Yardbarker: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

I Am A Real (All) American

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:31:21 -0500

I Am A Real (All) American Penn State defensive tackle Jared Odrick, a graduate of Lebanon High School, stoked his already good chances to become a high draft pick by being named to the American Football Coaches Association All-America team. Odrick, 6-foot-5, 305, had six sacks and 41 tackles from his defensive tackle position. Other defensive linemen named were Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska, Jerry Hughes of TCU, Derrick Morgan of Georgia Tech and Brian Price of UCLA. Odrick had littl...

SPILLER NAMED PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:08:00 -0500

C.J. Spiller, the Clemson all-purpose threat, was named ACC Player of the Year following a vote of 40 members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.Spiller received 29 votes to outdistance Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt, who had eight. Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams, the league's rookie of the year, had two votes and Yellow Jackets defensive end Derrick Morgan had one.Separate ballots were cast for the offensive, defensive and overall player of the year awards. S...

Football. Spiller Named First-Team All-American by American Football Coaches Association

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:49:39 -0500

Clemson senior running back C.J. Spiller has been named a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association. Spiller is one of just two ACC players on the team. The other is Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan, who will face Spiller and the Tigers in the ACC Championship game on Saturday in Tampa, FL.

College Football Pick'em Conference Championship Week

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:16:00 -0500

The 2009 college football season is on it's final legs. Beginning on Thursday the BCS conferences kick off their conference championship games. Of course we have to talk about the big BCS games because there are going to be some good ones. That being said, let's not waste any time, and jump right into predicting some games. This is going to be a big payoff this week folks.

Oregon vs. Oregon State: The Civil War is one of the most underrated rivalries in all of college football. This is mainly because the majority of us writers live on the East Coast and if your name is not USC we don't care about what happens out on the left coast. Nonetheless this rivalry has delivered some great moments. This year, The Civil War is on Thursday night prime time, no excuse for missing this one.

Last year the Oregon State Beavers had the opportunity to backdoor their way into the Pac 10 Championship and a trip to the Rose Bowl. However, thanks to injuries the Beavers fell flat on their face and were drubbed by rival Oregon. This year the Beavers are out for redemption. The key for Oregon State will be keeping this a close game. If they can keep this game manageable going into the fourth quarter, then it becomes anybodies ballgame. One stat to look at is third down efficiency. The Beavers are ninth in the nation in third down conversations. This is a key stat in both keeping drives alive and coming from behind, and keeping drives alive and chewing up clock. Oregon State's best defense will be their offense, and they need to keep drives alive and keep the Oregon Ducks high scoring offense off the field.

Who would have thought the Oregon Ducks would be in a position to win a trip to the Rose Bowl? This was a team left for dead, but they have resurrected themselves, and the Ducks offense is leading the way. Jeremiah Masoli is a stud quarterback who accounted for six touchdowns last week again Arizona. Basically this kid has been on a tear on season. He is big and he can move, and he has a reliable arm. The Ducks score points in heaps, and they like to keep the game moving with a very uptempo style. It will be key for them to establish their high flying offense early, and try to avoid getting into a shootout like they did last week against Arizona.

The spread on this game favors the Ducks by 10 points. This is not surprising considering the way Oregon has been playing as of late. Plus you have to throw in home field advantage, and you have the potential for a recipe for disaster. At the end of the day, the big question is how long can the Oregon State Beavers control Masoli, and the answer is not very long. The Oregon offense is just too much to handle.

Winner: Oregon wins the game and covers the spread.

Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh +2: The Cincinnati Bearcats are on pace for a magical season. Brian Kelly's bunch can go undefeated and have the opportunity to play in their second consecutive BCS game. There's just one problem, the Pitt Panthers are standing in the way, and they are a good team, and after last week's upset lost in the Backyard Brawl you can bet they are hungry to win. The Big East doesn't have a conference championship game, but there is a BCS game bid at stake.

The Pitt Panthers are 9-2 and they are a good team. Dave Wannstedt is finally living up to the hype, and apparently for once he is not on the hot seat. Now that Wannstedt has brought his team to the mountain top it's time to take them to the promise land. Pitt has a dynamic offense that while not being high scoring it is very talented and they can put up points in a sneaky way. RB Dion Lewis has eight 100 yard rushing games this season. Combine that with wide out Jonathan Balwin who has caught a pass for 40 or more yards in seven games this season and you have a team that can put up points when need be.

