AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2008 > August > 09 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHey, these guys are better
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Surprise! Georgia Tech looked as if it had been practicing. And Jaybo Shaw sure doesn’t look like a freshman.
When the Yellow Jackets scrimmaged Saturday morning for the first time since summer practice began (not counting some fairly live situational stuff in practice), there was a big difference between the spring scrimmages.
Ball security was much, much less an issue. Exchanges were more crisp all the way around, and … the first defense was still pretty good slowing the first offense.
I think you can forget the possibility of Jaybo Shaw redshirting. He completed 3 of 6 passes — a 37-yard touchdown to WR R.B. Clyburn, a 59-yarder to WR Quentin Sims and a 52-yarder to A-back Embry Peeples. Shaw ran for two scores, too.
For the record, those are all freshmen. And every play was, as coach Paul Johnson noted afterward, against the No. 2 (or 2.5 in some instances) defense.
Still, Shaw knows what he’s doing.
B-back Anthony Allen rushed for 105 yards on 17 carries. He won’t be able to play until next season after transferring from Louisville, but the starting B-back is no bum. Jonathan Dwyer went 70 yards on the second play, although he faced tough sledding other than that.
Johnson said the No. 1 passing game is so bad in part because the No. 1 line can’t pass protect against the No. 1 defense. That’s good news for the defense. Not so good for the offense.
Mario Edwards continued to work No. 1 nickel safety with Morgan Burnett, Dominque Reese sliding up into the slot. Boy, there is no depth at cornerback unless somebody grows up in a hurry, but knowing Edwards can play this fall sure helps Dave Wommack and Charles Kelly slide folks around a little more.
QB Tevin Washington made some plays with his feet, and a well-timed pitch for a touchdown. He’ll redshirt, though.
I see the QB lineup like this now: Nesbitt, Shaw, Dykes, Booker (may be used situationally, however, when the Jackets trail late as I believe he’s the most proficient passer by a sizable margin), Washington (redshirt), Henry (anybody see him at A-back, when he tried to throw a block? Not pretty).
Scott Blair is the PK. Mark it down. Johnson said as much.
More later.
Matt
Comments
By Fan
August 9, 2008 1:18 PM | Link to this
Thanks Matt. Thought you were gone but nice to see you’re still around.
By Matt Winkeljohn
August 9, 2008 1:23 PM | Link to this
Gone? I’m still here.
By BuzzfanŽ
August 9, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this
Matt,
I imagine there will be more than a few #1 offensive lines who have that same problem this year.
JV
By CF
August 9, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this
How did the 1st string DEs look? Is MJ playing like a top 5 nfl pick like they are projecting him?
By John
August 9, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this
Thanks Matt, Keep up the good work!
By jamada
August 9, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this
Nice report and assessment of player’s performance and possibility of playing this year or redshirting. I, too, thought you were a victim of cutbacks at the AJC and gone as a beat writer for GT. Are you back permanently? Or is this a transition toward startup of your own blog?
By cooter
August 9, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this
Matt, any idea why Shaw didn’t get some snaps against the 1st D? Seems to me he should still be in contention for the starting job. I would like to see what he can do against MJ and crew.
By slickrick
August 9, 2008 2:07 PM | Link to this
cooter, I think during practices Josh has clearly separated himself as the starter. With less than 3 weeks to go and this being a new offensive scheme, Johnson wants to give the starting qb almost all of the reps with the starting unit. Nesbitt looked good today, not spectacular in large part due to the first team o-line is having all kinds of problems blocking the starting d-line.
By Matt Winkeljohn
August 9, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this
Quickly on a few topics …
I am not starting my own blog, at least not that I know of. The AJC remains in a transitional phase, particularly through the end of the month. Without going into much detail, I am not a victim of any kind, though. More detail as the month draws closer to its end.
DEs are playing very well. Johnson/Morgan are going to be a nice combo. Morgan was very impressive today. Behind them, Hall, Peters and Egbuniwe aren’t too shabby. D-line is BY FAR the most talented group on the team. No other unit on this team in the same universe.
I wouldn’t be surprised that Shaw didn’t rep against No. 1s. It was the first scrimmage of summer, and his college career.
That said, bet it happens. Nesbitt really is working against a loaded deck vs. that first-team D-line with an O-line that is being pieced together. Plus, missing WR Correy Earls, A-backs Smith, Smith and Jones, WR Melton still beat up. Not fair. Not exactly apples to apples, as Johnson put it when comparing what Nesbitt’s working against vs. what Shaw’s working against.
Huge notebook should go on-line within the hour.
