Will Georgia Tech be a Top 25 team in 2012? Some say yes
Here's how it ended for Georgia Tech in 2011: Utah scores to win in overtime. (AP photo)
The belief here is that Georgia Tech got good value from its season. No, 8-5 didn’t seem all that great when you consider the Jackets started 6-0, but 8-5 beat the heck out of 6-7, which is what Tech was in 2010. And now we turn to 2012, and some expect even bigger and better from the men of PJ.
Andy Staples of SI.com tabs Tech No. 25 in his lookahead, while Dave Miller of the National Football Post puts the Jackets at No. 20. That’s the good news. The bad: Similar early rankings from ESPN, CBS Sports and Yahoo! Sports do not include Georgia Tech in the Top 25.
I can see both sides. If guard Omoregie Uzzi chooses not to leave for the NFL, the Jackets will return 15 starters on offense and defense. That’s a goodly number. At the same time, I’m not sure how good those starters are. We take B-back David Sims as an example. He rushed for 698 yards in 2011. In both 2008 and 2008, B-back Jonathan Dwyer gained almost exactly twice that number of yards.
In Tech’s favor: The ACC, which had its usual dismal bowl showing, doesn’t look terribly imposing. (In a move not unlike the one made by Paul Johnson in January 2010, league champion Clemson just dumped its defensive coordinator.) That said, the Jackets have to play Clemson, Virginia Tech and Georgia on the road.
My early guess: Tech will be a better team, but the record might not reflect it. I can see the Jackets winning nine regular-season games in 2012. I’m not sure they can get to 10.
By Mark Bradley
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266 comments Add your comment
techmaninathens
January 15th, 2012
2:12 pm
All I heard behind the scenes was the Vad Lee would be the QB next year, period. KW was good when the other team was weak. When they were strong, KW did not have the raw talent to pull GT through. Then our B back is good but no breakaway speed like Dwyer. Days never turned the game like Dwyer did many, many times. So who is left? Oran Smith was the only real stand out talent in the backfield and he was out two games including the Sun Bowl and we lost. Speaking of the Sun Bowl, CPJ just decided to sit on the lead. Utah stacks the line with 9 and he didn’t have the guts to burn them because he lacked confidence in KW to throw the ball even to a wide open receiver. It’s a bowl game for Ch**** sake. Win big, but put on a show and blow an average Utah team off the field.
soso QB
January 15th, 2012
3:20 pm
I am not sure but I do not think QB T Washington has a single come from behind win in his 16 or so starts. I think he has inly won games when out in front and never brought his team back from behind. This intangable from a new QB could make tech a much stronger team in the future. Other than that they are very sound and will eventually get to a point where 9 wins will be a standard.
Big time???? NOT!
January 15th, 2012
6:40 pm
Four tickets, four hot dogs, four cokes. Top 25 or not. Still a tough ticket. HA.
Maryland 61, Georgia Tech 50 – ESPN » Hot Tech Blog
January 15th, 2012
7:28 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
david
January 15th, 2012
8:33 pm
GT goes 5-7 next year and Johnson gets fired. The ACC and UGA have learned to stop his offense, and GT has no defense.
You must be kidding
January 15th, 2012
9:40 pm
GT plays in the ACC, and they are average at best. This is the same conference that KILLED FSU and UMiami football. It could be the worst conference in the FBS. Just because GT may beat ACC talent definitely does not mean they are a top 25 team. The ACC needs to get back where they belong, men’s basketball supremacy.
Tech fan
January 16th, 2012
8:07 am
Absolutely, the Yellow Jacket will not only be the top 25, but the number one. We deserve nothing but the best.
DawgDays
January 16th, 2012
9:23 am
You would have to be a homer to think Tech is a top 25 team….and I’m not referring to, or no disrespect to, Homer Rice….!
old dog
January 16th, 2012
11:21 am
We get an o-line that can run-block, we win a few next year! Ya’ll get some defensive help and a decent Q-back, ya’ll win a few next year! Then, we both have decent records for the State-Championship game and the rivalry is back on! The SEC east may not be too powerful next year, but South Carolina and (yes) Florida will be better. As for ya’ll, the ACC is a basketball conference, but ya’ll can still whoop some pretty good tail if you can pass a little…..look at the receivers in the NFL ya’ll put there.
Stinger
January 16th, 2012
5:46 pm
Top 25 my AZZ. How bout top 5 !!! Go Jackets. Vad or Justin will lead us to the promise land, just like little Joe did.
jarvis
January 16th, 2012
8:34 pm
As far as “Majors for Athletes” go, I’m not going to presume to know but “History, Technology and Society” doesn’t sound like an Engineering degree to me.
Can someone tell me what that is?
red&black
January 17th, 2012
5:44 am
I am one of those dawg fans that pulls for Tech every year to go undefeated, until they play UGA. At which time we promptly proceed to hang a 100 on you. Unlike the Tech faithful, it never gets old for dawgs fans..
gtfanfrom1951
January 17th, 2012
10:16 am
Coach Al said it would take 3 years to get the players in the system for it to work. Unlike UGA who can go out and rent a player for a year or two until they get in jail or flunk out! Remember it’s harder to get in an ACC school than SEC! Saban classes over the limit because like the Bear he wants football player and could care less about school. It has not changed from 1960’s!
The Dulous
January 17th, 2012
1:12 pm
(1) If Washington starts the season as #1 QB, WE ARE SCREWED!
(2) Special Teams must get a tremendous amount of work before season starts.
(3) CPJ must change his attitude with media and more importantly with the Momma’s of recruits! NOTE TO PAUL…you are not that good!
(4) Defense……the Al Groh 3-4 defense IS NOT WORKING! We don’t have the beef for that defense.
(5) The one thing going in our favor is 15 returning starters, I love the Jackets, always will, but something has got to change with this dual-threat offense! (You have to throw the ball for it to be called triple-option.)
The Dulous
January 17th, 2012
3:03 pm
Last.
SAL
January 18th, 2012
12:18 pm
no, i’m last