Georgia Tech spring football: 5 storylines

By Doug Roberson

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia Tech opens spring practice Monday. The T-Day game will be at 1 p.m. April 24 at Bobby Dodd Stadium. After several standout players left school early for the NFL and several new coaches were hired, what figures to be the top storylines?

Installing defense’s front seven

New defensive coordinator Al Groh is putting in a 3-4 scheme, with three linemen and four linebackers. The key positions are nose tackle and the outside linebackers. There are a lot of returners in both position groups, so it’s a matter of figuring out which players are able to take what they learn in the classroom onto the field. Johnson doesn’t seem worried.

“I don’t know how much the techniques are different,” Johnson said. “Everybody wants to make it rocket science. It’s not rocket science.”

Rebuilding the offensive line

Three starters on last year’s line have used their eligibility or transferred, including both guards. Luckily, Tech has experience returning with Austin Barrick, Sean Bedford, Nick Claytor and Omoregie Uzzi, as well as several freshmen who redshirted last season.

Johnson said he’s particularly keen to see they how will perform.

“I think some of them will be playing; there is no question they are going to have to play.” Johnson said. “The bottom line is do I expect them to be an upgrade? By the time, they have played three or four years they will be. I would think if not, we recruited the wrong cats.”

The backup quarterback derby

Starter Josh Nesbitt will miss the spring after undergoing minor ankle surgery. Backup Jaybo Shaw has transferred. So, while Tevin Washington was the No. 2 through the last season’s first five games, it might not be safe to presume that he’s going to beat out redshirt freshmen Jordan Luallen and David Sims to be this season’s heir apparent. The coaches are eager to see what Luallen and Sims can do.

While Nesbitt won’t participate in drills, he will watch and lead. Johnson said they are going to install more wrinkles in the offense during the spring, so Nesbitt needs to stay sharp.

The wide 
receiver race

Who will replace Demaryius Thomas, who had 46 receptions and 1,154 yards? It’s doubtful that one player will. Stephen Hill is the leading returner with six receptions, followed by Tyler Melton’s five, so there’s room for all to grow. Hill and Melton will be pushed by Quentin Sims and redshirt freshman Jeremy Moore.

Johnson said he has an idea of a couple of players who could be the next “Bay-Bay,” as Thomas was known, but he stopped short of endorsing them.

“Someone might come out of the woodwork in practice and become the go-to guy,” Johnson said.

Spotting the secondary

Three players who started in the Orange Bowl return, but as with the seven players in front of them, the depth chart could shift between Monday and the T-Day game.

Mario Butler and Jerrard Tarrant return at both cornerback positions, with more experienced players backing them up, Rod Sweeting and Rashaad Reid. Cooper Taylor, Dominique Reese and Mario Edwards return to challenge each other at the safety spots. Johnson is not one to pencil in starters without competition, so this battle will be interesting.