AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > November > 16
Friday, November 16, 2007
Taking on the Tar Heels
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Tar Heels are 3-7 on the season with wins over James Madison, Miami, and Maryland. Their losses are to East Carolina, Virginia, South Florida, Virginia Tech, South Carolina, and NC State.
What does this tell us?
Well … not a whole lot. The Heels beat a Maryland team that GT narrowly lost to. They played Virginia about as close as we did. They got stomped badly by Wake Forest … but also beat Miami and played Virginia Tech a lot closer than the Jackets did.
The UNC offense is ranked #102 nationally behind a woeful running game and marginal passing game. Defensively they aren’t horrible … ranking #33 in total defense and #50 in scoring defense. They seem to defense both the pass and rush similarly. This isn’t a team you obviously run or pass against.
Looking a little deeper, they have a tendency to turn the ball over and give up sacks. So I would expect that Tech’s defense will blitz early and often and try to force mistakes or turnovers.
UNC only averages 20 points a game over the course of the season … no reason to expect they’ll surpass that against the Tech defense. Still … we have to remember that Duke put up points on the board off Tech mistakes and miscues.
Tech
Speaking of mistakes and miscues … GT can’t allow anything like a big kick return, fumble, INT, or stupid penalty to derail what should be the 7th victory of the season.
Tech’s total offense is ranked #63 based largely on the running game. The scoring offense is ranked #63 as well … at 27 points per game. Combined with a #6 ranked total defense and a #14 ranked scoring defense … there’s no excuse to see UNC put alot of offense.
The Jackets are #1 in the country in sacks and tackles for loss. The D needs to keep that pressure up and eliminate the big play, which has been the Achilles Heel of the defensive backfield this season.
Morgan Burnett
There’d been rumors within Tech circles for a few weeks that Morgan Burnett was pushing for playing time and it appears those rumors have born fruit this week as Burnett has been named as one of the starting corners against UNC this weekend.
Avery Roberson has played excellent in run support this season but has been burned a few times in coverage. I’m hoping that this move allows Tech to play a little tighter with the UNC receivers on Burnett’s side of the field.
Burnett is a big time player and will likely hold down his corner for the remainder of his career at GT … now that he’s stepped up and been tapped as a starter.
Tashard
I hope Choice wraps that hamstring up this Saturday. We need him in the game early but I’d rather not see him break a run and pull up lame. And we certainly need him 100% against UGA next weekend.
I’m seriously looking forward to watching Choice and Moreno go at it. I’m a bit biased … obviously … but I think Choice is the better runner of the two. Moreno is good, no doubt, but he’s no Deuce.
Hoops
By the time anyone reads this blog, our game against Charlotte will likely have already been decided. Miller got dinged up in practice yesterday and Matt Causey is playing through pain in his knee. That means that Bell will get some minutes as the #3 point guard. With Dickey and Peacock out we’re limping through the early season here a bit. We are going to need to get healthy quick despite playing four games in four days while down in the Virgin Islands for the Paradise Jam.
Bowl Odds
Insiders on various GT boards seem to think that a win over UNC would put Tech in very good shape for the Music City Bowl against an SEC team … potentially Alabama. I’m not sure about everyone else … but I’d take that bowl in a heartbeat. Nashville is a close drive and a really fun town … and ‘Bama would be a great opponent. GT fans would show up in good numbers for that game.
Chan
No excuses … take care of business … no letdown against the Heels!
Go Jackets!
THWG!
