The first snap was fumbled.

The second first down came on the ninth possession.

The third turnover arrived before the first scoring play.

Welcome to Georgia Tech's spring football game. If you wanted happy news about the offense, you came to the wrong place.

The A-backs, B-backs and other, unlettered guys running Paul Johnson's system got an F for much of Saturday.

Afterward, A-back Jamaal Evans had this bit of consolation for Georgia Tech fans concerned about the offense: "We're way better than we looked."

It was not only a not-ready-for-prime-time performance but also a not-to-be-aired-in-full one. Comcast Sports Southeast, which showed at least four other schools' spring games live, taped Saturday's proceedings for use during a one-hour show that will include features on Tech players and coaches.

The cable channel will be able to find some highlights for the offense. Calvin Booker threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Smith and a 48-yarder to Kevin Cone, Evans ran a pitch 43 yards for a score and Bryce Dykes crossed the line on a 1-yard keeper.

Still, a day that included only one touchdown for the first-team offense hardly made a glowing advertisement for Tech's new offensive direction. The team with the No. 2 offense and the No. 1 defense beat the team with the No. 1 offense and the No. 2 defense 24-7.

"There was a lot of things we've got to get better at," Johnson said. "Standing behind the huddle, I saw a lot of missed assignments, and I saw a lot of times where maybe the guy went the wrong way. We dropped a couple of pitches where if we catch them we've got a chance to make a pretty good play. Those are the kinds of things we've got to correct."

As the new coach, he has some time, and not just because of his seven-year contract.

Five months ago, Tech fans booed their old coach, Chan Gailey, when he appeared on the Bobby Dodd Stadium video board in a taped don't-drink-and-drive public service announcement. Saturday, Tech fans cheered Johnson in a pregame introduction and listened attentively to a brief postgame interview broadcast over the stadium loudspeakers. School officials estimated the crowd at 8,500.

First-team quarterback Josh Nesbitt, who sat out much of the spring with a groin strain, had minus-2 yards rushing on 16 first-half carries. First-team B-back Jonathan Dwyer finished with 59 yards rushing but also lost a fumble and couldn't hang onto two pitches from Nesbitt.

Evans said Tech's defense had an advantage other defenses won't.

"When we were checking, they knew what we were checking to, which way we were going," he said.

During the season, the situation will be just the opposite. Not only won't the defense know Tech's offensive calls, it won't have experience practicing against Tech's formations and plays.

Saturday's smiles were mostly on defense, especially among the first-team line and linebackers. Linebacker Anthony Barnes' four tackles included a hard hit on Nesbitt. Middle linebacker Brad Jefferson made five tackles and, like Barnes, had 1-1/2 sacks. End Derrick Morgan had 3-1/2 tackles and a fumble recover, and end Robert Hall had 3-1/2 tackles and a sack.

The No. 1 offense's first 10 possessions led to seven punts, one turnover, one touchdown and one unconverted fourth down.

"We just have to save those defensive stops for September," said linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary, who was on the staff that coached the first-team defense.

Nesbitt completed 4 of 12 passes for 62 yards. Booker was 5 of 8 for 109 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception. Mohamed Yahiaoui made a 32-yard field goal but was wide on a 39-yarder, and Scott Blair was short from 51 yards.

Spring practice is over, but players can continue to work on their own. They'll reassemble as a complete team in August to prepare for the Aug. 28 opener against Jacksonville State.

"Thankfully, we don't have to play next Saturday," Johnson said. "We've got some time to get better, and I think we will."