UPDATE: Tech handles Maryland, 33-13
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – In search of a full, four-quarter effort, Georgia Tech left Byrd Stadium Saturday still looking for it. But the Yellow Jackets did regain their offensive footing and located the right opponent for confidence-building purposes.
In what may go down in the annals as “The game when Tech played against the quarterback who was a linebacker,” the Yellow Jackets pushed aside Maryland 33-13 in their attempt to reclaim the season and finish on an upward trajectory.
“I know they’re on, like, their fifth quarterback,” said A-back Orwin Smith, his tone void of sympathy. “It has to be tough. We’re moving on to North Carolina.”
A week after BYU body-slammed the Jackets in all phases of the game, Tech offered a performance that was rugged and energetic, though not free of flaws. The Tech defense didn’t permit a first down until midway through the second quarter and shut out the Terrapins through the first 44 minutes of the game. Quarterbacks Tevin Washington and Vad Lee directed Tech to 370 rushing yards against the No. 4 rushing defense in the country, more than three times what Tech gained against BYU last Saturday and 202 yards more than the Terrapins’ previous season high.
However, Tech lost two fumbles and again encountered turbulence on kickoff coverage and extra points, as kicker David Scully bounced one try off an upright and then failed to clear the line of scrimmage on another. The defense, given an opportunity to close down a Maryland offense that was eminently capable of cooperating, gave up 161 yards and two touchdowns on the Terrapins’ final three possessions.
That said, in a season in which Tech has lost three games in which it led in the fourth quarter and this week compelled coach Paul Johnson to stick up for the state of the program, a victory was more than enough. On a chilly and overcast afternoon, Tech improved to 4-5 overall and 3-3 in the ACC. Maryland fell to 4-5 and 2-3.
“As I told our guys, we keep alive what we’re playing for this season,” Johnson said. “We still have a chance mathematically (to win) the league, still have a chance to have a winning season and go to a bowl game. That’s what we’re playing for right now. It makes next week’s game against North Carolina the biggest game of the year for us.”
Maryland quarterback Shawn Petty, a true freshman recruited to College Park as a linebacker but forced to switch positions after the Terrapins’ first four quarterbacks suffered season-ending injuries, was largely ineffective. As Tech coaches expected, Maryland mostly kept the game on the ground, trying zone-option plays and also using a Wildcat package with running back Wes Brown.
Crowding the tackle box with as many as seven players, Tech held Maryland to 144 rushing yards and a 3.3 yards-per-carry average. On Maryland’s final three possessions of the game, Petty led the Terrapins to a pair of touchdowns, both on passes. The second was on the final play of the game.
“The speed of the game was something that it took him a little bit of time to get used to,” Maryland coach Randy Edsall said of Petty. “You can’t go out there and line up at this level after only seven practices and think that everything is going to happen the way you hope it will.”
Interim defensive coordinator Charles Kelly “was, like, Stay inside the box and let him prove that he can pass and then we’ll widen things out,” said inside linebacker Quayshawn Nealy.
Nealy led Tech with a career-high 12 tackles, including a jarring point-of-attack stop on a 3rd-and-1 play in the second quarter when he knocked tailback Albert Reid back for a 1-yard loss. After the punt, Lee drove the Jackets 49 yards for a touchdown and a 20-0 lead with 8:47 to play in the second quarter. It went a great length to doom Maryland, which has scored more than 21 points just twice this season.
Johnson rotated Washington and Lee, giving Washington two series to begin the game and then Lee the final three of the half. In the second half, Washington had the first two possessions and Lee had the final two. Washington led Tech to two touchdowns in his four series. Lee was 3-for-5.
It was the A-backs’ day, as Johnson called a number of tosses and option plays that often ended with the ball in their hands. They gained 220 of Tech’s 370 rushing yards. Smith ran with speed and force and led Tech with 89 yards on 10 carries. He scored the second touchdown of the game, a second-quarter 5-yard run to the corner freed up by a block by B-back David Sims.
“Coach found a couple of plays that were very successful,” Lee said. “We just took advantage of it and kept running it and it was working. We just kept grinding.”
