Tech rebounding after Miami loss

Notes from Tuesday.

1. There have been no dramatic pep talks, but Georgia Tech seems to be rebounding from its crushing overtime loss to Miami on Saturday.

“Guys aren’t really moping on the loss,” A-back Orwin Smith said following Tuesday’s practice. They had been down “kind of right after the game and maybe a little bit Sunday, but I’m not even hearing much about it [Tuesday].”

Quarterback and B-backs coach Brian Bohannon said he and his players talked for about 15 minutes in a meeting about how to respond to the adversity of the loss, which followed an overtime loss in the season opener to Virginia Tech. Bohannon said he reviewed the Miami game video several times Sunday and Monday but is ready to move forward. Quarterback Tevin Washington has a similar mindset.

“He’s a pretty resilient kid,” Bohannon said. “He’s tough as nails.”

Smith said that the Yellow Jackets had an energetic, productive practice Tuesday as they prepare for Middle Tennessee State on Saturday. Center Jay Finch said he made a point of “trying to fly around” to keep the energy up.

One team goal for the season, to go undefeated at home, is out the window. The top one, to win the ACC, is a longshot with two division losses. Others, such as beating Georgia, remain attainable. At his Tuesday news conference, coach Paul Johnson wanted his team focused only on one goal – beating Middle Tennessee State.

“We talked a lot about how dealing with adversity and how you respond to it, how you react to it, it helps to define you,” Johnson said. “I think they’ll come back and play on Saturday. I’d be disappointed if we didn’t.”

2. Cornerback Louis Young (upper-body injury) and offensive lineman Will Jackson (leg) did not practice Tuesday, although Johnson said Monday that he expected both to play Saturday. Johnson did say Tuesday that true freshman cornerback D.J. White will play Saturday for the first time since “we’ve got some injuries and we need him back in the secondary.”

Johnson also said that Jamal Golden will probably see more time at punt returner after two returns for 84 yards against Miami and that true freshman wide receiver Anthony Autry will see more playing time.

“He’s starting to make some really good improvements and some guys didn’t play as well,” wide receivers coach Buzz Preston said of Autry.

B-back Zach Laskey figures to get most of the snaps at that position, as David Sims is still recovering from surgery to repair a stress fracture in his shin. Sims played about 15 snaps against Miami. Broderick Snoddy is improving as a blocker, but still needs more work.

“It’s hard to sub the fullbacks in and out based on one can block, one can run,” Bohannon said.

3. Wide receiver Chris Jackson has completed a four-game suspension for not meeting NCAA credit-hour requirement rules. Jackson said he needed to have taken another class towards his major over the summer, but the shortage was not discovered until preseason camp. Tech appealed to the NCAA to no avail.

Through the first four games, Jackson has been working with the second-string offense. He’ll play special teams and could be in the rotation at wide receiver.

“Being my senior year, they’ve always said everything’s going to come fast an those four games went by fast,” he said. “So hopefully, the next eight games go by slow for me.”

4. The team voted for captains Monday. Guard Omoregie Uzzi was named offensive captain, defensive end Izaan Cross was named defensive captain and Washington was chosen overall captain. … For Saturday’s broadcast, Mike Hogewood (play by play), former Wake Forest quarterback Riley Skinner (analyst) and Elizabeth Moreau (sideline) will call the game for regional sports networks, including Fox Sports South in the Atlanta market. … The ticket market for the game is not scalding. On the ticket re-sale website Stubhub Tuesday evening, almost 50 tickets were available for less than $10 and as low as $3.99.

In case you missed it…

Paul Johnson, fount of hope?

Johnson calls loss ‘my fault’

The meaning of Tech giving up 609 yards

After Miami loss, Tech tries to regroup

Mark Bradley: Johnson’s approach hurting Tech

Thanks for reading.

Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog