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[figure="align: left"][figcap]Video courtesy of ACC Digital Network[/figcap][/figure]ATLANTA, GA - The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (3-0, 1-0) showed the strongest sign yet that they have not taken the fresh start of the 2016 season for granted by decisively dismantling Vanderbilt with a 38-7 victory at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday.
The game against the Commodores (1-2, 0-1) started characteristically under center in a balanced formation with A-back Qua Searcy (#1) in pre-snap motion toward the nearside for what looked like an often anticipated toss sweep play. This misdirection put both Vanderbilt safeties completely out of position for the true nature of the play. After a quick play-action by Justin Thomas (#5), the quarterback's five-step drop was timed perfectly with Marcus Marshall's (#34) wheel route from the B-back position; leaving the leading rusher from the 2015 season matched up with a linebacker that was clearly disadvantaged in both position and speed. After two key blocks by wide receiver Brad Stewart (#83) and A-back J.J. Green (#28) near midfield, Marshall ran into the end-zone untouched in just twelve seconds after the first snap by Tech's offense with a 81-yard touchdown reception.
After revealing that something in Vanderbilt's tape led to the first playcall, Head Coach Paul Johnson simply elaborated to curious reporters, "I knew they would have to have a linebacker on him on the wheel route and he's pretty fast."
While Tech scored both touchdowns and gained 145 total yards in their first two drives, it was interrupted by Vanderbilt's own methodical 11-play 75-yard touchdown drive ending with a 10-yard pass from Vanderbilt's QB Kyle Shurmur that preserved some uncertainty about the defense in a generally encouraged fanbase.
Head Coach Paul Johnson seemed to share the sentiment, "sometimes it's hard to watch but the end result is pretty good. A lot of bend and... [pause] really frustrated at that first drive. I was really frustrated." Still, Johnson praised the defense which, in retrospect, limited Shurmur to that lone scoring drive. "But, just like the prior two games, we've done a nice job keeping them out of the end-zone and that's what really counts."
The quick start by the offense was stalled in the second quarter with a myriad of penalties, including two for illegal blocks that limited the Jackets to a single field goal and just a 10-point lead going into the locker rooms at halftime.
What sparked Tech's eventual domination and win was a 4th-and-1 stop by Freshman defensive tackle Brandon Adams (#90) on Tech's own 28 during Vanderbilt's return drive from halftime. "We went for it on fourth down and didn't get it. From a momentum standpoint, there was still a lot of time left in the game but that was a shift in momentum in this ballgame. We couldn't get them off the field, and they go down and score," said Vanderbilt's coach Derek Mason.
Two touchdown drives punctuated by power runs from Freshman B-back Dedrick Mills (#26) as well as a welcome 9-yard sack by Brentavious Glanton (#97) helped Tech build a 31-7 lead on the Commodores in the 3rd quarter. This was enough to give some of the starters a break as the Jackets begin to mentally and physically prepare for a short week before a pivotal conference game against Clemson.
From the sound of it, even though Tech is 3-0 to start the season, the team is hungry for more and know they can play better. "I was talking to the guys last night saying I need 100 yards. I hadn't had 100 in about 14 games and I see right here that I was seven yards short so I'm still upset about that," Justin Thomas said disappointedly. "We've just got to keep getting better each week and not have any setbacks."
Tech fans will definitely have a better idea of what kind of progress the team has made as the competition heats up in the next few weeks. The slate starts with a Thursday night primetime showdown against conference rival and fifth ranked Clemson Tigers on the Flats at 7:30 PM ET.
The game against the Commodores (1-2, 0-1) started characteristically under center in a balanced formation with A-back Qua Searcy (#1) in pre-snap motion toward the nearside for what looked like an often anticipated toss sweep play. This misdirection put both Vanderbilt safeties completely out of position for the true nature of the play. After a quick play-action by Justin Thomas (#5), the quarterback's five-step drop was timed perfectly with Marcus Marshall's (#34) wheel route from the B-back position; leaving the leading rusher from the 2015 season matched up with a linebacker that was clearly disadvantaged in both position and speed. After two key blocks by wide receiver Brad Stewart (#83) and A-back J.J. Green (#28) near midfield, Marshall ran into the end-zone untouched in just twelve seconds after the first snap by Tech's offense with a 81-yard touchdown reception.
After revealing that something in Vanderbilt's tape led to the first playcall, Head Coach Paul Johnson simply elaborated to curious reporters, "I knew they would have to have a linebacker on him on the wheel route and he's pretty fast."
While Tech scored both touchdowns and gained 145 total yards in their first two drives, it was interrupted by Vanderbilt's own methodical 11-play 75-yard touchdown drive ending with a 10-yard pass from Vanderbilt's QB Kyle Shurmur that preserved some uncertainty about the defense in a generally encouraged fanbase.
Head Coach Paul Johnson seemed to share the sentiment, "sometimes it's hard to watch but the end result is pretty good. A lot of bend and... [pause] really frustrated at that first drive. I was really frustrated." Still, Johnson praised the defense which, in retrospect, limited Shurmur to that lone scoring drive. "But, just like the prior two games, we've done a nice job keeping them out of the end-zone and that's what really counts."
The quick start by the offense was stalled in the second quarter with a myriad of penalties, including two for illegal blocks that limited the Jackets to a single field goal and just a 10-point lead going into the locker rooms at halftime.
What sparked Tech's eventual domination and win was a 4th-and-1 stop by Freshman defensive tackle Brandon Adams (#90) on Tech's own 28 during Vanderbilt's return drive from halftime. "We went for it on fourth down and didn't get it. From a momentum standpoint, there was still a lot of time left in the game but that was a shift in momentum in this ballgame. We couldn't get them off the field, and they go down and score," said Vanderbilt's coach Derek Mason.
Two touchdown drives punctuated by power runs from Freshman B-back Dedrick Mills (#26) as well as a welcome 9-yard sack by Brentavious Glanton (#97) helped Tech build a 31-7 lead on the Commodores in the 3rd quarter. This was enough to give some of the starters a break as the Jackets begin to mentally and physically prepare for a short week before a pivotal conference game against Clemson.
From the sound of it, even though Tech is 3-0 to start the season, the team is hungry for more and know they can play better. "I was talking to the guys last night saying I need 100 yards. I hadn't had 100 in about 14 games and I see right here that I was seven yards short so I'm still upset about that," Justin Thomas said disappointedly. "We've just got to keep getting better each week and not have any setbacks."
Tech fans will definitely have a better idea of what kind of progress the team has made as the competition heats up in the next few weeks. The slate starts with a Thursday night primetime showdown against conference rival and fifth ranked Clemson Tigers on the Flats at 7:30 PM ET.
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