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375 comments Add your comment
Reality Stinks
November 3rd, 2012
10:10 pm
Michael Veli a.k.a Jim Donnan’s financial adviso
How bout this
I will spot Tech 1 National Championship too in the modern era with only 1 BCS level bowl appearance going on almost 60 years
Any national championship before the 60’s is really a joke
Yea Tech is a joke living off the so called 1920’s and 50’s when the Varsity gave out national championships
...Take The Wheel
November 3rd, 2012
10:11 pm
I don’t care wo starts at QB as long they are both in synch and moving the ball. I’ve always said we should use all our resources!! That includes more time for Synjyn, and better use of Snoddy! He should at least be on the punt return team.
Ol'JacketFan
November 3rd, 2012
10:12 pm
@GT08EE is you really feel that way then I reckon you’re going to be a sad person. Me? I like to look at the good and trust in the coaches to bring the upside of the talent I see to fruition. The cupboard is far from bare.
Reality Stinks
November 3rd, 2012
10:13 pm
14 GT
1917 1928 1952
LOL
Who awarded those Cracker Jack; The Varsity and the North Ave Times
Yea UGA has 5 of those per wiki as well
1 4 GT
November 3rd, 2012
10:13 pm
GT08……..I see you have incorporated your graduation year into your blog handle. Job well done young man. You have every reason to be proud of it, Now, if you could just learn to enjoy the little things in life and not dwell on the little piles of chit, you would find life much easier. And be happier in life to boot.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:15 pm
@ 1 4 GT……I have no idea why, nor have I found a REAL UGA fan who can answer but UGA’s 1942 championship is not generally accepted.
Ol'JacketFan
November 3rd, 2012
10:17 pm
Anybody watching the track meet otherwise known as the Oregon/USC game?
Michael Veli a.k.a Jim Donnan's financial adviso
November 3rd, 2012
10:17 pm
Ahhh Reality, that was a nice comeback but i have to disagree. You see, facts and fantasy can’t be woven together to form truth. But for the fun of it i say Herschel Walker was a joke and take away your only national championship, that’s on par with your view of logic.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:19 pm
@ Reality…..using the counting system that you have used for UGA, Tech has championships in 1917, 1928, 1951, 1952, 1956, and 1990. So even with that flawed counting, Tech has SIX to UGA’s FIVE.
1 4 GT
November 3rd, 2012
10:19 pm
Reality…..FYI…..anyone anywhere in the world at any time of day or night can post anything they please on your mighty wiki….with one caveat….there is no verification at all….oh you or I could read something & if we don’t like it we can change it….if you want to call that verification….Google is verified however & is way more accurate than wiki ever has been….but you go right on believing what ever is on there.
White&Gold
November 3rd, 2012
10:19 pm
Reality, I’m guessing you’re the guy who cites wikipedia as a source when you write a paper.
CloudmanJacket
November 3rd, 2012
10:20 pm
I have been away for a few minutes and cannot believe when I came back that SUPERSIZE is still arguing with mutts about who has the most championships. Who cares? Neither team has had one in the last 2 decades and as long as CPJ is our coach we will never contend for one. As long as CMR is coach at UGA and CPJ is at Tech, the mutts will continue to kick our tail each year and they will continue to be a contender for the SEC east, but nothing else.
Reality Stinks
November 3rd, 2012
10:20 pm
Supersize
Face it GT has never been better than UGA pre 70’s and post 70’s the record shows it
Tech lives off joke National Championships that are claimed by several other teams the same years
At least UGA can claim an outright championship that isnt shared unlike Techs so called 500 NC’s awarded by The Varsity
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:21 pm
The sad thing is that he can’t even use Wiki properly. Wiki is the source that says that Tech has SIX NC’s and UGA has FIVE. Like I said before, he has a SELECTIVE view of history.
CloudmanJacket
November 3rd, 2012
10:23 pm
WE have more championships; no WE have more championships; no we do; no we do. Seriously, you sound like a bunch of middle school girls? Let’s just admit that we are a mediocre program being coached by a mediocre coach and we have ALOT of mediocre fans on here that are OK with that.
