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Saturday, October 11, 2008
Lackluster performance
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It was probably a good thing this game wasn’t on TV.
If Georgia Tech was up for this game, it sure didn’t look like it. Granted, the Jackets played No. 3 QB Calvin Booker the whole way, except for a few snaps taken by No. 4 Bryce Dykes.
But 10-7 over Gardner Webb? Unbelievably, the Bulldogs had a chance to tie the game with 9 seconds left. But the 44-yard field goal try went wide left. Tech fans could finally relax.
When Dykes fumbled a snap late in the third quarter, Gardner-Webb took over at its 36. The defense rose up and drove the Bulldogs backwards. And the defense kept getting stops, including a huge sack by Derrick Morgan with Gardner-Webb in Tech territory.
It was all on the defense because Tech’s offense was totally out of rhythm.
The Bulldogs came in with one of the best run defenses in I-AA, and it was no fluke. They swarmed Jonathan Dwyer (except for his 79-yard catch and run in the first half) every time he carried it. Tech’s O-line got very little push.
Positives: By keeping out QBs Josh Nesbitt and Jaybo Shaw, who did not dress, the Jackets should have both available for next week’s game at Clemson.
In addition, Tech showed improvement on special teams. (Special teams were called out during the week). Tyler Melton had a couple nice punt returns, Scott Blair boomed a punt that was pinned inside the 5, and Blair also hit his fifth straight field goal.
But overall this was a subpar effort, and very nearly an embarrassing defeat.
How much does this performance concern you? Was it just an aberration?
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A guy who’s easy to root for
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With Josh Nesbitt and Jaybo Shaw questionable for today’s game against Gardner-Webb, senior quarterback Calvin Booker should get a lot of playing time, and possibly start.
The opportunity is well-deserved.
Booker is — or was — a dropback passer completely ill-suited for CPJ’s option offense. He’s worked hard to adapt to the offense.
CPJ has remarked more than once how much he loves Booker’s attitude, and that it carries over to the rest of the team.
“The biggest thing for me is, what we’re doing here is bigger than me.” That was Booker’s comment to Ken Sugiura, and it sums up Booker’s approach.
It’s easy to root for a guy like that.
Would you like to see Booker play the whole game? Or do you want to see Nesbitt and Shaw? How about all three?
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