Georgia Tech's midseason report

By Doug Roberson

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia Tech's football team enters the midpoint of the season with a 5-1 record, a three-game winning streak, a real shot at the ACC championship game and hopes of playing in a BCS bowl. Today, we look at a team on the rise:

What's going right?

1. The ground game. It's hard to argue with results. Tech is first in the ACC and fourth in the NCAA in rushing offense (277 yards per game), first in the ACC and 24th in the NCAA in total offense (426.7) and third in the ACC and 24th in the NCAA in scoring offense (33.2).

2. The passing game. Josh Nesbitt has become the quarterback that coach Paul Johnson has told everyone he thought he would be, averaging 83.2 yards rushing and 140.5 passing. Demaryius Thomas is averaging 103. yards receiving a game, tops in the conference.

3. Jarrard Tarrant. The punt return unit has excelled.  Tarrant has already returned two punts for touchdowns this season. Now, if he could just get more opportunities.

What's going wrong?

1. Pass defense. The Yellow Jackets have given up at least 250 yards passing in four of this season's six games. This came against secondary that returned five of its top six performers from last year.

2. Kick return coverage. One kickoff has already been returned for a touchdown and there have been issues with putting balls out of bounds. The 815 return yards is worst in the ACC.

3. Injuries. Four starters on defense have missed time with injuries along with one starter on offense.

Telling numbers

1

Georgia Tech leads the ACC in nine team categories: rushing offense, total offense, passing efficiency, punt return average (26.7), sacks against (four), third-down conversions (52.4 percent), fourth-down conversions (75 percent), time of possession (32:55) and turnover margin (plus-5).

3

Of the top 10 rushers in the ACC, three play for Georgia Tech: Jonathan Dwyer (85.2 yards per game), Josh Nesbitt (83.8) and Anthony Allen (51.3).

385.2

Yards allowed by the defense per game. Should that stand, it would be the highest total in the past 10 years.

Rising star

A month ago, after Tech lost to Miami to fall to 2-1, Nesbitt was being blamed for all the ills of Tech's offense. He couldn't pass. He made bad decisions when running the option. Why did he invent global warming? Now, he's one of three front-runners for the ACC's player of the year.

Nesbitt has developed a chemistry with Thomas that is scary. The Yellow Jackets are still dead last in the ACC in passing yardage (149.7) but they are first in pass efficiency (169.2), which is what Johnson and quarterbacks coach Brian Bohannon said they wanted to see this summer.

Falling stars

Tech's secondary had every starter returning, as well as most of the back-ups from last season. But something isn't clicking. There have been large holes in Tech's zone defense and receivers are running free when they see man-to-man. Opposing quarterbacks are picking on either side of the field. Opponents are averaging 249.7 yards per game, 98th out of 120 Division I-A teams.

Enigma

Safety Morgan Burnett has three interceptions this season, including two against North Carolina. He's on on pace for another seven-interception season. But he has been somewhat quiet in Tech's other games. An All-American, look for Burnett to have more of an impact on the team's pass defense as the season continues.

Honorable mention

Five plays that should be mentioned from the first half of the season:

*Nesbitt stripping FSU linebacker Nigel Carr after he had just recovered Tech's fumble.

*Scott Blair's touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas on a fake field goal call against Clemson.

*Jonathan Dwyer's 74-yard touchdown run on Tech's first play of the season against Jacksonville State.

*Anthony Allen's 82-yard run on Tech's second play of the game against Clemson.

*Derrick Morgan's three-sack performance against Clemson.

Second-half prognosis

Don't be surprised to see Tech continue to post eye-popping offensive numbers because teams simply don't have as much time to prepare, compared to the time Clemson and Miami had in weeks 2 and 3.

The Yellow Jackets must win out for the chance to play for the ACC championship. And even then, they are going to need help because Virginia Tech and Miami will both likely rank significantly higher when the first BCS standings are released on Sunday. Should all three teams win out, the deciding tiebreaker will likely be BCS ranking. Unless Tech can somehow finish within five spots of the highest-rated ACC team, it will be out of the running.

Of course, if Miami loses one more conference game and Georgia Tech wins out -- that includes beating Virginia Tech Saturday -- all of this is moot because the Yellow Jackets will have the head-to-tiebreaker over the Hokies.