Tech’s special teams better in victory

Coach Paul Johnson this week called Tech’s special teams, with the exception of kickoff coverage, “fairly atrocious.”

Special teams were one of the few bright spots in Saturday’s 10-7 win over Gardner-Webb.

Scott Blair made his fifth straight field goal after a 1-for-5 start. He averaged 48.4 yards on his punts, booming a 58-yarder that was downed at the Bulldogs 2.

Tyler Melton had a 16-yard punt return, and Derrick Morgan deflected the potential game-tying field goal.

The lowlights were three penalties, including an illegal leaping call on Michael Johnson during a field-goal try. The personal foul gave Gardner-Webb a first down, and the Bulldogs scored on the next play.

Blair hit a 29-yard field goal in the second quarter and hasn’t missed since Week 2 against Boston College.

“The chemistry has gotten a whole lot better, the timing is really good and I feel really confident,” the sophomore said.

Blair was at a loss to explain the sudden power in his punting.

“I’m normally not the long ball hitter,” said Blair, who punted five times. Chandler Anderson punted twice. “I don’t know what happened but it was nice.”

Special teams coordinator Jeff Monken said the Jackets shifted players around but didn’t make wholesale changes, though safety Morgan Burnett came back on the punt return team.

Melton averaged 8.8 yards per return. Tech came in averaging just 3.6.

“We talked about just needing to do something different,” Monken said. “If people are scheming us up for what we’ve been doing all year, just try something different.”