Yellow Jackets
GEORGIA TECH FOOTBALL 2011
Tech must replace 11 starters, but a solid spring and a revamped attitude has created optimism on the Flats
2011 OUTLOOK Georgia Tech will still run it’s prolific spread option offense and 3-4 defense, and every member of the Yellow Jacket coaching staff returns this fall. Almost everything else, it seems, has changed since the 2010 season ended on a disappointing note with a loss to Air Force in the Advocare V100 Independence Bowl: The Yellow Jackets have a new indoor practice facility -- the John and Mary Brock Football Facility -- that will open its doors in time for early August practices. Construction has started on new meeting rooms and a spacious team auditorium. Tech will begin its season without quarterback Joshua Nesbitt under center for the first time in the Paul Johnson era. There will be at least 11 new starters in 2011 after half of the starting lineup either graduated or departed early for the NFL. Perhaps most importantly, however, is a new attitude that has permeated the team. Last season’s 6-7 record, on the heels of a 2009 ACC championship and Orange Bowl appearance, taught the Yellow Jackets a valuable lesson. “I think there was a sense of complacency to a degree,” Johnson said of his team’s approach to the 2010 season. “When you win nine games the first year and then you win 11 games, I think some guys just think, ‘Well, this is going to happen again.’ It doesn’t work like that.” In 15 productive and physical spring practices, there was better camaraderie among the players and a sense of accountability. As Adam van Brimmer wrote in Buzz Magazine, the spring was more a matter of “we” than “me.” The spring was also a success on the field. Other than redshirt freshman defensive lineman Shawn Green’s broken leg, there were no significant injuries. “The spring was productive and we got some things accomplished,” Johnson said, “but we have a long way to go.” One of the positives from spring practice was the improvement of the defense, which ranked 78th nationally last season in rushing defense and 64th in total defense. The Yellow Jackets seemed much more familiar and comfortable with second-year defensive coordinator Al Groh’s 3-4 scheme. “Every defense has to eventually decide what they want to become known for, what their identity is going to be. That’s half of the deal,” Groh said. “The other half is the learning and execution of the schemes. We put an emphasis on both those areas in the spring and we think we moved down the road in both cases.” On offense, junior Tevin Washington and redshirt freshman Synjyn Days competed to take over at quarterback for Nesbitt, the most prolific rushing QB in ACC history. While Days had the better spring game, Washington enters the fall on top of the depth chart based on his body of work during the spring, coupled with the experience he gained late last season after Nesbitt broke his arm in mid-November at Virginia Tech. The Yellow Jackets also looked for a replacement at B-back for Anthony Allen, who rushed for more than 1,300 yards in 2010. While no single player emerged in the spring, Johnson enters the fall comfortable with a committee of four players who could all see action.
2011 Schedule Date Sept. 1 (Thur.) Sept. 10 Sept. 17 Sept. 24 Oct. 1 Oct. 8 Oct. 15 Oct. 22 Oct. 29 Nov. 5 Nov. 10 (Thur.) Nov. 19 Nov. 26
Opponent WESTERN CAROLINA at Middle Tennessee St. KANSAS NORTH CAROLINA at NC State MARYLAND at Virginia at Miami CLEMSON Open VIRGINIA TECH at Duke GEORGIA
Site ATLANTA Murfreesboro, Tenn. ATLANTA ATLANTA Raleigh, N.C. ATLANTA Charlottesville, Va. Miami Gardens, Fla. ATLANTA
TV Time ESPN3.com 7:30 ESPN3.com 7:00 RSN 12:30 TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
ATLANTA Durham, N.C. ATLANTA
ESPN TBD TBD
8:00 TBD TBD
Who’s Gone In Johnson’s first two seasons, Georgia Tech won 20 games, capturing its first outright ACC title since the early 1990s. It was the best two-year run on the Flats since the 1950s. The 2008 and 2009 Tech teams put up eye-popping numbers on offense, limited its turnovers, took advantage of opponent miscues and absolutely dominated time of possession. Last season, not so much. The offense committed 27 turnovers and the defense forced just 21 opponent turnovers. The Jacket defense had difficulty stopping the run, allowing opponents to control the clock and keep Tech’s big-play offense off the field. And unlike 2008 and 2009, after putting together lengthy drives, last year’s squad had difficulty punching it into the end zone. Tech lost five of its final six games to finish with a losing record for the first time since 1996. Three of those losses -- close defeats at Virginia Tech and Georgia, and against Air Force in the bowl game -- came with Nesbitt, Tech’s senior leader, on the sidelines. In addition to Nesbitt, Tech’s offense lost Anthony Allen, who gave Tech a 1,000yard rusher for the fourth straight season and was drafted in the seventh round by the Baltimore Ravens. Two-time All-ACC center Sean Bedford graduated, immediately played professionally in Spain and is expected to enter law school in his hometown at the University of Florida. Also gone from the offense is wide receiver Kevin Cone, who started but caught just five passes, and junior offensive tackle Nick Claytor, who inexplicably gave up his senior season to enter the NFL draft. On defense, the Jackets lost a pair of senior starting linebackers, Brad Jefferson on the inside and Anthony Egbuniwe on the outside. Also gone are all four starting defensive backs, including Jerrard Tarrant, another player who bolted school a year early but was undrafted. One of Tech’s biggest losses was Scott Blair, the kicking specialist who ranks among the school’s most prolific scorers and accurate field goal kickers.
The Offense
Preston Lyons
Steven Sylvester
12 2011 GEORGIA TECH INFORMATION GUIDE
Quarterback -- Junior Tevin Washington earned the right to enter fall practice listed first on the depth chart. Washington played well in a difficult situation last season. After Nesbitt broke his arm late in the first half in a nationally-televised game at Virginia Tech, Washington played the entire second half and nearly rallied the Jackets to a win before falling 28-21 to the Hokies. In his first career start, Washington rushed for 122 yards against Miami. Redshirt freshman Synjyn Days closed the spring in impressive fashion. In the spring game he rushed for 112 yards, accounted for two touchdowns and didn’t commit a turnover. “We’re going to play the guy who gives us the best chance to win,” Johnson said. “Sometimes winning the game is not losing it, being able to manage and do those kind of things.” A pair of true freshmen -- Vad Lee and Demond Smith -- will get their opportunities as well. B-Back -- Johnson expects the B-back position to produce 1,000 rushing yards, although it may be done by committee. Senior Preston Lyons, a solid blocker and straight-ahead rusher, was a top back-up for Jonathan Dwyer in 2009 and Anthony Allen in 2010. Redshirt freshman Charles Perkins has tons of potential and can play both the B-back and A-back positions. Junior Richard Watson, who has seen limited action the last two seasons, is also in the mix, as is sophomore David Sims, a converted quarterback.