I for one; am not and want CPJ gone. Mid Tn, Air Force, BYU, Iowa, Virginia. No excuses.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:24 pm
@ Reality……so 8 wins in a row is not better than you? WOW, you really are stupid, aren’t you. And once again, you showed you just read what you want to read, since UGA’s CLAIMED 1942 NC was claimed by Wisconsin and Ohio State. And even 1980 was not unanimous. NEXT !!!!
Flowery Branch Yellow Jacket
November 3rd, 2012
10:24 pm
I know there’s still 27 minutes left to play in Baton Rouge, but I’m beginning to think that no one will beat the Tide this year. I would LOVE to see them take on either Oregon or Kansas State, but I suspect that the Alabama D would stifle either of those offenses. One thing though … there are a couple of Oregon players who, if they get the ball in open space, will take it to the house. I’m not sure that even the Crimson Tide has people who can catch them from behind.
FWIW … it’ll be interesting to see how the Dogs compete against the Tide (assuming they both make it to the GA Dome).
Reality Stinks
November 3rd, 2012
10:24 pm
14 GT
FYI
Championships before the 60’s were awarded by several different polls
your 1917 1928 1952 championships are nothing more than a Cracker Jack box championship shared by 4 or more teams
Sorry Tech hasnt been relevant since 65 and even then they had a losing record against UGA
Reality stinks doesnt it
Really?
November 3rd, 2012
10:25 pm
Congrats on finally getting a win trade school fans. WOOO HOOO
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:25 pm
@ Cloudman……if you are so disenchanted, then find another team to support, if indeed you have ever supported Tech
White&Gold
November 3rd, 2012
10:25 pm
A shower would most likely fix that. That is if you’re not using A1 as shampoo.
Reality Stinks
November 3rd, 2012
10:26 pm
Supersize
Selective memory…… whats Techs record against UGA???????
Ol'JacketFan
November 3rd, 2012
10:26 pm
@Reality now you’re starting to repeat yourself,yet another sign mental illness. Please seek help!
CloudmanJacket
November 3rd, 2012
10:27 pm
Supersize “We have more”; Reality “No, we have more”. Supersize ” We have more”, Reality “We have more” Why don’t you girls meet somewhere for a cat fight.
White&Gold
November 3rd, 2012
10:28 pm
Insanity: “Repeating the same material over and over, expecting a different result.”
Ideal example: “Reality stinks” (loser on AJC)
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:29 pm
@ Reality……I conceded the disparity in the rivalry a long time ago. That does not, however, erase the past. And until the 70s the series was back and forth for 70 years, with both teams having extended winning streaks. But none was ever as long as Tech’s 8 game streak in the 50s, and none has been since then.
Reality Stinks
November 3rd, 2012
10:30 pm
White&Gold
By your definition
I guess you and your buddy supersize can join me for our insanity meds then
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:30 pm
cloudman…….if you can’t engage in mostly friendly back and forth between rivals, then you really have no business calling yourself a Tech fan. Go back to whatever you were doing, and let us have fun. I pick on Reality, and he picks on me…..SO WHAT ????
Reality Stinks
November 3rd, 2012
10:31 pm
11-1 since 2001
Something Tech has never done either Supersize
1 4 GT
November 3rd, 2012
10:31 pm
Reality…..the MNC’s you are claiming for Georgie are awarded by the same group of polls as GT’s. None of which even exist today. And using your logic claiming Georgie has 5 according to those very same polls, GT has 6, all of which rally means nothing at all. It’s all meaningless braggadocio on your part & I for one am done with it. You may have the last word.
White&Gold
November 3rd, 2012
10:32 pm
I actually don’t repeat myself. I also know when to call a quits to the immature trolling.
Ol'JacketFan
November 3rd, 2012
10:34 pm
Calling it an evening here, apparently discussing a football game or team drives some folks nuts and I don’t need that kind of drama. Night all, have fun!
