5 reasons to think this isn't 2015 again

[Yaller Jacket]

1) Having Qua Searcy back. Qua gives us a bona fide third receiver. The way he moves and catches the ball is indistinguishable from someone whose primary position is receiver. I'm not sure we've ever had an A back I could say that about.

2) Improved pass protection. I'm gonna assume BC has a pretty good pass rush since their D was so strong generally. We weren't perfect Saturday, but what I saw was way better than last year. Last year we would never have made those clutch completions. Justin would have been hurried into a bad throw or forced to throw it before the play developed.

3) Antonio Simmons. He looked like a real rush end. Just one good pass rusher can change everything on defense. Even if he is only used situationally, I feel better knowing we are not helpless on passing downs.

4) We got more than our share of turnovers. The 2014 defense was really not very good, but somehow they got the ball back to the offense a lot through turnovers. Three-and-outs are great, but turnovers are even better. With a live ball you never know what might happen. Whatever makes that happen, we did it Saturday.

5) We won. After the game there were way more than the usual awards given out or something like that. Randy Waters and Sean Bedford had to fill what seemed like about an hour before the player interviews. Sean especially made the point about five times of how important it was to be in the same kinda game we lost so much last year but to win this time. He said in different ways that the mindset of confidence that you can win the close ones is very important, and it only comes with the doing of it.

 

[GTJoeBrew]

Those are five very good points. I would be fine to win all of our games by three points and not look great! The point is we are 1-0. Like CPJ said, you can't get any better than that!

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I'd add a solid black corps.

 

[Techster]

6. Experience. We're still young, REALLY young, at certain positions, but it's youth with experience which I'll takeover youth with no experience.

Point #5 is a good one. Even CPJ said you have to learn how to win on this level (any level for that matter). Last year guys were playing hard, but didn't know what it took to close out games. Look at our schedule last year. We were thisclose to being at least a bowl team even with all the injuries and youth. It's not like we were getting blown out every week. The team that played last Saturday would have beaten UGA last year and probably 3 more games. But the 2015 team didn't know how to close out games.

We're going to be a MUCH better team this season...and not to look too far ahead, but we could be scary good in 2017 and beyond with all the young talent that's playing right now.

 

[GTJoeBrew]

6. Experience. We're still young, REALLY young, at certain positions, but it's youth with experience which I'll takeover youth with no experience.

Point #5 is a good one. Even CPJ said you have to learn how to win on this level (any level for that matter). Last year guys were playing hard, but didn't know what it took to close out games. Look at our schedule last year. We were thisclose to being at least a bowl team even with all the injuries and youth. It's not like we were getting blown out every week. The team that played last Saturday would have beaten UGA last year and probably 3 more games. But the 2015 team didn't know how to close out games.

We're going to be a MUCH better team this season...and not to look too far ahead, but we could be scary good in 2017 and beyond with all the young talent that's playing right now.

Man I'm going to miss JeT next year though.

 

[bke1984]

We did win, but that was a team that also went 3-9 a year ago. I feel like we'll be better too, but let's keep realistic expectations for another few weeks before we get too excited

 

[Techster]

Man I'm going to miss JeT next year though.

Yup.

...and then Lucas Johnson is going to hit a streaking Qua Searcy down the left hashes for a 60 yard TD against Tennessee in the new Mercedes Benze dome and you'll have a new man crush.

 

[JacketFromUGA]

Yup.

...and then Lucas Johnson is going to hit a streaking Qua Searcy down the left hashes for a 60 yard TD against Tennessee in the new Mercedes Benze dome and you'll have a new man crush.

You've seen my dreams.

 

[RyanS12]

It is a damn shame JT will be gone next year. I think we return 8-9 starters on both sides next season. Even with all that coming back on offense, breaking in a new QB against a good SEC team is a lot to ask. The D might have to save us a few times next year.

 

[33jacket]

1) injuries cant be as bad as last year.

2) i DO believe we will improve yoy on the OL. Even though I am not a sewak fan, west will help and players are an uptick better

3) jt is a more vocal leader. Which you need at qb and he wasnt last year.

