Gary Hahn's Scouting Report: Georgia Tech
Gary Hahn's Scouting Report: Georgia Tech
Courtesy: NC State
No. 20 GEORGIA TECH (6-2, 4-1) at NC STATE (3-5, 2-3)
DATE: Saturday, November 4, 2006
TIME: Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. (EST) at Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC (57,583)
TELEVISION: ESPNU
OPPONENT? The formula for Georgia Tech football success isn?t too complicated. When Calvin Johnson gets enough touches to complement a solid running game, the Yellow Jackets usually win. That was the story again on Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
One week after failing to catch a pass for the first time in his career in a loss to Clemson, the star wide receiver redeemed himself by hauling in a tie-breaking, 1-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter of Tech?s 30-23 win over Miami. Hurricanes cornerback Randy Phillips was called for pass interference on the play, but that failed to deter Johnson who finished with five catches for 68 yards.
The ACC Player of the Year candidate also carried the ball once for a 2-yard loss and threw a 7-yard pass to quarterback Reggie Ball on a trick play.
Following Johnson?s touchdown with 6:18 left, Tech?s defense knocked the ball away from Miami quarterback, Kyle Wright and scored again on a 24-yard run by Tashard Choice with 3:30 remaining. That gave the Jackets a 30-16 lead.
Miami responded quickly. When Wright hooked up with Greg Olsen on a 41-yard touchdown pass the Hurricanes still had a chance with 2:37 left. However, instead of an onside kick, Miami elected to kickoff deep. When questioned after the game, UM Coach Larry Coker said he had more confidence in his defense than he did executing an onside kick.
The Hurricanes defense did its job, forcing Tech to go three-and-out, but UM?s Rashaun Jones fumbled Durant Brooks booming punt before he could attempt a miracle return. Chris Dunlap recovered for Georgia Tech with 19-seconds left, ending Miami?s comeback hopes.
The victory put Tech in command of the ACC Coastal Division race. The Jackets need to win two of their last three conference games against NC State, North Carolina and Duke to secure a spot in the league?s Dec. 2 championship.
Although they rallied to score 17 points in the fourth quarter, the game started horribly for the Yellow Jackets. On the first play from scrimmage, Ball was hit from behind while attempting to scramble, the ball popped loose at the 19 and Glen Cook returned it for a Miami touchdown. Ball came off the field limping, but recovered to complete 11-of-27 passes for 188-yards, including a 46-yard touchdown bomb to James Johnson.
Wright threw for 246 yards and Javarris James rushed for 113 yards, but Miami couldn't overcome three fumbles and an interception. The Hurricanes offense also failed to get in the end zone on all three of its drives that reached the Georgia Tech 20.
Miami scored on its first offensive possession to take a 10-0 lead when Jon Peattie kicked the first of his three field goals. But Tech refused to panic. The Jackets tied the game at 13 by halftime and then dominated most of the fourth quarter.
With a 4-1 ACC record, Georgia Tech will finish with a league record of .500 or better for the 12th straight year and with six victories overall, the Jackets have qualified for a bowl for the 10th consecutive season.
Offensively, Tech is averaging 26 points and 326 yards a game which is near the middle of the Pack in the ACC. However, the Jackets? running game is very good. With Ball and Choice in the backfield and a veteran offensive line leading the way, Tech is second in the ACC in rushing at 159 yards a game.
Choice ranks as the league?s third-best rusher with 657 yards and 7 touchdowns. In ACC games, the Oklahoma transfer averages 96.2 yards. He has 100-yard efforts in two of his last three games, including 138 yards and two touchdowns against Maryland. Clearing the way for Choice is junior Mike Cox (6-1, 245) who could be the best fullback in the ACC.
Ball is averaging 38 rushing yards a game and has run for two touchdowns. The senior quarterback is playing the best football of his career and is fourth in the ACC in total offense (192). He leads the league in touchdown passes (13), but has been picked off 6 times.
Protecting Ball is an offensive line that returns five starters from last season. Right tackle Mansfield Wrotto (6-3, 310, Sr.) is a fourth-year starter who was a defensive lineman his first three seasons. Redshirt junior Matt Rhodes (6-3, 280) is a third-year starter at left guard.
