Ga. Tech ravaged by linebacker injuries

With every injury, an opportunity arises.

Georgia Tech’s linebackers are swimming in opportunities right now.

Three linebackers got hurt in the opener, giving extended playing time to senior backups Tony Clark and Travis Chambers. Clark will start Saturday at Boston College.

Clark (three tackles, two pass breakups) came to Tech as a highly-rated safety and sprinter out of Groves High. He was moved to outside linebacker before last season. He has played almost exclusively on special teams at Tech.

“I’ve been patiently waiting,” said Clark, who is 6-1, 213 pounds. “It feels good to have a chance to make plays and just have fun. I love special teams and I love defense, and it was a great opportunity to play both.”

When the new coaching staff arrived, Clark said, “everyone had a clean slate.”

Coaches love his speed — one reason Clark also returns kickoffs.

“He runs around pretty good and he’s a little older,” coach Paul Johnson said. “He hadn’t played a lot. The more he plays, the better he’ll get I hope.”

Clark was philosophical about his long wait for a bigger role.

“Some guys catch on quickly, some guys don’t,” he said. “I just worked hard, stayed patient and kept fighting. That’s all I could do.”

For Chambers, who hadn’t played since the 2005 Emerald Bowl, the season opener capped a strange odyssey. He missed 2006 with a foot injury and was not on the team last season due to a conflict with then-coach Chan Gailey.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Chambers, a 5-11, 232-pound inside linebacker out of Chamblee High who made three tackles in the opener. “Going through what I went through, it was kind of like a relief. That’s what you come here to do.”

Johnson described Chambers’ play as hot and cold against Jacksonville State.

“He missed some tackles, made some plays,” Johnson said. “He was a little rusty I’m sure.”

Lineup changes

With linebackers Anthony Barnes (shoulder) and Brad Jefferson (arm/wrist) ruled out for Saturday, junior Sedric Griffin joins Clark as a starting outside linebacker. Redshirt freshman Kyle Jackson moves inside.

Backup linebacker Shane Bowen (quad) is listed as probable, while backup offensive lineman A.J. Smith is sick and won’t play.

There won’t be any changes, however, in kicking duties. Sophomore Scott Blair will continue to handle punting, placekicking and kickoffs.

His only punt in the opener traveled 51 yards, but he missed both field-goal tries and one of six PATs.

Tuggle’s role

The lone Boston College player from Georgia is Justin Tuggle, son of former Falcons great Jessie Tuggle. Justin is a freshman quarterback who played at Northview High School.

He has spent this week running the scout team offense, meaning he’s had a crash course in the triple option.

“He gives us a real good picture of the mechanics of it,” coach Jeff Jagodzinski said. “That’s not what we are nor what we do, but Justin’s a real athletic kid and he’s running it the best way he can to simulate it.”

Slippery conditions?

Saturday’s forecast for Chestnut Hill, Mass.: a 70 percent chance of rain and a high of 71 degrees. Wet weather could make Tech’s option pitches trickier.

— Staff Writer Ken Sugiura contributed to this article.