Matt
By Matt Winkeljohn
August 9, 2008 2:47 PM | Link to this
Before anyone leaps to a conclusion, I bet Shaw works against the No. 1 D. I’m not suggesting in the previous post that he necessarily unseat Josh, who had a good week of practice.
My bottom-line, drop-dead, two leading determinants on Tech’s season: the development of the offensive line and the secondary.
If the Jackets can execute their offense, and to do that they’ll need some blocking, I would if I were a Tech fan worry less about youth in the skills positions than I would worry about youth in the linebacking corps and secondary.
I think the system — Johnson may hate this kind of theory — can hide some youth, just as it closed the gap at Navy on a talent disparity between the Midshipmen and some opponents. That is as long as the system’s operators achieve a baseline proficiency at it.
LBs and DBs? Another matter. If you scheme to hide, you leave holes that can be a bear to fill.
I would think that until Tech proves otherwise, some teams are going to feel they can pass on the Jackets on the presumption that Tech will lay back more in coverage to protect youth in the back, and opponents therefore may feel they can over-protect (if not always max protect) against that very talented D-line and still wiggle a reduced number of receivers free against the inexperienced secondary.
Or, I could be completely nuts.
Matter fact, that’s a good bet.
By old gold engineer
August 9, 2008 3:17 PM | Link to this
Glad to hear the scrimmage looked better than the one in the spring. Also, good thing there’s two and a half more weeks to practice before they have to do it for real. Looking forward to seeing the team play for myself. Keep up the good work Matt.
By AA
August 9, 2008 3:28 PM | Link to this
What about Marcus Wright? With his speed and size I thought he would possible play this year.
By WhitePowerDawg
August 9, 2008 3:59 PM | Link to this
GOOOOOOO DAWGS!
sick ‘em woof woof woof
By Wreck7
August 9, 2008 4:06 PM | Link to this
WhitePowerDawg: Your name says it all… typical whitetrash, racist UGAgger.
By addicted
August 9, 2008 4:11 PM | Link to this
Good blog Matt. Great to see you are still around.
Sounds like we are going to have a lot of teething pains, mainly because of the lack of experience in the trenches. The QB situation seems to be progressing nicely. I really feel for Booker though, who has had some poor luck and timing, both in Auburn abnd Tech. Good to see him take it all really positively though. The GT degree should take him a long way.
Finally, I wish noone falls for the WhitePowerDawg trollbait.
By KC Kid
August 9, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this
I was at the scrimmage today. Matt’s right, Shaw looks too good to redshirt, but that may not be a good thing. They list him as 6’0, 190lbs, but I think that’s generous. Nesbitt was unimpressive, but he wasn’t getting much help. Dwyer had a couple of nice runs but again, the line wasn’t helping him much.
Another kid that had his moments today was Preston Lyons out of Marist. Anyone know his story? The roster lists him as a non-scholarship player.
Michael Johnson’s an animal. He didn’t work that much today, no need to risk an injury with him I guess.
One of the kickers hit a 48 - 50 yard FG. Not sure which kicker though.
By GTPanic33
August 9, 2008 5:05 PM | Link to this
Matt, Great blog, thanks. What is the status of the Virginia Tech transfer in the secondary. I heard rumors that he was recently granted a hardship similar to Choice a couple of years back. Is he eligible this year? We need depth back there.
By Paddy
August 9, 2008 5:22 PM | Link to this
overall this must be very encouraging for Tech fans. Because there is many more practice days to fine tune this thing.
By Matt Winkeljohn
August 9, 2008 5:53 PM | Link to this
Quickly:
The Virginia Tech transfer, Mario Edwards, is referenced in the notebook that I thought would be on-line two hours ago. He’s working with the No. 1 secondary in nickel and dime situations, and offering some flexibility to move other DBs around.
Wrote this a couple weeks ago. Preston Lyons transferred from Colgate. Has to sit out a year. Played in a very similar offense in high school at Marist.
By AlabamaRamblinwreck
August 9, 2008 7:43 PM | Link to this
Hey, Matt…thanks for the blog.
Is the main issue with our #1 offensive line speed? form? knowing assignments? or all of the above?
Can you really see our offensive line coming together well enough to deal with defensive lines from VT, MissSt, 2 FL penitentiary schools, and UGA?
I hope they can at least compete…
Go Jackets!!
