Paul Johnson no longer coaches at Navy, but he took his team through the water Thursday afternoon anyway. Actually, the water overtook Georgia Tech.

The Yellow Jackets working in a remarkable downpour for about 13 minutes before running for cover for another reason: "Lightning," the coach said.

Players and coaches were delayed for 47 minutes, and it rained so hard during that time that water was running around the feet of most men as they waited under a fixed canopy of sorts on the southeast corner of the practice fields.

While waiting, several players oohed and aahed when lightning crackled nearby.

Then, back to work. Practice was shortened only a few minutes overall and ended a little later than scheduled. "Sometimes it makes practice more up-tempo," quarterback Josh Nesbitt said. "Everybody is hooping and hollering."

The bulk of work was done on the artificial surface after the delay, but some practice took part on grass.

"The field's in pretty good shape," Johnson said. "We've got to practice. Can't worry about it. It's somebody else's job to keep the field ready."

Edwards plays waiting game

Sophomore free safety Mario Edwards, who transferred to the Jackets from Virginia Tech, is practicing. The NCAA has approved his application to bypass sitting out a year before he can play because the former Westlake High standout returned to Atlanta to be near his ailing father, William.

Now, it's up to the ACC, specifically the faculty representatives at the 12 schools, to decide now if he can play this fall. "He has lung disease," Edwards said of his father. "He was diagnosed [last fall], and he's been battling it ever since."

The faculty representatives, who serve as ombudsmen for their schools, have to vote unanimously in Edwards' favor for him to play this fall.

Edwards hopes to be eligible much as former running back Tashard Choice was when he transferred from Oklahoma in 2005 to be near his ailing mother.

"I was probably more nervous about the NCAA part," he said. "If they accepted it, I don't see any reason why the ACC shouldn't except. You got to pray every day, and hope."

Taking a pounding

If Nesbitt wins the starting quarterback job, as many expect, he's going to run the ball plenty. That leads to the inevitable question: is he worried about taking a pounding?

"Oh, I don't mind," he said. "I don't really like running out of bounds. You've got to be smart, though. If I have to take the pounding for my team, I'll do it."

Melton back on the field

Wide receiver Tyler Melton finally is playing football again, and playing well.

The freshman from Houston was supposed to be part of Tech's 2007 recruiting class, but tore an anterior cruciate ligament in a knee late in his senior season, in fall of '06.

He enrolled full-time in January, and was the only freshman in the '08 class to do so. It's helping. He came out of spring practice listed as a backup wide receiver, and he has made impressive catches in the first two days this summer.

"Mentally, I'm a lot tougher," he said. "Physically, I'm a lot stronger as well. I was 185 [pounds] when I got hurt, and now I'm 203. [Going through spring practice] helps me out a lot because I know the offense ... and the coaches."

Etc.

The Jackets picked up their second commitment in as many days, and their 12th overall, when cornerback Rod Sweeting of Luella High in Henry County pledged Thursday. ... Tech will move to "shells" for practice today (3 p.m.) and Saturday morning (9:45), meaning they'll wear soft shoulder pads. It is unclear whether they will go to full pads Sunday afternoon (2:45) or Monday (3 p.m.) ... The start time for the season opener Aug. 28 against Jacksonville State will be 7:30 p.m. ... Sprinklers turned on automatically on the grass field shortly after practice.