The Cincinnati Bearcats have been a fun team to watch this season. They have not one, but two talented quarterbacks. Each guy gives them a different look, but both can knife a defense if given an opportunity. There was a time I thought the Bearcats where the best team in the country, but that is no longer the case. Primarily my issues with the Bearcats on the field is their defense. Cincinnati gives up far too many points to be considered an elite team. In the last month Cincinnati has played in way too many close games. They have come out victorious because they played against sub par teams. Pitt is not a team the Bearcats can spot 20 or 30 points. That young Cincinnati defense must step up and come up with some big stops and a few turnovers. Another distraction Cincinnati must deal with this weekend is the Notre Dame job and rumors of Brian Kelly switching jobs. There is no doubt this will be a distraction to deal with.

The spread on this game favors the Cincinnati Bearcats by 2 points. This is a fair enough spread. That is why I am taking the upset this week. The Cincinnati defense is just plain scary, and they cannot stop anyone. Pitt is solid and they can control the clock with their running game.

Winner:Pitt pulls the upset wins the game and covers the spread.

Florida vs. Alabama: This is the big game on the weekend. The Florida Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide squaring off in the SEC Championship, at stake is a trip to the national title game. According to the rankings Bama and Florida are ranked first and second respectively, and with the new rules in the BCS the loser of this game has no chance of returning to play in the BCS Championship.

Alabama has waited a year for this game. Last season the Gators played an exceptional game and the Crimson Tide fell short. As a result they went to the Sugar Bowl where they were annihilated by Utah. In many ways a win in the 2009 SEC Championship would serve as redemption for a year of frustration. Receiver Julio Jones has really come into his own late this season, he has help to create a balanced attack on offense that the will hopefully control the clock and keep Tim Tebow off the field. On the defensive side of the ball, Alabama must get pressure from their defensive line. The Bama defense has to keep Tebow in check, especially during the fourth quarter.

The Florida Gators have been on a mission all season. The defending national champions, plenty of talent coming back. However, despite going wire-to-wire in first place, the Gators have looked, well human, all season. The Gators have played in plenty of close games all season. Lane Kiffen and Tennessee gave the country a blueprint on how to beat Florida. Go figure, rough up Tebow and you can slow down that offense. However, the Gators appear to be reaching their stride. Last week was a Tim Tebow love fest against Florida State, and the Chosen One put on a show. There is no doubt that he will be ready to perform on the big stage once again.

The spread on this game favors the Florida Gators by 6 points, that's after taking in account Dunlap being out for the game. This is going to be a great game just like last season. However, unlike last season, I believe Alabama can cover the 6 points.

Winner: Florida wins the game, Bama covers the spread.

Georgia Tech vs. Clemson +1: The ACC Championship took a major hit last week when both Georgia Tech and Clemson lost their regular season finales. Despite those lackluster showings, one team has to earn the right to make it to the 2010 Orange Bowl.

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets have the best rushing attack in the country. The triple option is tough to defend, because teams cannot duplicate the speed of the attack. A key to the Yellow Jackets attack will be the health of quarterback Josh Nesbitt. Last week he injured his leg against Georgia and the Rambling Wreck's offense was stifled. If he cannot go at 100% it could be a long day.

The Clemson Tigers have been quietly successful all season. C.J. Spiller is one of the best backs in the country, and frankly he was screwed for not being included in the Heisman conversation. Nonetheless, the Tigers march on and have a chance to show the nation exactly how good they really are. One major advantage Clemson holds going into this game, is they played Georgia Tech earlier this season. They have seen the option attack, and they are well aware of how it functions.

The spread on this game favors Georgia Tech by a point, which makes this is basically a pick'em game. When it's all said and done, Georgia Tech's offense is just too talented to be slowed down two weeks in a row.
Winner: Georgia Tech wins the game and covers the 1 point spread.

Catching Up With Anthony Allen

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:31:27 -0500

Anthony Allen, once a promising University of Louisville running back, is doing well in his first season after transferring to Georgia Tech to play football. Very well, in fact, with 579 yards rushing and averaging 10.3 yards per carry, including five touchdowns. The Tampa Bay native quickly adjusted in Atlanta, scoring on an 82-yard run in [...]