By northgt
August 9, 2008 8:33 PM | Link to this
Matt -
I was at the scrimmage, and agree the O-line has got to come around quickly. If they can get more solid, Josh Nesbitt will be a force. Also, the defense needs to get some looks at offenses they will face, not this one, which they will never see. Their ability to adjust and change calls, etc., is a concern. Lastly, on the DB’s, your account of the day has some gaps. First, the nickel packages had multiple combinations of personnel, with Edwards and Blackwood both working with the 1st team nickel. There obviously is a lot of looking at various personnel combinations at this point. Also, the best play of the safeties today was by Blackwood and Reese (although we all know Burnett is the best DB, either at corner or safety). Blackwood made at least 5 or 6 good tackles, and Reese had a couple of good one on one tackles as well. Cooper Taylor is young, but will be a good player for GT in the future.
By Matt Winkeljohn
August 9, 2008 9:25 PM | Link to this
Yes, NorthGT, my coverage has gaps. And still, between looking at this blog and the on-line notebook, look how many words I got paid for (inside joke).
Blackwood may have made five or six tackles. You strike me as a Blackwood fan. I am a fan, too Go into AJC archives and read the feature story I wrote about him.
I wrote earlier about this week about Cooper Taylor, who was working in the nickel/dime safety spot that Edwards has worked in the past three days. He has not gone un-noticed.
Bottom line: Edwards. Maybe Reese.
By Nervous Wreck!
August 10, 2008 4:49 AM | Link to this
I’m really getting nervous about this upcoming season. The Jackets have to get there act together fast, I mean really fast! Hopefully are young players will step it up.
*The injuries are getting ridiculous. *Sports Illustrated is a joke. *Sick and tired of 7-5, 6-6.
By Mike
August 10, 2008 8:29 AM | Link to this
Appreciate the coverage, Matt. Nice work!
Isn’t it almost always the case that the battles in the trenches dictate the final outcome in football? As great a scheme as CPJ may employ, it still comes down to blocking and tackling. Sounds like our D is tough to block, and our O line has a lot of work to do. On the other hand, can you imagine how boring this season would be with that old NFL style I formation and a young O Line? Nesbitt or Booker would be running for their lives, and our only hope would be to win games 10-9. With CPJ, there is hope that as the O line improves, so will the scoring!
By Forensicbuzz
August 10, 2008 12:05 PM | Link to this
Matt,
I watched the scrimmage yesterday too. The 1st Team O-Line was manhandled. However, I remember reading somewhere lately that the O-Line wasn’t cut-blocking our D-Line for injury reasons. Is that still the case? If it is, then that will strongly affect the O-Line’s ability to be effective. Isn’t cut-blocking an integral part of Sewell’s scheme?
By yellowblood
August 10, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this
Jaybo Shaw is my guy. He’s got experience with this type of system plus he’s a regular attendee at student Tickle Piles.
By Forensicbuzz
August 10, 2008 12:12 PM | Link to this
Matt,
I watched the scrimmage yesterday too. The 1st Team O-Line was manhandled. However, I remember reading somewhere lately that the O-Line wasn’t cut-blocking our D-Line for injury reasons. Is that still the case? If it is, then that will strongly affect the O-Line’s ability to be effective. Isn’t cut-blocking an integral part of Sewell’s scheme?
By 4-ever Tech Fan
August 10, 2008 1:35 PM | Link to this
Attended the scrimmage yesterday …
I don’t care what anyone is saying regarding which “D” Jaybo Shaw was playing against - bottom line, he’s scrappy, and he can play! An impressive, accurate passer. He carries-out the option nicely after giving the ball to the dive back (key in deceiveing the LBs), and makes good fakes - particularly the fake pitch in scrimmage that appeared to be going to the right, only to keep it, running a QB boot-leg to the left for a 15-yard score.
You see the offense’s potential however (Dwyer 70-yard run), and on most of the pass plays more than 1 receive is open (Nesbitt’s touch a little off on the deep balls though). Good points in a prior post about the O-line not chop/cut blocking the D in order to avoid injury; that won’t be the case on game day!
Regarding the D-line … if they really are as good as advertised in addition to what I’m seeing in practices/scrimmages (and they stay healthy), they will more than make-up for any supposed weaknesses in the LB & DB corps. I believe the DBs are going to surprise some folks this seasson. Very impressed with converted QBs Reese & Taylor to DB.
By GT76
August 11, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this
Here we go again! Jaybo for starter. Bilbo the great. Taylor Bennett for Heisman. Get a grip guys.
By Observer
August 11, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this
Matt - Thanks for all of the great posts which keep us working stiffs up to date. I hope you are writing down all of the email address of the posters on this blog so you can alert us in the event you fall victim to the reorganization at the AJC. If you were to start your own blog, it would be quite successful. Just a thought.