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:34 pm
11 – 3 once, Reality……not too far off.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:35 pm
Night, OJF
Reality Stinks
November 3rd, 2012
10:37 pm
14 GT
Thanks O’reilly
My last word will be this
Tech 1 BCS “”level”" bowl appearance in almost 60 years
A terrible record against UGA since the 60’s
11-1 since 2001
Way too much kool-aid being passed around thinking Tech is going somewhere under Coach Turkey Neck
Please make your program relevant again and go after an AD that wants to win in athletics or just drop the athletic program and stick with academics and let Georgia St have Bobby dump stadium and let them build their program up in the ACC
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:38 pm
@ Reality…..be a man and admit it. Until the 70s the series was pretty much dead even, with Tech having streaks, and UGA having streaks. But in all those years, Tech had more SEC championships than UGA did.
Michael Veli a.k.a Jim Donnan's financial adviso
November 3rd, 2012
10:40 pm
Good night, i enjoyed the lively discussions. From my good friend Super size to my new friend Reality and everyone else, may God bless you and yours! A few years from now football will be far from our minds as a huge world wide financial fluctuation is a mathematical certainty, take care of yourselves.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:40 pm
@ Reality…….once again you are being selective. UGA currently owns Tech in football, but Tech has ALWAYS owned UGA in basketball. So don’t say that ALL Tech athletics is irrelevant. I can’t be totally sure about this, but I THINK Tech has more wins in baseball too; if not, it’s very close.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:41 pm
Good night, Michael, and have a blessed Sunday
Reality Stinks
November 3rd, 2012
10:43 pm
Supersize
yes Tech has more victories in Basketball but thats the only sport Tech has a lead on UGA
Baseball UGA leads 195 to 148
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:45 pm
OK, I stand corrected on the baseball record, but the Jackets have done pretty well against you the past two years, so that doesn’t bespeak irrelevancy either.
Reality Stinks
November 3rd, 2012
10:46 pm
Supersize
I gave you the record yea it was close before the 70’s but UGA led
1 4 GT
November 3rd, 2012
10:46 pm
Super……….Since GT & Georgie have been in the same conference since the early days until 1966 I believe, several conferences with different names, that evolved into the SEC….Tech has 16 titles to 14 for Georgie. As of today.
Flowery Branch Yellow Jacket
November 3rd, 2012
10:47 pm
The ongoing argument about national championships is so childish and absolutely irrelevant. According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_football_national_championships_in_NCAA_Division_I_FBS) Princeton and Yale have more national championships than any other schools … and we all know what great football superpowers THEY are! Let’s focus on THIS team and THIS season.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:48 pm
Reality, Tech led until sometime between 1965 and 1968.
Reality Stinks
November 3rd, 2012
10:49 pm
Supersize
The real problem with Tech is this; after the 70’s Tech really started letting in more foreign students now its out of control
Only a handful of my Tech friends agree but thats a fact; when you have people who could care less about their athletic program the results after the 70’s speaks for itself in where the fanbase is now
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:49 pm
@ 1 4 GT…….I think it is 16 – 13, so one of us miscounted.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:52 pm
@ Reality……again, don’t let facts get in your way. The AJC reported in the Fall of 2011 that the percentage of foreign students in the UGA freshman class was higher than the percentage of foreign students in the Tech freshman class. Regardless, I don’t see how that can correlate to wins on the football field. It MIGHT affect attendance, but certainly not performance. Tech had a string of LOUSY coaches, and that’s when the disparity really began.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 3rd, 2012
10:53 pm
DAMN, Alabama is trying their best to lose this game.
1 4 GT
November 3rd, 2012
10:56 pm
And just what was all of this puffed up chest thumping about anyway. I very much dislike Tech’s lack of athletic success since Dodd retired, with occasional flashes of glory, but it is what it is. I still cheer for them & hope for the best. But it is what it is. Georgie has relatively easy majors for athletes & Tech doesn’t. Therefore Georgie gets more top tier athletes than Tech does. The new rules that go into effect in 2016 are supposedly going to level that playing field. We shall see, if we live that long. And I ain’t giving up without a fight.