Georgia Tech began August with enormous potential. Coming off an ACC-championship season, they were ranked No. 16 in the polls and were widely considered one of the contenders to win the conference once again.
However, the Yellow Jackets soon witnessed disappointment. After a strong start against South Carolina State, they went on to drop contests against Kansas, N.C. State, Clemson, Virginia Tech and Miami. It only took 14 days for them to lose their ranking. And suddenly, they were no longer atop the ACC. In fact, they have dropped to fourth place in the Coastal Division, only two spots above Duke. Their main offensive weapon, quarterback Joshua Nesbitt, widely considered one of the most prolific athletes in college football, broke his arm two weeks ago and will likely miss the remainder of the season.
Regardless, Georgia Tech does have all the tools necessary to pose a deadly threat to head coach David Cutcliffe and his Blue Devils. Sophomore quarterback Tevin Washington, Nesbitt’s back-up, showed signs of potential last week against Miami, completing 7-of-16 passes for 101 yards and rushing for 122 more.
Washington’s statistics still may not seem particularly impressive, but consider that the Yellow Jacket offensive attack is predominantly ground-based, earning most of its yards from a very potent run attack. Against then-No. 20 Virginia Tech, the Yellow Jackets completed a mere two passes but still managed to score 21 points. They were able to find the end zone three times and move the ball 346 yards using an arsenal of five running backs.
In another matchup against Middle Tennessee, Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson used 10 different running backs in a dominant 329-yard rushing performance. Bottom line: The Yellow Jackets like to run.
“Although I don’t look on the offensive side of the ball, I know that they do have some good running backs,” Duke running back Desmond Scott said. “It’s going to be a shoot-out.”
Unlike most collegiate programs, Georgia Tech utilizes a triple-option offense, meaning three running backs (or two running backs and a fullback) line up behind the quarterback. This “third option” allows the offense greater mobility and forces the defense to further spread its players around and worry about more rushers. Combine this with a set of athletic wide receievers who can catch the long pass, and the Yellow Jackets will confuse any opposing defensive coordinator.
“Georgia Tech runs the triple-option very effectively,” freshman linebacker Kelby Brown said. “It changes up our practice routine because it’s a whole other scheme. It’s so much run game, and we’re dealing with that a lot during practice.”
However, no amount of practice will ever fully prepare the Blue Devils for the offense they will face on Saturday. Georgia Tech’s primary running back, Anthony Allen, has frustrated defensive lines all season long. Well on his way to 1,000 yards, Allen is turning the heads of professional scouts and will likely be listed on an NFL roster next year.
And in his second-to-last regular season game, he will be facing a Duke defense that has traditionally been weak against strong rushing teams. It all seems to add up to a perfect storm for the Blue Devils Saturday.
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