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
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
1:33 pm
So they can have a conference title game.
ylojkt
September 24th, 2011
1:33 pm
according to espn’s gamecast, every pitch Beachy is throwing is in the strike zone and they are being called balls, is this really happening?
atl xmen
September 24th, 2011
1:33 pm
touchdown uga..murry to orson,,great pass and catch
Jesse
September 24th, 2011
1:33 pm
Maybe not turning the ball over!
I’d be interested to know what adjustments the defense made after the UNC touchdown.
Ol'JacketFan
September 24th, 2011
1:33 pm
Very nice drive by GA and a great catch in the endzone
atl xmen
September 24th, 2011
1:33 pm
99 yard drive for the dawgs…running and throwing
ACC IS NO.1
September 24th, 2011
1:34 pm
only way tech is going to lose if it turns it over,this game is history
ACC IS NO.1
September 24th, 2011
1:36 pm
had no prob before mark when it was only 1 division
atl xmen
September 24th, 2011
1:36 pm
look for tech to really slow the game down and just run it down unc mouth..they need to run better in the middle
Ol'JacketFan
September 24th, 2011
1:37 pm
Wish we had Blair Walsh, what a leg that young man has!
ACC IS NO.1
September 24th, 2011
1:37 pm
morerro single drives in werth 1-0 nats,how many dam hits do the braves give upon counts 0-2?AMAZING
Ol'JacketFan
September 24th, 2011
1:38 pm
2 plays TD Ole Miss
atl xmen
September 24th, 2011
1:39 pm
trick play for ole miss to score on reverse pass…
ACC IS NO.1
September 24th, 2011
1:39 pm
philly has lost 6 in a row entering the game today,dont care what anyone says,history has it it if u r not playing godd come post season u wont win,ask the giants last year,flipping the switch on postseason is all talk
atl xmen
September 24th, 2011
1:40 pm
uga gets the ball back with plenty of time to score another td
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
1:40 pm
Two halves in a row Tech hasn’t scored on first play. What’s wrong with this team?
Ol'JacketFan
September 24th, 2011
1:41 pm
Stephen Hill!
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
1:41 pm
Washington to Hill. Good throw on third-and-long. Tech to its 49.
atl xmen
September 24th, 2011
1:41 pm
onside kick for ole miss..ole miss playing with desperation..
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
1:42 pm
A face mask after the Smith gain. Tech to the Carolina 30.
atl xmen
September 24th, 2011
1:43 pm
int for uga and still plenty of time to score
19
September 24th, 2011
1:43 pm
Orwin, stiff arm them the rest of the day! Use the clock! CPJ is doing well. Go Jackets!
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
1:45 pm
Washington tripped on scramble. FG time
atl xmen
September 24th, 2011
1:45 pm
uga score on a 35 yrd pass to white…
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
1:45 pm
Kick is true. Tech leads 20-7.
Ken Sugiura
September 24th, 2011
1:47 pm
a lot of runs up the middle. perhaps johnson is trying to set something up.
Ol'JacketFan
September 24th, 2011
1:48 pm
Nice drive, need to convert to TDs though
the tooth ferry
September 24th, 2011
1:48 pm
Mark – this offense is unfair when they can pass !
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
1:49 pm
Big play by Carolina. Short pass goes for 41.
19
September 24th, 2011
1:49 pm
Can’t have that happen…
19
September 24th, 2011
1:50 pm
ing…
atl xmen
September 24th, 2011
1:50 pm
4th and 1 ole miss…uga will get the ball back with time for a field goal try…
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
1:51 pm
Tech penalized for … hitting too hard?
Ol'JacketFan
September 24th, 2011
1:51 pm
Dink and Dunk, get players in space…………………..CRAP call by the officials!!!!!!!!!!!
19
September 24th, 2011
1:51 pm
Helmet to Helmet! Dang! Not good.
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
1:51 pm
That’s a bad call.
Ol'JacketFan
September 24th, 2011
1:52 pm
My God, what a BS Call
atl xmen
September 24th, 2011
1:52 pm
if you inc gets in here for 6 this will get paul a little nervous as he will have to start passing again..
J.J.M.
September 24th, 2011
1:52 pm
so was the player suppose to try and slow down and make the tackle
Digdawger
September 24th, 2011
1:52 pm
These nerds sure love their football. Must help them cope with being lifelong virgins.
Mark Bradley
September 24th, 2011
1:53 pm
Touchdown, Tar Heels. Strange shift left man wide open.
atl xmen
September 24th, 2011
1:53 pm
uh oh
Smart like a fox
September 24th, 2011
1:54 pm
just checked the UGA page…no trolls there. Looks like we are the only ones being bothered. He must be a 13 year old.
atl xmen
September 24th, 2011
1:54 pm
ole miss scores on a punt return…no extra point
TechMom77
September 24th, 2011
1:55 pm
That call just makes me barf. No helmet to helmet clearly on slow instant replay. That’s six points for the referee….
atl xmen
September 24th, 2011
1:55 pm
a reverse punt return at that..haha..nutt is calling plays like he will lose his job if he doesnt win here
jb
September 24th, 2011
1:55 pm
digdog, which school did u attend
GDBurdell
September 24th, 2011
1:56 pm
Classless nerds booing at the official calling a blatant helmet to helmet block from tek. HAHAHA then booing at the touchdown by UNC…
230gr Full Metal Jacket
September 24th, 2011
1:58 pm
WTF was that?!?!?!?!?! A shoulder pad-to-shoulder pad tackle is illegal???????????? I guess we gotta make receivers wear dresses now????
230gr Full Metal Jacket
September 24th, 2011
1:58 pm
WTF was that?!?!?!?!?! A shoulder pad-to-shoulder pad tackle is illegal???????????? I guess we gotta make receivers wear dresses now????