ALL-ACC FOOTBALL TEAM

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:19:00 -0500

The 2009 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team as voted on by 40 members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. NOTE: A first-team vote was worth two points and second team vote one. NOTE SOME MORE: Note that Clemson all-purpose everything C.J. Spiller deservedly received the most first place votes.FIRST TEAM - OFFENSEQB-Josh Nesbitt, Georgia Tech (50)RB-Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech (67)RB-Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech (63)WR-Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech (63)WR-Donovan Varner,...

All-ACC Football Teams Announced

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:08:02 -0500

On defense of course. UNC had two more defensive players on the 2nd team and Casey Barth picked up honors as 2nd team kicker. Here is the full list via the ACC:

Offense
QB-Josh Nesbitt, Georgia Tech (50)
RB-Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech (67)
RB-Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech (63)
WR-Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech (63)
WR-Donovan Varner, Duke (50)
TE-George Bryan, NC State (39)
TE-Michael Palmer, Clemson (39)
OT-Jason Fox, Miami (57)
OT-Anthony Castonzo, Boston College (53)
OG-Rodney Hudson, Florida State (54)
OG-Cord Howard, Georgia Tech (47)
C-Sean Bedford, Georgia Tech (45)
K-Matt Waldron, Virginia Tech (27)
K-Matt Bosher, Miami (27)
Spc-C.J. Spiller, Clemson (76)

Defense
DE-Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech (76)
DE-Robert Quinn, North Carolina (69)
DT-Nate Collins, Virginia (47)
DT-Allen Bailey, Miami (38)
LB-Cody Grimm, Virginia Tech (65)
LB-Luke Kuechly, Boston College (53)
LB-Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina (44)
LB-Alex Wujciak, Maryland (44)
CB-Kendric Burney, North Carolina (59)
CB-Brandon Harris, Miami (41)
S-DeAndre McDaniel, Clemson (57)
S-Deunta Williams, North Carolina (53)
P-Brent Bowden, Virginia Tech (57)

SECOND TEAM

Offense
QB-Thaddeus Lewis, Duke (18)
RB-C.J. Spiller, Clemson (62)
RB-Montel Harris, Boston College (39)
WR-Torrey Smith, Maryland (25)
WR-Jacoby Ford, Clemson (24)
TE-Greg Boone, Virginia Tech (16)
OT-Ed Wang, Virginia Tech (31)
OT-Chris Hairston, Clemson (26)
OG-Thomas Austin, Clemson (39)
OG-Sergio Render, Virginia Tech (37)
C-Matt Tennant, Boston College (29)
K-Casey Barth, North Carolina (21)
K-Will Snyderwine, Duke (21)
Spc-Torrey Smith, Maryland (17)

Defense
DE-Ricky Sapp, Clemson (29)
DE-Willie Young, NC State (24)
DE-Jason Worilds, Virginia Tech (24)
DT-Marvin Austin, North Carolina (32)
DT-John Russell, Wake Forest (29)
LB-Vincent Rey, Duke (29)
LB-Darryl Sharpton, Miami (21)
LB-Bruce Carter, North Carolina (17)
LB-Colin McCarthy, Miami (17)
LB-Dekoda Watson, Florida State (17)
CB-Ras-I Dowling, Virginia (26)
CB-Patrick Robinson, Florida State (26)
S-Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech (51)
S-Kam Chancellor, Virginia Tech (24)
P-Matt Bosher, Miami (37)

There is a legitimate debate on whether Georgia Tech’s Derrick Morgan or UNC’s Robert Quinn is the leagues defensive player of the year. Morgan leads the ACC in sacks with 12.5. Quinn is 2nd with 11.0. However, Quinn leads the conference in tackles for loss with 17 versus Morgan’s 15. Quinn also was 2nd in fumbles forced with six. Morgan received more votes than Quinn did in the voting for All-ACC defensive end. Deunta Williams and Kendric Burney combined for 11 of UNC’s 19 INTs this season. Quan Sturdivant was just all sorts of awesome both in name and wreaking havoc. As was Bruce Carter. Marvin Austin seemed to be more productive as the season wore on and was all over the field against NCSU.

