Jackets pass on run in win over Duke

In the fifth game of the Paul Johnson era, Georgia Tech’s offense showed something a little different.

One game after the Jackets bulldozed Mississippi State for more than 400 rushing yards while passing for just 62, wide receiver Demaryius Thomas turned Saturday’s game against Duke into his own highlight show. Thomas caught nine passes for 230 yards and a touchdown as the Jackets dropped a 27-0 anvil on the Blue Devils. He came within 14 yards of breaking former Tech great Dez White’s school record for most receiving yards in a game, with White in attendance as an honorary captain, no less.

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Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas’ 88-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter is the third-longest in school history. He had nine receptions for 230 yards.

BY THE NUMBERS

• How They Scored • Tech Stats
• ACC Scores • ACC Standings

• Jackets pass on run in win
• Photos: Jackets blank the Devils
• Bradley: Defense is better
• Bisher: Rivalry revived
• Blog: Duke no match
• Shaw impressive • Dwyer set tone
• Tech tackling efficiency
• Grade the Jackets
• More on Jackets • Past games

“He had a tremendous game,” Duke coach David Cutcliffe said. “He’s a big, strong boy that made all the plays.”

It was a mold-breaker for the Jackets, who before the game ranked 115th out of 119 Division I-A teams in passing yardage, at 94.8 yards per game. Tech, with its heavy emphasis on option run plays, had an average of 4.1 runs for every pass before the game. Last year, under then-coach Chan Gailey, the Jackets’ ratio was a more conventional 1.5 runs per pass.

The tilt to the run has led to negative recruiting by opposing coaches to high school wide receivers, a few of whom watched Saturday’s game on the Tech (4-1 overall, 2-1 ACC) sideline. Against Duke the Jackets actually finished with more passing yards than rushing, 230 to 224.

“Hopefully they were impressed with what they saw, that there is opportunity,” Tech wide receivers coach Buzz Preston said.

Ultimately, though, Thomas’ breakout was a matter of math and time. When defenses commit to stopping the run by bringing safeties close to the line of scrimmage, as Duke’s did, the cornerbacks are left to cover the Tech receivers without help.

“I’m a pretty decent receiver, so I can get open one on one,” Thomas said with a smile.

In the Jackets’ first four games, Thomas caught seven passes, but he contributed significantly to Tech’s run game with fierce blocking. Thomas’ efforts led coaches to assure him that passes would come his way.

“It goes back to giving,” Preston said earlier this season. “If you’re about giving to the team, your turn will come.”

(Apparently, though, Tech’s other wide receivers will have to keep waiting. Thomas made all of the Jackets’ catches.)

With sticky hands, a size advantage and a 38-inch vertical leap, Thomas was a nightmare for the Devils. In the fourth quarter, Thomas put the game out of reach when he raced behind Duke’s defense, hauled in a pass from freshman quarterback Jaybo Shaw and sprinted for an 88-yard touchdown. It was the third-longest pass play in school history. (Numerologists, take note: B-back Jonathan Dwyer set the school record for longest run from scrimmage two weeks ago with a run of the same distance.) The score gave Tech a 24-0 lead.

“Look at him,” said Shaw, who made his first start in place of injured starter Josh Nesbitt. “When he’s out there, he’s huge. He’s a real easy target. He dominates a lot of corners.”

Thomas’ blocking days are hardly over. In fact, on a handful of snaps, he lined up at offensive tackle, one of Johnson’s more unusual alignments.

“Actually, tackle is a fun position on some plays,” said Thomas, whose teammates kid him about switching to tight end. “But there’s some big boys down there.”

For one Saturday, at least, one of the biggest boys played wide receiver.