Georgia Tech Review

Option Dominates, but Defense has Room to Groh
by Jarad Wilson

Georgia Tech’s options offense got off to a good start against South Carolina St, as the Jackets look to defend their ACC championship. While Joshua Nesbitt and Co ran wild on Saturday, racking up 375 yards on the ground, the newly installed 3-4 defense left much to be desired. Defensive head coach Al Groh, recently hired after a long stint as UVA head coach, struggled in proving his new defensive scheme to the Jacket faithful. That said, he and the defensive unit did a great job of damage control against last season’s MEAC champion.

The running game was clearly the bright spot this Saturday in Atlanta. While Jonathon Dwyer’s replacement in Anthony Allen was keyed on all game, limiting his carries, Nesbitt ran the Bulldogs up and down the field, even running over a few DB’s as the game went along. Tallying up 130 yards on the ground, with 3 TD’s, he led the running attack effectively. His passing overall was weak at best. He threw a few away, and the single INT was a dropped pass, he has to become more effective as a passer against better competition because 1 for 6 will not cut it against bigger FBS foes.

At the end of the day, a good start for the defending ACC champs. They didn’t really struggle against a fairly good opponent. The option ran like the clock-work, resembling its former place as the #2 running offense in the nation. The defense showed some signs of life, but clearly has work to do. Great game though, and the future looks good for the Jackets. Time to get ready for the Jayhawks.