Also, kudos to Casey Barth for making the 2nd team. Barth was as shaky as a kicker can get early on but ran a streak of 16 straight FGs before the blocked attempt versus NCSU.

This article was originally published at http://tarheelfanblog.com. If you are interested in sharing your website's content with SCACCHoops.com, Contact Us.

Seven Jackets make All-ACC in football

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:17:56 -0500

Seven Georgia Tech players made the All-ACC football team that was announced on Monday. Five players on offense and two on defense were honored, the most of any team in the conference. Six of those players made the first team. Quarterback Josh Nesbitt, B-back Jonathan Dwyer, wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, center Sean Bedford and guard Cord Howard were honored on the offensive side of the ball. They helped the Jackets lead the ACC in scoring (35 points per game), total offense (440.5 ypg), ...

Facing the Reality of Georgia/Georgia Tech

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 06:31:44 -0500

Joe Cox is still an ugly ginger." />

At least the car looked good. And Joe Cox is still an ugly ginger.

View full size photo »

So here it goes. An attempt at postgame thoughts. The sky is not falling and the world is not ending. However.....

Saturday night straight up sucked. Right now it seems like it was just a bad dream and I'm wondering if the game was even played. Then I see the newspaper, the latest bowl ranking and that ugly crooked number 2 and uggh, it happened alright.

Thoughts

Largest crowd for Yellow Jacket Alley. Keep it up fans!

It was my last home game as a student, my final rideout at BDS@HGF. The day could not have been a better on Saturday; it will easily be one of my favorite and proudest days to be part of the Georgia Tech community. I had the Reck out earlier than ever for that late of a game (12 miles around campus and 1/2 a tank of gas), hit more tailgates and socialized more than I had ever done. The pregame feeling is something I don't want to forget. However, the game leaves a sour taste in my mouth as we come quickly to the end of what should be regarded as a successful season of football. However, without a doubt, I know the question to "Would you rather beat georgie or win the ACC?". The answer is simple: Beat georgie. Because if we when we win the ACC, we can look and say "ACC Champs (but couldn't put away the 4th best team in the SEC). I am quickly hating these conference rivalries.

I continue to struggle listening to fans who lose and think they can still talk crap to fans just yelling out. We lost. Can't do anything about it. No "Well, I'm still smarter than you is going to fix it."

The play-calling is a subject of confusion for me all-around. Defensively, from their first drive it was obvious that they weren't going to let Joe Cox ruin the game for them. We saw that as they promptly ran down the field putting together an impressive play for a 7-0 lead. They forced us to prove to them that we could stop the run and we couldn't. Our defensive line continued to get man-handled as the running backs ran all over us and amassed 339 yards of RUSHING YARDS. The injury to Ben Anderson completely changed up the flow for our defense and the mess continued throughout the game.

For the first time this year, the offensive play-calling gives me a big, blank, question-mark. Did it seem relatively conservative to you all? From my point-of-view, it seemed their D-Line was keying in on Dwyer and we either we didn't adjust the option or continued to misread but I don't see why we took it to the outside more. Was it conservative play-calling because we couldn't risk injuries and the potential of losing in Tampa? More than one person thinks that as a possibility.

Finally, the final 4 downs, the biggest "WTFs" of them all. First, if we complete those passes, CPJ is a genius and is lauded like no other. Unfortunately, the passes were dropped, overthrown, or caught out of bounds. I don't know if I'll ever understand why we made those calls and refused to "dance [more] with the one who brought us."

I'll end in a positive, though a frustrating one. No matter how bad we played, we were in the position to win last night. We were in the process of that mythical "game-winning drive" and then it was snatched away. But nevertheless, we had that chance to take the game back. To Hell with Georgia!

This will be my last post on one of the biggest games I want to erase from my memory. Tomorrow I look towards Tampa and Clemson, the only other team in the country who could relate to us right now.

This article was originally published at http://www.FromTheRumbleSeat.com. If you are interested in sharing your website's content with SCACCHoops.com, Contact Us.

