AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2006 > October > 06
Friday, October 6, 2006
Plenty on Tech’s plate
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This stuff came out when I was cleaning my ears this morning …
I’ll be surprised if Maryland doesn’t muster more than 82 yards of total offense Saturday against Georgia Tech, but not if the Terrapins are held below 200. And I don’t think they’ll win unless the Jackets turn it over a ton.
The running game gets better each week, which is large. Tashard Choice looks more and more comfortable with each game, I think, in what certainly is not a standard design for a run game with all the shotgun stuff Tech’s doing.
I’m not going to say reserve guard Jacob Lonowski is out for the rest of the season after dinging his surgically-repaired shoulder Thursday in practice, but Chan Gailey sure made it clear that’s possible. He missed a bunch of summer camp because of that same shoulder, and wasn’t available for the Notre Dame game because of it. In the past few games, coaches put backup guards Lonowski and Trey Dunmon in there for one full first-half series (I’m not counting mop-up duty against Samford and eventually Troy). I wonder now if coaches will operate the same way with Dunmon-LeShawn Newberry (who had a solid summer)?
The one offensive lineman the Jackets can least afford to lose is center Kevin Tuminello. He’s the glue; smart, mean, tough.
After waffling early in the week (and after the Va. Tech game) about the nickel back spot, Gailey said Thursday coaches have decided on a nickel back between Pat Clark and Jamal Lewis. He wouldn’t say who it is, citing competitive advantage (don’t want to give away secrets until it’s obvious). Gotta be Lewis, who played there last year, right? I wonder, if that’s the case, if it’s because Lewis is really that much better than Clark (I don’t know, just wondering), or if it’s because that way Avery Roberson gets on the field more (in Lewis’ safety spot)? Or both? Pat Clark’s having a rough season. First, he loses punt return duty to Andrew Smith. Then, he loses the starting CB spot to Jahi Word-Daniels. Now, he may have lost the nickel spot to Lewis. He can’t be in a good mood.
Durant Brooks would be in the top five for Tech MVP right now, although he obviously has no chance of winning it in the end. Patrick Nix even said the other day he’s willing to take a few more chances offensively from the wrong end of the field because of the confidence coaches have in Brooks booming the ball away in the event of a failed third down (combined with confidence the defense is going to be a bear). That’s more than slightly significant. And he’s been unreal from the 50-yard-line in, huh?
Reggie Ball continues to say very little, relative to years past, to the media. Hey, it’s his prerogative. Just keep running the show smartly, sir (although that first pick at Va. Tech was hauntingly familiar, and the next one was a very poor throw, he sure bounced back nicely after that).
Regarding one of the high school players Tech’s recruiting hardest, Coatesville, Pa., native Derrick Morgan: a whale of a player, he’ll graduate in December. If Tech lands him, he could be the third early enrollee, joining QB Steve Threet and WR Tyler Melton. Morgan visited for the Notre Dame game, and has also visited Miami. He has visits planned to Penn State and Boston College. Ohio State and N.C. State also are recruiting him heavily, apparently.
The only senior prospect making an official visit this week is OL Clyde Yandell, whose recruitment by Tech and others has picked up steam as he’s played well in his first year as a full-time OL. Detroit CB Cedric Everson and Orlando S Lorenzo Edwards will make official visits Oct. 28, for the Miami game.
Juniors Chris Jackson, a wide receiver from Henry County High who will be attending his fourth Tech home game, and Kamaron Riley, a defensive back/wide receiver from Hawkinsville, also will attend Saturday’s game against Maryland. Good players. Jackson’s been on campus many times.
Wide receiver James Johnson said the shoe’s on the other foot now. He knows how Maryland feels … the same way Tech felt last week heading to No. 11 Virginia Tech. “[The Terrapins are thinking] ‘They’re No. 18, and we’re not ranked, so this is our chance to show people we should be ranked, too,’ ” Johnson said. “That’s how we felt.”
