Georgia Tech-Miami live blog
Three storylines
Can Georgia Tech take control early?
In losing the past three games to Miami, the Yellow Jackets have had first-half deficits of 17-3, 14-0 and 14-0, trouble for a team that doesn’t play its best from behind. A repeat of that scenario may not doom the Jackets, but it may signal to them and the Hurricanes that history may be repeating itself. Coach Paul Johnson has a knack for breaking big plays early, such as the 70-yard touchdown pass to B-back Zach Laskey on the Jackets’ first play from scrimmage last week. A repeat might encourage another frenzy.
What will the Tech defense throw at the Hurricanes?
Defensive coordinator Al Groh is wary of the damage that Miami true freshman running back Duke Johnson, one of the highest-rated prospects at his position last year, can cause to his unit. He’s averaging 9.2 yards per carry and has scored six of Miami’s 11 touchdowns this season. Wide receiver Allen Hurns, who sat out the Hurricanes’ win over Bethune-Cookman last Saturday with a concussion, is a playmaking threat. Tech’s improved defense will face its toughest test thus far.
How many yards will be the B-backs have at game’s end?
If B-backs Zach Laskey or David Sims pile up yards, the prognosis will be good for the Jackets. If they’re not, it probably means that the offensive line is getting backed up, which means the option plays aren’t working, which means a boatload of trouble for Tech. But if center Jay Finch and guards Omoregie Uzzi and Shaquille Mason move Miami off the line of scrimmage for dive plays for the B-backs, the game will swing in Tech’s favor.
A win for Georgia Tech would …
End its three-game losing streak to the Hurricanes and move the Jackets ahead of Miami in the Coastal Division standings.
A win for Miami would …
Go far to shut the door on Tech’s hopes of winning the ACC championships.
Matchup to watch
Georgia Tech wide receiver Darren Waller vs. Miami cornerback Thomas Finnie
At 6-foot-5 and 228 pounds, Waller has seven inches and 43 pounds on Finnie and a matchup that physically he should be able to exploit, both downfield and as a run blocker. Still looking for his first career catch, Waller will have plenty of playing time along with Jeff Greene. The depth chart is thinner after starter Jeremy Moore left the team Tuesday for personal reasons.
The history book
Series record: Georgia Tech leads 10-7
Last meeting: With two costly turnovers in the first half, Tech fell behind 14-0 in the first half and lost 24-7 last October at Sun Life Stadium. The Jackets defense played strong, but did not get much help from an offense that generated 134 rushing yards.
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869 comments Add your comment
CarolinaJacket
September 22nd, 2012
3:36 pm
We’d better get a pass rush.
Biff Pocoroba
September 22nd, 2012
3:38 pm
Al Groh is back to being Al Groh again. He is why I refused to buy tickets again. He has no clue how to stop good teams. we can’t play UVA and MTSU every week. Now we will have to pass to win since Miami has the big guys to shut down the option and Tevin will have to get picked off 3 times before CPJ will think about benching him even though everyone else knows he can’t pass.
Ol'JacketFan
September 22nd, 2012
3:38 pm
D steps up again, now it’s time for the O to get rolling!
UGABob
September 22nd, 2012
3:39 pm
Like I said I wish GT and UGA could make it to there game undefeated.
CarolinaJacket
September 22nd, 2012
3:41 pm
Ok. Lets play dumb ball now. Explain that one.
Biff Pocoroba
September 22nd, 2012
3:41 pm
Walkosky needs to go. These guys are even more clueless than last year. No excuse for being that dumb and these guys did a lot of dumb things last year. And we still can’t kick the ball into the end one.
Ol'JacketFan
September 22nd, 2012
3:41 pm
WTH was O thinking??????????????????
OldSchoolTechFanatic
September 22nd, 2012
3:41 pm
Dazed and confused
billyho55
September 22nd, 2012
3:42 pm
SO, WHAT NEXT? GIMME A FREAKIN BREAK MAN! THIS IS COMPLETE BS!
OkieDawg
September 22nd, 2012
3:42 pm
Did it break the plane?
Ol'JacketFan
September 22nd, 2012
3:42 pm
Opening kickoff was 7 yards deep but who worries about facts
GTfan
September 22nd, 2012
3:42 pm
GT playing like peewee league
Ol'JacketFan
September 22nd, 2012
3:43 pm
@ OkieDawg, no way to know, no camera along the goal line
OldSchoolTechFanatic
September 22nd, 2012
3:44 pm
If groh keeps rushing 3 and 4 men its going to be a long day
Awful Looking Stomach
September 22nd, 2012
3:45 pm
This man looks disgusting. Is Bill Curry the only college coach in Georgia who sets good examples all the way around — not fat, smart, and good character. Thank you, Mr. Curry.
GTfan
September 22nd, 2012
3:46 pm
I can’t believe this crap. What the hell did GT do all week..nothing!
UGABob
September 22nd, 2012
3:46 pm
GT is awful….isn’t this the same Miami team that got crushed a few weeks ago?
Froggy The Gremlin
September 22nd, 2012
3:46 pm
I hope no recruits are watching this abomination.
Mock 1
September 22nd, 2012
3:47 pm
Hey Super I told ya! nice safety. GT is an absolute joke.
Biff Pocoroba
September 22nd, 2012
3:47 pm
Last week we only got the first one in the end zone and then game the ball past the 30 the rest of the day and they broke one big with a sutpid squib kick.
