Tech’s offensive line struggles at key points

Georgia Tech began Saturday’s game without starting offensive tackles Andrew Gardner and David Brown, and the Jackets lost a pair of guards during the 28-7 loss to North Carolina.

Tech still rang up 326 rushing yards, but the blocking up front didn’t hold up at critical moments.

The Jackets failed on fourth-and-3 and fourth-and-1 in the first half, both in North Carolina territory.

“Coach trusted us to go get it,” center Dan Voss said, “and we didn’t do it. If we converted those, the game could have swung the other way.”

Tech trailed 7-0 at the time, a score that lasted until early in the fourth quarter.

Nick Claytor started at left tackle for Gardner, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery. Austin Barrick made his first career start for Brown, who could return for the Miami game.

Left guard Cord Howard left with a head injury late in the first half. Right guard A.J. Smith also got hurt. Third-stringers Jason Hill and Clyde Yandell were summoned, and Hill finished the game.

Co-offensive line coach Mike Sewak did not use all the turnovers as an excuse.

“When it’s your turn to go, you should be so amped up and ready that you’ll do whatever it takes to get the block,” he said. “They’re still going to make some mistakes, which is understandable, but we’d like to think that by this time of year we’ve practiced enough with full-speed contact that we should be able to get a similar type of push.”

Tech didn’t throw more because the pass protection was shaky, according to coach Paul Johnson.

Johnson took issue with a chop-block call on right guard Joseph Gilbert. The 15-yard flag helped kill a promising third-quarter drive that could have tied the game.

“They get one every week, the infamous chop block every week,” Johnson said.

It was a frustrating day for Gilbert and the entire O-line.

“It felt like we just needed one little push to get over the hump,” Gilbert said. “We’d move the ball 30, 40 yards and just stall out right on the edge of a score. That was irritating.”

Odds and ends

Wideout Correy Earls caught his first three passes of the season for 34 yards, but drew a critical holding flag that helped stall a third-quarter drive. Tech trailed 7-0 at the time. …Safety Dominique Reese returned after missing 1 1/2 games with a concussion. He broke up two passes and made four tackles. …

Defensive tackle Vance Walker, who filled in for Andrew Gardner as a team captain, injured his leg in the first half and did not play after halftime. He was limping after the game. Elris Anyaibe replaced Walker and finished with one tackle. … Georgia Tech was held scoreless in the first half for the first time since Oct. 13, 2007 at Miami. …Sophomore tackle Austin Barrick became the 23rd different Jacket to make his first career start this season. …Darryl Richard’s first-quarter sack gave him 32 career tackles for loss, tying him with Recardo Wimbush for 12th in Tech history. …Michael Johnson’s first-quarter sack was the 16th of his career, tying Willie Burks for 11th on Tech’s alltime list. … Tech missed two field goals for the third time this season. …North Carolina guaranteed itself a winning record for the first time since 2001, when the Tar Heels went 8-5.