4) more of a passing threat is back; specifically blocking and AB threats

5) bb are way better


Reasons i am still scared

1) 2-3 critical injuries and we are thin again

2) the defense is the same. This combined with O injuries and we are right back to last year

3) the ol is really not improved at all and bc was just more of the same

4) WR threat never emerges

5) LB play ends up being worse

 

[mj claz]

Optimistic
1. Passing game improves
2. OL/AB blocking improves. The question is how much? I don't think there is any way we get worse. I'm hopeful that BC was very good and we came out flat and a little confused in the first game. Is it a sign of things to come like ND last year? Or is it just a tough opponent like Clemson in 2014?
3. You could say the same thing about WR. We won't get any worse, that's for sure. I thought Brad and Ricky did well on Saturday.

Pessimistic
1. Losses of Gotsis and Demond Smith. Gotsis did play most of last year and will not be replaced. I did enjoy watching Simmons get after it. I'm worried about our safety play. We looked pretty slow out there against BC. Might get exposed against some better teams. I
2. We seem to be a talented team on paper (compared to past GT teams), but we are thin. As others have mentioned, we can't afford injuries to JeT, Searcy, Gamble, etc.

 

[GTJoeBrew]

Yup.

...and then Lucas Johnson is going to hit a streaking Qua Searcy down the left hashes for a 60 yard TD against Tennessee in the new Mercedes Benze dome and you'll have a new man crush.

I sure hope he lives up to the hype. I think we're getting ahead of ourselves though. Here's to JeT passing for 2000 and running for 1000 his last year!

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

Optimistic:
Boston College goes 11-1.

Pessimistic:
Boston College goes 0-12.

 

[Jacketman1]

4) WR threat never emerges

I don't think this is very much to worry about, Stewart and Jeune looked pretty good against BC, and we have one heck of a receiving a-back in Searcy.

 

[GTech63]

I don't think this is very much to worry about, Stewart and Jeune looked pretty good against BC, and we have one heck of a receiving a-back in Searcy.

I agree! I made comment during the game. we have a receiving corps. In the past there were years that no one could catch the ball especially if challenged. Bay Bay, Smelter, Waller, Godhigh, maybe another A back or two could catch but not what we saw past Saturday on limited plays. Were challenged on some good receptions.

 

[deeeznutz]

I'm with you on Qua, I was feeling really excited last year with how he started out in his first games and thought his injury was probably the biggest blow we had, so I was glad to see him play so well in Ireland. It's crazy to think he's got about 3 full seasons left, he can really redefine what we expect out of our ABs. Based on how we played last year, we absolutely should have been a 6-6 team at worst but we all saw how it played out. That's why I don't think a record of 9-3 or better is that unrealistic...it's not that far from where we really should have finished based on how we played. We just REALLY sucked at closing out games and not tripping over our own Ds, probably the single worst season for that I've ever seen. Did the injuries and youth/inexperience play a role in that? Absolutely...and now those talented kids aren't so inexperienced. Big things this year!

 

[Fatmike91]

College football is about improving week to week. I think we will.

In the end, I think this team will be among the best offenses that CPJ has had at Tech.

/

 

[croberts]

It is a damn shame JT will be gone next year. I think we return 8-9 starters on both sides next season. Even with all that coming back on offense, breaking in a new QB against a good SEC team is a lot to ask. The D might have to save us a few times next year.

I hate to give him up. If I had my way, they could stay for ever. Eddie Lee Ivory would be a little tired by now after starting the past 35 years.

 

[Boomergump]

I am hesitant to make TOO much out of the BC win but I will repsond, none-the-less:

1. Early returns say the OL will be better.

2. AJ Gray

3. Simmons improved and should help with the pass rush some.

4. Butker will be even better.

5. BB position will be better.

6. Qua is a huge help. A couple other ABs are probably a few weeks away from pushing the others down the depth chart.



Concerns:
AB. Until somebody does step forward, the game in Dublin was sobering.
DL: doesn't seem a lot different than the games woithout Gotsis last year, Simmons notwithstanding.

 

[Treb1982]

Schedule is biggest factor behind injuries for me this year.

Even playing poorly we should be 5-3 After the duke game