AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > September > 28
Friday, September 28, 2007
Getting busy on The Flats
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Big weekend at Georgia Tech, and not just for the current football team. Lots of recruits coming to the Clemson game.
First, a look back at something I wrote earlier this week - a story about QB Taylor Bennett.
I saw a blog response somewhere, can’t remember if it was the AJC or not, where a writer moaned that if it had taken this long for OC John Bond to start working on Bennett’s footwork, the world is lost.
Get real! These guys, and every team/QB in the nation work on footwork from the get-go. The point is that Bennett’s footwork is still particularly problematic. They’ve worked on it since Bond arrived, and before that as well. The point is it’s still not what it needs to be, and it’s a consistent problem.
This didn’t fit in the story, but it was interesting that Bond noted that the clock in Bennett’s head may be a bit scrambled already because he faces so much blitzing in practice.
“It’s footwork for him, and in his defense, when you go up against the pressure that we go up against every day in practice … you would be a robot if the clock in your mind didn’t speed up,” Bond said.
Now, what about asking defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta to slow the blitzes down? Forget that.
“Oh, no. He’s not going to do that, and I wouldn’t ask him to do that,” Bond said. [Bennett’s] got to slow down the clock in his brain. When he does that, that’s when he’s at his best.”
Yeah, like the first few days of August practice, when Bennett was dead-on with almost every pass - before anybody put pads on.
Moving on …
Huge combination of players making official and unofficial visits to Tech, including (but not limited to) Thomasville defensive tackle Brandon Thompson (a tremendous player), Fresno safety Brandon Leslie, Miami linebacker Malcolm Munroe, Chamblee offensive lineman Omoregie Uzzi, and Columbia, S.C., offensive lineman Kenneth Page.
Also, a lot of players who’ve already committed will be at the game, including defensive backs Jon Lockhart and Kamaron Riley, running back Richard Watson, wide receiver Chris Jackson, linebackers T.J. Pridemore and Steven Sylvester, offensive lineman Nick McRae and safety/quarterback Cooper Taylor.
I think Buford defensive tackle Omar Hunter, who has committed to Notre Dame, will be at Tech as well. Washington County linebacker Brandon Watts, a junior, is going to be there too.
Speaking of recruiting, tough loss this week for the hoopsters, as forward Sylven Landsberg opted for Virginia. The Jackets are still in the running for Chicago shooting guard Iman Shumpert, one of the best in the nation at his position.
As for the game, I’m about out of ideas. If Tech can’t run the ball pretty darned well, though, I don’t like the Jackets’ chances. I think, though, that they’ll run better this week, especially if Choice stays healthy. Is Bennett going to improve in the passing game? Will his teammates improve in the passing game?
They’d better.
Tech wins, but oddly, 21-20.
Matt
