AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > October > 02
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
How do you pump up the Jackets?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A strange thing happened last week, and I don’t mean Tech beating Clemson.
In practice, the No. 1 offense worked against the No. 1 defense (no tackling) more than a little.
That’s not typical during the season, although it happens some times. Chan Gailey’s idea with that was to pick up tempo, to get each side more accustomed to the game speed they’ll face in the upcoming game.
He downplayed it somewhat today, but a few players suggested it had quite a positive effect (which Mike Knobler will write a full story about later).
All I know is Tech appeared to play with greater purpose against Clemson than against Virginia or Boston College. The trick is doing that week in and week out, especially with two straight road games coming up at Maryland and Miami.
So how do you maintain that intensity? Gailey said (and has said before) he’s not the type to rah-rah the troops to no end before games, that they have to have the maturity to recognize the importance of what’s at hand on their own. Players, though, help. Tashard Choice is the chief motivator, and Gary Guyton and Jamal Lewis are among the most vocal players on defense. In this regard, Tech misses Joe Anoai, who was very good in that role last year.
Moving on, but not to the point of belaboring this point, the passing game has to improve, and signicantly, for Tech to compete week in a week out. Me, I’d try Josh Nesbitt for more than two plays to see what he’s got. And I’m not saying that’s the only way to improve the passing game. There were a bunch of dropped passes last Saturday.
Later,
Matt
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