Live from Tech-UNC: Will first-play lightning strike yet again?
Exhibit C: Tech's first snap last week. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
I’m not in the habit of constructing game plans — I would never ever venture to give highly paid coaches any advice, heh heh — but I offer one piece of advice for North Carolina’s Everett Withers:
On the first Georgia Tech snap, have your men back up 30 yards.
The way I see it, it’s better to yield a chunk of yardage that a touchdown.
As we know, Tech has scored on its first play of every game this season, which is about to conclude its first month. Against Western Carolina, it was a 5-yard toss sweep. (Turnover set it up.) Against Middle Tennessee, it was a 73-yard touchdown pass. Against Kansas, it was the 95-yard counter by Orwin Smith.
Aggregate time of possession on Tech’s first series of Games 1-3: Thirty-four seconds.
Aggregate number of points on Tech’s first series of Games 1-3: Twenty-one.
Today’s titanic tilt comes billed as Tech’s first test, which it is, kind of. But Carolina isn’t exactly a convincing 3-0. It overrode five turnovers in Week 2 to beat Rutgers, and in Week 3 it was outgained by Virginia, which has won one conference game in two seasons. (Both games were in Chapel Hill, FYI.)
I like Tech by at least 10 points today — the Vegas line is GT by a TD — but I offer this caveat: Even if the Tar Heels win on the scoreboard, there’s no guarantee it’ll stick. As you’ve doubtless heard, Carolina is in the habit of forfeiting victories.
On that cheery note, the floor is again open for questions, comments and thoughts on the choking Braves. (What’s that? They’re three games up? Never mind.) I’ll be here until the last touchdown is scored, and I welcome your company. And I thank you, as ever, in advance.
By Mark Bradley
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810 comments Add your comment
Who's irrelevant? UGA
September 24th, 2011
12:03 pm
Dang that looked like one of our runs
Mtn Dawg
September 24th, 2011
12:03 pm
Corso picked lsu actually. He put on the tiger head after he bluffed an wvu pick lol.
Steve
September 24th, 2011
12:04 pm
Partial sellout, ha. Funny Mark.
Who's irrelevant? UGA
September 24th, 2011
12:04 pm
Hold them D!!
Who's irrelevant? UGA
September 24th, 2011
12:05 pm
I think them not having that stud kicker will hurt them
Steve
September 24th, 2011
12:05 pm
If UGA is irrelevant, what does that make Tech since they lose to UGA annually?
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
12:06 pm
Carolina inside the 10. Is this allowed?
Mtn Dawg
September 24th, 2011
12:06 pm
LOL
Beast from the East
September 24th, 2011
12:06 pm
Mark,
Is Tech facing Mark Richt’s next team today?
Mack
September 24th, 2011
12:06 pm
Great mark likes us. Now we’ll lose
Mtn Dawg
September 24th, 2011
12:07 pm
The D is really holding them
Ed
September 24th, 2011
12:07 pm
Need a turnover
Billy
September 24th, 2011
12:07 pm
Will someone tell the D the game has started…….
Mtn Dawg
September 24th, 2011
12:07 pm
TD!
Ol'JacketFan
September 24th, 2011
12:07 pm
Nice drive for NC
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
12:08 pm
Tech trails for first time this millennium.
Really only the first time in 2011. But I like to exaggerate.
mmgtfan
September 24th, 2011
12:08 pm
Defense needs work
Billy
September 24th, 2011
12:08 pm
That was easy..Johnson steaming!
GT fan
September 24th, 2011
12:08 pm
It’s one drive. Go to your blog loser uga fans.
Buzz Aldrin
September 24th, 2011
12:08 pm
Our defense is atrocious, at least in the first half. So frustrating.
GT fan
September 24th, 2011
12:09 pm
One drive is not the whole game. Tech d always starts crappy and makes adjustments.
Steve
September 24th, 2011
12:09 pm
Mark is feeling frisky today. Love the sarcasm. Funny what happens when Tech plays a real team.
Ken Sugiura
September 24th, 2011
12:10 pm
UNC was blowing big holes in the d line. time for al groh to adjust somehow.
all atl.teams r losers
September 24th, 2011
12:11 pm
how u like that losers???hahahhahahahahaahhahha
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
12:12 pm
Esteemed colleague Ken Sugiura calls for Groh to adjust. I call for Paul Johnson’s resignation.
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
12:12 pm
FAIL! Tech only gains 21 yards on first snap — pass to Orwin Smith.
all atl.teams r losers
September 24th, 2011
12:13 pm
Enter your comments here
Ol'JacketFan
September 24th, 2011
12:13 pm
No score but a nice throw
all atl.teams r losers
September 24th, 2011
12:13 pm
it was 18 yards mark not 21
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
12:14 pm
Announced in press box as a 21-yard gain.
all atl.teams r losers
September 24th, 2011
12:14 pm
i call for u all to root for a real team
Dawg'88
September 24th, 2011
12:14 pm
UNC will prove if Yech is for real….yeah right…
If UGA had played Yech’s schedule and won those games….there would be a collective yawn by MB, JS, the ajc sports dept. and Yech fans. But the Yech O-Jackets Joke by Coke beats Middle Tenn. St., Kansas, and the mighty Western Carolina and they are ranked & here their is the thought are they for real. Giving up 22 pts. per game vs those football powers is not too good either.
UGA has their issues. And they have a looooong way to go to be good. But to question their ability and reap praises on Yech team who has not played the likes of Boise and SCU is insane.
Remind me again what Yech’s record is vs Richt who is under fire? 2-8! And yet a nasty person who is never happy and is always a cranky old man like PJ is safe.
The world is upside down.
BTW…Carolina just went up 7-0….for real….yep! Really fake!
all atl.teams r losers
September 24th, 2011
12:15 pm
announced on espn 18 yards lol
all atl.teams r losers
September 24th, 2011
12:16 pm
enjoy it now cause just like the braves another early exit in 1st round as always
all atl.teams r losers
September 24th, 2011
12:16 pm
SACK LOL
Stephen Garcia
September 24th, 2011
12:17 pm
Watching the game, drinking a beer before our game tonight. Having terrifying flashbacks from last week against Navy. Is this a real offense?
all atl.teams r losers
September 24th, 2011
12:17 pm
3RD AND 2 BECOMES 3RD AND 7 LOSERS
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
12:17 pm
Orwin Smith offside on third-and-10.
Ol'JacketFan
September 24th, 2011
12:17 pm
tackle for loss, nimrod
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
12:17 pm
Fourth and three. PJ not going for it.
all atl.teams r losers
September 24th, 2011
12:18 pm
4TH DOWN LOL
WATCH THEM CHOKE
all atl.teams r losers
September 24th, 2011
12:18 pm
CHICKENS FG
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
12:18 pm
Heels 7, Tech 3.
Steve
September 24th, 2011
12:19 pm
Mark is it safe to say that the Braves are OK now? Sucks they won’t get past the first round with Lowe as a starting pitcher.
Billy
September 24th, 2011
12:19 pm
Mark @12:12…lol
all atl.teams r losers
September 24th, 2011
12:19 pm
WAS 3rd and 3 false start 3rd and 8 somebody way off on the game
Ken Sugiura
September 24th, 2011
12:19 pm
A lot of runs to the perimeter. tech will have to establish something inside, i think.
all atl.teams r losers
September 24th, 2011
12:20 pm
steve
where was lowe since 2001 ????clueless fool
atl xmen
September 24th, 2011
12:20 pm
uh oh…..doesnt look good for tech no td on first play or first possesion
Billy
September 24th, 2011
12:21 pm
all alt.loser..when its over we’ll see who’s the loser.