Two weeks ago the Yellow Jackets were a darkhorse playoff contender. Now they are team that may struggle to reach a bowl game after falling 34-20 to a more inspired, better coached, and and more talented Duke team.
The collapse has been swift and stunning for Georgia Tech. What went wrong, and how did happen so fast coming off a top 10 season in 2014 and returning 4 offensive linemen and their starting QB?
It’s really not complicated. There isn’t a team in college or pro football that’s going to succeed without balence on offense. Even a team like Georgia Tech that runs the ball nearly 80% of the time needs some semblance of a passing game. Georgia Tech’s best teams under Johnson have had that. In 2008-2009, Georgia Tech had Demaryius Thomas. Last year there two NFL WR’s on Georgia Tech’s team, DeAndre Smelter and Darren Waller. The top returning WR for Georgia Tech Michael Summers is injured. That’s the bottom line.
Notre Dame threw 8 in the box. Duke did the same. With ZERO downfield passing threat, any team with credible talent will be able to disrupt Georgia Tech’s option offense. The offensive line has been a huge disappointment as well. Georgia Tech’s defense has been decent, but isn’t nearly talented enough to carry the team.
The Yellow Jackets need to control the game with their offense. The playoffs are history. A big 6 bowl game is done. Any Coastal Division title hopes are likely done as well. The schedule is just too tough. Georgia Tech still has to play Clemson, FSU, UGA, Virginia Tech, and Miami. A 2-3 record in those games would be a stretch.
Paul Johnson has to be careful his team doesn’t shutdown for the season, with so many pre-season goals already lost in week 4. I predicted 8-4 before the season, now that is looking quite shaky. Didn’t Georgia Tech lose back to back games to Duke and UNC last year, and finished the year in the top 10 you say? Yes, but how do you fix an offense the clearly lacks playmaking ability? That was still evident even in those losses last year.
Let’s be honest a season that started with so much promise has officially melted down.
