
than, not that
GT Lee
September 11th, 2012
3:43 pm
old dog is a better Tech fan than some of our “so-called fans”……
Supersize that order, mutt
September 11th, 2012
3:57 pm
that’s for sure, Lee
old dog
September 11th, 2012
3:59 pm
Ha Ha! I am a Dawg, and I like to rib at folks with the best of them. However, Tech IS a team in the great state of Georgia, and I pull for y’all excpet against us. I know MANY of you do not reciprocate, but thats okay, too. You do not have to be obnoxious to be a true fan! (I can be that way sometimes myself, but I’m getting better about it as I get older!) We have folks on our blog that hate our program, too, but they gotta have something to pout about, right? Anyway, pick it up a little on the D, and you will be suprised. Hopefully, we get our d-starters back and our o-line holds up later on against the big-boys. (Y’all don’t suppose I’m “groveling” a little bit because I think this could be the year you get us, do you? lol!)
Supersize that order, mutt
September 11th, 2012
4:01 pm
@ old dog……I sure hope it is “the year”
1 4 GT
September 11th, 2012
4:12 pm
I choose to believe it is “the year”!!!! GOOOOO JACKETS THWGeorgie
P B Orr
September 11th, 2012
6:51 pm
Old Dog, good on ya! My Dad and brother and I would have two radios, Munson on his end of the boat and Ciraldo on my end, with my brother in the middle handling the fishing gear. I root for UGA other than against Tech, where I managed to graduate somehow. But even I know that our new uniforms are disgraceful and girly. So I may root for the Dawgs this year!
1 4 GT
September 11th, 2012
8:55 pm
There should be no on Earth or in Heaven a GT grad could root for Georgie against GT!!!!!!!!
Tevin Washington works on evading pass rush | Georgia Tech
September 11th, 2012
9:50 pm
[...] Will Tech be ready for Virginia’s power game? [...]
4Jacks
September 12th, 2012
5:22 pm
Syngen Days should be moved to safety, corner or linebacker asap. Sorry for the kid but he has proven over and over again that he can’t hold the ball. Turnovers are critical to our offense like in most all offensives. Sorry Days is a liability and should never play another offensive position at Tech. But would like to see him play defense with his brother.
tired from all the frustrations of being a yellow jacket
September 15th, 2012
7:13 am
Tech will never win the big games with TW as QB. He is too slow and runs/keeps the ball too much. Just not the right person to run this offense. But do like his effort. Also do not forget tech led the nation in rushing or close to it the last two years.
Dog gone
September 15th, 2012
1:40 pm
Haha look at vt getting killed. Don’t feel too good now about ur almost win there now do you? Uva will beat gt again. And now i see a 7 loss season. Keep thinking your high school offense and idiot coach is the next messiah. You guys don’t have a clue.