Georgia Bulldogs 30, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 24: Our Willie Outdistances Their Johnson

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:18:26 -0500

At first, I did not believe. I saw such upsets as the South Carolina Gamecocks’ win over the Clemson Tigers and the Mississippi St. Bulldogs’ win over the Mississippi Rebels, and I saw such near-upsets as the Alabama Crimson Tide’s close call against the Auburn Tigers and the Texas Longhorns’ close call against the Texas A&M Aggies, and I said, In each of those, the underdog had the advantage of playing at home. I saw the Georgia Bulldogs go 74 yards in ten snaps---all of them r...

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?!?: The Georgia Tech preview.

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:51:00 -0500

I, too, think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part.Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia.Last season: Started 6-1, went through an unpleasant 1-2 late-season slump with losses to Virginia and UNC, but bounced back to beat Miami and Georgia in their last two games by steamrolling the 'Canes and Dawgs with that triple-option rushing attack. Beat out at the buzzer by Virginia Tech for the Coastal Division's berth in the ACC title ...

Georgia Tech clinches ACC Coastal title

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:55:16 -0500

Georgia Tech is headed back to the ACC championship game. QB Josh Nesbitt had a hand in three TDs as the No. 7 Yellow Jackets thumped Duke 49-10 to clinch the ACC Coastal title.

Play of the Day: Tech's gamble pays off

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:01:50 -0500

Georgia Tech had rebounded from a September loss at Miami to take control of the ACC Coastal Division race. Now, all that work would come down a single snap. Tech QB Josh Nesbitt celebrates after scoring the game-winning TD Saturday. With Wake Forest leading by a field goal in overtime, Yellow Jackets coach Paul Johnson eschewed a chip shot to force a second OT and gambled on fourth down. The conversion set up the winning touchdown in a 30-27 Tech victory. Here's how it happened: The le...

Jonathan Dwyer Is a Man!

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 09:59:40 -0500

Georgia Tech takes some heat for running the triple option which has been considered an antiquated offense. Thing is if you have the right personnel and you can execute the option to perfection, it can be highly successful. The Yellow Jackets have proven that and they’ve gone 7-1 to start the season. [...]

The Conversation: Talking Georgia Tech with FromTheRumbleSeat.com

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 06:15:24 -0500

With the events of this week, the preview will run Friday Night/ Saturday AM. Every week we talk with a source from the opposition. This week we chat with Winfield, Dane, and the guys from FromTheRumbleSeat.com These are the guys who actually drive the Ramblin' Wreck. Has some of the "new car smell" worn off of Paul Johnson? If so, has his performance so far been enough to make up for losing the new impact luster? Are people in Atlanta as ex...

Preseason Countdown: No. 19 Georgia Tech

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:11:00 -0500

Where The Yellow Jackets Have Been: Let's be perfectly honest: nobody outside of Georgia Tech thought Paul Johnson's triple-option offense was really going to work at the BCS level. Defenses were too advanced, we all believed. You couldn't forgo the passing game in this day and age, we all thought. PJ proved us wrong.Of course like Johnson's teams at Navy, the Jackets ran, ran and ran some more, averaging 273.2 yards per game, fourth nationally behind ACC Offensive Player of t...

So You Want to Work in Sports?: Liam Klein, Director of Player Personnel, GA Tech Football

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:10:16 -0500

Over the next several weeks, HHR will be interviewing 20 and 30-something-year-olds in various careers in professional, amateur and collegiate sports to get a take on how they broke into their respective industries and to offer tips how ambitious sports-related job seekers might do the same. Today, we interview Liam Klein, 30, Director of Player Personnel for Georgia Tech Football. A former college lineman, Liam held coaching positions on various levels before taking on the job at Tech.

Randy Edsall Update

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 03:12:01 -0500

Yesterday, I posted about how I thought Randy Edsall probably wouldn't interview for the Georgia Tech open head coach job but then saw that he indeed had flown to Atlanta to interview. Well Edsall was back on campus today for practice and according to Chip Malafronte of the New Haven Register, Edsall spoke with his players but didn't say whether or not he was staying or going.

Georgia Tech Football Preview

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:08:48 -0500

Georgia Tech returns 14 starters to make another run at the ACC conference championship game.

2007 Football Recruiting Roundup: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (ACC)

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 14:15:58 -0500

After getting stuck with Reggie Ball for 4 years and wasting the talents of Charles Johnson, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are ready to turn a new leaf with these 2007 recruits that can help your fantasy college football team.