The concerns about DeAndre Smelter’s capacity to play college football after playing college baseball for three seasons are melting in the August heat. The Georgia Tech wide receiver was the star of the Yellow Jackets’ Saturday morning scrimmage at Bobby Dodd Stadium, continuing his attention-commanding performance during the team’s preseason camp.
“He’s going to play,” coach Paul Johnson said. “He keeps making plays.”
Smelter made two difficult catches from third-string quarterback Tim Byerly, one a 25-yarder and another for 36 yards in which he caught the ball with one hand as he fell to the ground.
“I’ve been high on DeAndre since he came out there,” B-back David Sims said. “He’s freakishly athletic — 6-2, 220 (pounds) and (can move).”
Smelter has made his mark among a group of wide receivers that, aside from returning starter Darren Waller, is almost entirely bereft of playing experience. Smelter was recruited out of high school in Macon for football by Tech, Georgia, South Carolina and Auburn, among others, but chose to play baseball, his first love. This spring, he decided to fulfill his desire to play both sports.
“He can get a lot better, but he’s also making a lot of plays already,” quarterback Vad Lee said. “I think he’ll get a lot better.”
Smelter said he is trying to adjust to the speed of the college game and the footwork required to play receiver. He said he feels he understands a good majority of the offense.
“Now it’s trying to make it second nature, make sure I know what everybody else is doing,” he said.
Custis not with team: Freshman B-back Travis Custis will not be in school for the semester, Johnson said after the scrimmage.
“Travis is taking care of some academic issues, (NCAA) clearinghouse issues, and we expect him back in January,” Johnson said.
Custis, a prominent recruit from Lovejoy High, began camp with the team, but is off the active roster.
The NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse certifies prospective college athletes as eligible to compete on the basis of their high school transcripts and test scores. It is separate from college admission.
With two B-backs on the roster who have played significantly — Sims and Zach Laskey — and another expected to compete for playing time in Broderick Snoddy, Custis was a likely candidate to redshirt.
He was on campus this summer for workouts with the team, but never began classes. His status upon enrollment for the spring term will be that of a freshman in the Class of 2014.
Sims fends off competition: Sims showed good burst and agility on a handful of touches. Sims, who had health issues at the start of last season, said he is probably the healthiest he has been in two years, particularly on the heels of heavy investment in the team's summer strength-and-conditioning program.
“I think this was a good chance to show what I was saying over the summer is actually coming true,” Sims said.
He helped the first-string offense score touchdowns on three of its first four possessions against the first-string defense (starting on its 30-yard line) before the defense began to take control of the scrimmage. He finished the second drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, contributed a couple of long, powerful runs and also evaded middle linebacker Jabari Hunt-Days on a screen pass.
“He needed to come out and re-establish,” Johnson said. “He’s in a fight for his job.”
Backups Laskey and Snoddy are pushing Sims for playing time.
“We always have competition,” Sims said. “I don’t care if it was Josh Nesbitt or Jonathan Dwyer, you always have to approach it like that.”
Noble seizing chance: The defense improved over the course of the scrimmage. Among the highlights for the defense was an interception at the goal line by safety Domonique Noble off of No. 2 quarterback Justin Thomas. Noble has been switched from cornerback to safety, while Lynn Griffin has moved from safety to cornerback.
Noble “has got good range, he’s long, he can cover some ground,” defensive coordinator Ted Roof said. “I was real pleased to see that (interception). He’s had an interception in just about every practice since we moved him to safety, so I guess we should have moved him to safety earlier.”
Griffin has never played at cornerback, but is getting a look. Roof said his skills best suit him to play that position.
Etc.: With a number of linebackers out, freshman Paul Davis got playing time with the first-string defense and more than held his own. "He's got a knack for making plays," Roof said. … David Scully made field goals from 23 and 32 yards, the latter with plenty of distance to spare. Freshman Harrison Butker, challenging Scully, was short by about 5 yards on a try from 54 yards. … Offensive lineman Errin Joe left the scrimmage with what appeared to be a shoulder injury. Johnson did not have any further information about his status.
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