Georgia Tech takeaways: How the Jackets unraveled at Stanford

STANFORD, Calif. — Last season, Georgia Tech was 8-0 and ranked No. 8 in the country at the start of November.

The Yellow Jackets were in line to play for the ACC championship and an appearance in the College Football Playoff.

Since then, they have lost seven of nine games, including three of four to start this season.

Tech, 11 months ago under coach Brent Key, was a program on the rise toward becoming a national contender. Now, after a second-half collapse and 34-27 loss at Stanford, it sits at the bottom of the ACC.

Attrition

This will read like an excuse. It’s also an explanation.

By game’s end at Stanford on Saturday, the Jackets (1-3, 0-1 ACC) were without their top four cornerbacks and two of their top three safeties due to injury.

Defensive end Jordan Walker and linebacker Kyle Efford, both team captains, have also been sidelined the past two games.

The offensive line has had three different starting lineups in as many games, again because of injuries.

Tech coach Brent Key has preached “next man up” the past month in response to questions about the injuries.

But against Stanford (2-2, 1-2), Tech’s depth was unable to answer the call.

Stanford quarterback Davis Warren completed 22 of 36 passes for 396 yards and three touchdowns. He was sacked just once despite the Cardinal becoming almost entirely one-dimensional, with a rushing attack that averaged just 2.4 yards per carry.

On one occasion when Tech defensive linemen Taje McCoy and Tawfiq Thomas did get to Warren, it resulted in a roughing-the-passer penalty. The Cardinal scored a touchdown three plays later.

“Having a pass rush is not hitting the guy late,” Key said. “Having a pass rush is being able to affect the quarterback and affecting throwing the football. We were not able to accomplish that.”

Too much yellow

Speaking of penalties, the Jackets were flagged a season-high 12 times for a total of 106 yards.

That’s more penalties than Tech had the previous two games combined.

“That killed us,” Jackets quarterback Alberto Mendoza said.

Tech has been flagged that many times in a game only two other times since the start of the 2021 season.

Six of the flags were thrown against the offense for holding, including three on Jordan Floyd and two by Markell Samuel.

Floyd, at left tackle, and Samuel, at right guard, both started Saturday on an offensive line that was without injured starters Ethan Mackenny, Jameson Riggs and Joseph Ionata.

“I told everybody this, ‘I’ll play freshmen and develop freshmen,’” Key said when asked about the offensive line’s struggles. “The guys that will be here for the long haul and give what they have. But we also have to adjust some things schematically when you have guys (injured). Can’t continue to do the same things and expect things different.”

Strong start, lame finish

During pregame warmups on Saturday, Tech quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke reminded Mendoza what was required.

“Gonna start fast, right?” Weinke said to his starting quarterback.

Mendoza answered with his play in the first half.

He completed 12 of his first 15 passes and led Tech to a 20-10 halftime lead.

He had help from Trelain Maddox. Named a permanent team captain in August, Maddox had his first career two-touchdown game, catching the first and running the second.

But Tech’s offense stalled after the break. Stanford outscored the Jackets 24-7 in the second half as Tech managed just 18 yards rushing in the third quarter and 36 in the fourth. Tech began the second half with two straight three-and-outs.

A week after converting just 2 of 11 third downs in the win against Mercer, Tech was 3-of-11 on third down against Stanford.

“You can’t come out with three-and-outs after you were rolling in the first half,” Mendoza said. “We put our defense in a tough spot.”

Mendoza finished with a career-high 268 yards passing in his first collegiate start on the road. But Tech’s final two possessions ended with Mendoza throwing an interception and being flagged for intentional grounding. That left the Jackets with a fourth-and-45 on their final offensive play of the night.

What now?

Tech doesn’t have a game this weekend, a much-needed break to get healthy and get to work on fixes.

But after the bye, Duke comes to Bobby Dodd Stadium, followed by a trip to Virginia Tech. The Blue Devils and Hokies are both 4-0.