Jackets’ Blair does double duty

Sophomore Scott Blair began his sophomore season with two huge tasks: Replace Ray Guy Award-winning punter Durant Brooks and All-ACC kicker Travis Bell. It has been a quarter-century since the same player spent the season as the Yellow Jackets’ primary kicker and punter. Ron Rice was the last to fill the dual roles.

Blair’s missed PAT following Tech’s fourth touchdown was Tech’s first missed PAT since 2003. Bell made all 138 conversion kicks he attempted in his career, and Tech had made 156 in a row, including four by Blair, since Dan Burnett missed one against N.C. State.

Blair missed his first two career field goal attempts Thursday night, a 38-yarder and a 52-yarder. His only punt, though, went 51 yards.

Tech’s James Liipfert fumbled a kickoff.

“The kicking game was horrendous,” Tech coach Paul Johnson said. “It was awful. It couldn’t be much worse.”