CarolinaJacket
September 22nd, 2012
3:47 pm
A big crowd of recruits.
Biff Pocoroba
September 22nd, 2012
3:49 pm
I’m just lucky I turned down a ticket for today. Groh’s boys have dropped two interceptions just like our regular receivers. I didn’t want to fight Midtown Music Festival traffic to watch Groh and CPJ try and match wits with Golden who does more with less talent even with half the team suspended.
GTfan
September 22nd, 2012
3:49 pm
It will be 19 zero before 1st is over. I’ve always like Johnson but his sh@t ain’t funny.
Go Jackets
September 22nd, 2012
3:49 pm
I hope u Johnson apologists are watching this…….bout to get blown out by a FAST team that really isnt good. Whats Fish-fry’s record against UGA,UM and VT, and bowls?
Can anyone say pink slip?
CarolinaJacket
September 22nd, 2012
3:50 pm
Don’t like the looks of this.
UGABob
September 22nd, 2012
3:51 pm
Murray is going to carve GT’s defense up. Wow I hate to see anyone get hurt.
billyho55
September 22nd, 2012
3:51 pm
TO HELL WITH MIAMI BUT YOU DON’T WANNA SEE THIS!
Ol'JacketFan
September 22nd, 2012
3:51 pm
Anybody give a damn about the kid’s who hurt or do you just run your mouths? Sheesh, grow up for goodness sakes.
Ken Sugiura
September 22nd, 2012
3:51 pm
no pass rush.
CarolinaJacket
September 22nd, 2012
3:52 pm
Those were three statements in a row shoing sorrow for the player getting hurt. What’s your beef?
Biff Pocoroba
September 22nd, 2012
3:52 pm
Don’t call in and question CPJ about this nonsense on Wednesday. He will put you down and say it works great and will get us past 7 wins and into a real bowl game again someday. Just wait a few years until he gets his recruits and a QB who shouldn’t be playing tail back or DB instead.
230gr Full Metal Jacket
September 22nd, 2012
3:53 pm
Ok. This is pathetic — Tech is TOTALLY umprepared for this game, and that falls 100% on the coaches. They really DO look like a mediocre high-school team so far (against a very average and very young Miami team, who DID show up prepared to play). Gotta light a fire under their butts coach!!!! And FAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last year...
September 22nd, 2012
3:53 pm
teams RAN all over us. Seems like this year teams will PASS all over us. I fall for this trick every year…think GT is actually good, but nope they aren’t…
GTfan
September 22nd, 2012
3:54 pm
Yes we care about the kid..nobody said anything bad about it. get a life.
Mock 1
September 22nd, 2012
3:54 pm
Keep tevin in! He’s awesome!!
Biff Pocoroba
September 22nd, 2012
3:55 pm
I’m upset our defense is getting hurt but CPJ is the one who gave this guy a new contract and didn’t question why UVA fans celebrated when we were dumb enough to hire a guy too old to know the 3-4 won’t work with our athletes. Just give him 3=4 years to get his guys in there too. In 2017, we will be awesome.
Gr8 2B aFuzzyB
September 22nd, 2012
3:55 pm
I missed the first TD, what happened? Since then, I do NOT like the flow of this game.
Go Jackets
September 22nd, 2012
3:56 pm
We drop this one, Clemson and then Ga, then got roflstomped inna a medicore bowl and we are looking for a new coach. I recommend Mike Leach…at least he will make it interesting.
We got this m8s
September 22nd, 2012
3:56 pm
wer only down by 3 TDs boys
we got this…we got this…
L
jj
September 22nd, 2012
3:56 pm
Game over.
OldSchoolTechFanatic
September 22nd, 2012
3:56 pm
Yard work starting to look like a good option for the rest of the day
It must be
September 22nd, 2012
3:56 pm
painful to be a GT fan but the good news is when CPJ gets his players all will be just dandy on the flats
Ol'JacketFan
September 22nd, 2012
3:56 pm
My beef CarolinaJacket is that we have folks on here more concerns with garbage comments and personal attacks that a player that was injured. Yes I see some folks have commented on the injury and that’s the way it should be as opposed to the other crap that gets posted. Sorry if I look at things differently but that’s just the way I am.
UGABob
September 22nd, 2012
3:57 pm
On a serious note GT fans, are you really happy with Johnson as your coach?
CarolinaJacket
September 22nd, 2012
3:57 pm
OK. We’d better outscore them by seven, and hopefully ten in the second quarter. If we do, we still have a chance. Lets see what kind of character this team has.
Ken Sugiura
September 22nd, 2012
3:57 pm
65-yard touchdown pass with no pass rush, blown coverage.
biggest lead tech has overcome in CPJ era, if you’re wondering – 16 points. (UGA, 2008)
UGABob
September 22nd, 2012
3:58 pm
When he gets his players? How long has he been there already? How many recruiting classes does it take to get “his” players?
He was being sarcastic
September 22nd, 2012
3:59 pm
UGAbob…a UGA fan…not surprised u didnt comprehend that
InfoForU
September 22nd, 2012
3:59 pm
Game’s on 790 and 106.7. To sum all your great analysis here, this game is going to come down to which team is able to score the most number of points. You’re welcome!
GTVegas
September 22nd, 2012
4:00 pm
Face it, today, CPJ, his staff and his players have thus far showed us that they today is not their day. Groh appears to have gone to lunch, CPJ did not prepare the team and the players appear lost.
So far, they grade out an F in all aspects.