Obviously, Ball?s top passing target is Calvin Johnson, who is arguably the nation?s best wide receiver. The junior is a semifinalist for the Maxwell and Biletnikoff awards and leads the ACC in receptions (40, 5.0) and receiving yards (627, 78.9). His nine touchdown catches rank fifth in the nation.
Despite his size (6-5, 235), Johnson is one of the fastest wideouts in college football and can run away from most defensive backs. In a three-game stretch this season against Virginia, Virginia Tech and Maryland, Johnson had 22 catches for 413 yards and 5 touchdowns.
When Johnson is covered, Ball usually looks to speedy redshirt sophomore James Johnson. He?s the Jackets? No.2 receiver with 25 catches for 369 yards and 3 touchdowns. No other Tech player has more than 6 catches.
Defensively, Georgia Tech is allowing 19 points and 300 total yards a game, including 103 on the ground. Anchoring the front line of the Jackets 4-3 scheme is senior tackle, Joe Anoai, a third-year starter and Tech?s best defensive lineman.
The key to Tech?s defense is the linebacker tandem of senior KaMichael Hall (6-0, 225) and redshirt junior Philip Wheeler (6-2, 225). They have combined for 112 tackles, 11 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. Wheeler leads Tech and the ACC in tackles for loss (12.5) while ranking second in the league in sacks (8.0)
First-year starters blanket the secondary with the exception of Tech?s best cornerback, Kenny Scott. The senior is a third-year starter who sealed the Jackets 2004 win at NC State with a 49-yard interception return for a touchdown. The other corner, Jahi Word-Daniels (6-0, 185, So.), is No. 2 in the ACC lead with nine pass break-ups. Redshirt junior Avery Roberson can play both corner and safety.
Tech is No.2 in the ACC with a plus-nine turnover margin and its defense has forced 18 turnovers, including 9 interceptions. Safety Djay Jones leads the team with three picks.
Durant Brooks is the ACC?s top punter. His 44.8 average is 7th best in the nation. Brooks? net of 41.2 also leads the league and is No.2 nationally. Nearly half of his 45 punts have landed inside the opponent?s 20-yard line. Tech?s punt coverage is good too. Only 19 of Brooks? punts have been returned for an average of only 3.3 yards.
Kicker Travis Bell has not been as consistent as Brooks. The redshirt junior missed three straight field goal attempts in games against Maryland and Clemson before making three in-a-row in the Miami game. For the season, Bell is 7-of-12 with a long of 47-yards. He?s 2-of-5 from beyond 40-yards.
Tech is 11th in the ACC in kickoff returns and kickoff coverage.
NOTES: The Wolfpack has won its last four games against ranked opponents, including wins this season over No. 20 Boston College and No. 17 Florida State. The Pack has a 3-1 record this season in night games... State beat Tech 17-14 last season in Atlanta, but has lost 9 of the last 11 meetings in the series...In its last two games, State committed 18 penalties for 133 yards...All five of the Pack?s conference games have been decided by seven points or less this season...State was held to only 70 rushing yards last week at Virginia...NC State linebacker, Pat Lowry, is averaging 7.9 tackles a game and is No.4 in the ACC in stops... Quarterback Daniel Evans will start his fifth college game against Georgia Tech. He?s sixth in the ACC in passing yards per game (187) versus league opponents and is 2-3 as a starter...In the last 3 weeks, the Wolfpack is 7-of-8 scoring in the Red Zone with 6 touchdowns...State has not scored a touchdown on its opening drive of the game this season...The Pack has scored only 12 first quarter points in ?06 and only 3 since the opener...Wolfpack opponents have scored on their opening drive in 4 of the last 6 games. NC State?s last overtime game was a 27-21 win at home over Wake Forest in 2004...The Pack is 6-4 in overtime games...Darrell Blackman is fourth in the ACC in both kickoff and punt returns. He?s the only player in the ACC in the top-5 in both categories.
INJURIES--NC State:LB James Martin-Out, wrist surgery; TB Toney Baker-Questionable, ankle sprain. Georgia Tech?S Djay Jones-Unknown, upper body.
