Linebacker Barnes returning to form for Tech

It was the kind of hit Anthony Barnes needed.

Blocking on a punt return, the linebacker leveled a Virginia player who never saw him coming.

The collision did more than spring Roddy Jones for 29 yards. It signaled Barnes might be returning to his preseason form. Barnes hadn’t been the same since dislocating his left shoulder in the opener.

“Last week was the first time I really felt I was my old self,” said Barnes, who rejoined the starting lineup against Virginia. “I wasn’t thinking about the shoulder, and I was actually able to throw people off me, use my hands, use my shoulder, not think about it and just hit people.”

Barnes (6-foot-3, 231 pounds) got hurt making a tackle on the second kickoff against Jacksonville State. He missed the next two games, but has now played in five straight.

Still, the outside linebacker has only 10 tackles.

“When I first came back, it’s always in the back of your mind. You got that shoulder injury, and you don’t want to do it again,” he said. “So basically I was timid on it. I couldn’t get anybody off me because I was favoring the shoulder.

“As time went on, I got more strength in my shoulder, more faith in it.”

He proved that on the punt return.

“It got me going because I just knocked somebody out,” said Barnes, who made two tackles against the Cavaliers.

With four games left, Barnes still feels he can salvage his season.

“I’ve been missing in action,” he said. “I’m just trying to do anything I can to be a factor for this team.”

Tall task awaits Tech pass defense

How do you stop FSU’s 6-6 wideout Greg Carr?

That’s one of the challenges facing Georgia Tech on Saturday.

Carr caught three passes for 100 yards last week against Virginia Tech, including two fingertip grabs. He has 27 touchdown catches in 44 career games.

“You’ve got to play your technique, play it as well as you can,” cornerback Mario Butler said. “All of their receivers are pretty talented. We’ve got to go out there like every week with a chip on our shoulder and something to prove.”

Tech missed 30 tackles in the loss to Virginia, according to coaches, as the Cavaliers converted 11 of 18 third downs. Butler said the Jackets have focused all week on not missing tackles and not missing assignments.

“Hopefully,” he said, “it will carry over to the game.”

Injury update

Cornerback Jahi Word-Daniels (hamstring), wideout Tyler Melton (knee) and B-back Quincy Kelly (undisclosed medical condition) won’t play Saturday.

Left tackle Andrew Gardner (shoulder) and safety Dominique Reese (concussion) are questionable.