Defense rising at Georgia Tech

On the morning of April 2, a haze lifted in Midtown. When Steven Sylvester took the Bobby Dodd Stadium field for a spring-practice scrimmage, everything was clearer.

“It was the first opportunity to go full speed against the offense,” said Sylvester, a Georgia Tech linebacker. “We were kind of shocked about how much success we had against them.”

Blitzing linebackers ripped through the line. Tacklers broke down runs to the perimeter. In roughly 80 plays, the Yellow Jackets’ offense found the end zone once. For the first time, Sylvester said, he and his teammates firmly grasped the 3-4 defense implemented by second-year coordinator Al Groh and could play without having to think it.

That scrimmage proved to be one segment of the defense’s progress during Tech’s spring practice, which concludes Saturday with the T-Day game at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Regarding Tech’s hopes for the 2011 season, that progress may be the most crucial development of the spring.

Said B-back Preston Lyons, “It looks like they know what they’re doing, and now they can just go out there and play.”

That was not always the case last season, Groh’s first after his hire in January 2010. Groh’s defense was considerably different than that of his predecessor Dave Wommack and was not quickly digested.

“It was really tough because you want to be fast, but you don’t want to make mistakes,” Sylvester said. “In the back of your mind, you’re thinking, ‘Do I have to be here, or do I have to be here?’ in the midst of the play going on. Instead of focusing on the play, you’re trying to figure out your assignment.”

Sylvester remembers the defense being particularly adrift in a 45-28 home loss to N.C. State on Sept. 25. The Wolfpack consumed 527 yards of offense and scored the most points in their 27-game series with the Jackets.

That game “is when we really, really said, ‘I don’t think we’re as comfortable as we think we are in the defense,’” Sylvester said.

Performance scarcely improved from there in Tech’s 6-7 season, its first season under .500 since 1996. Tech finished ninth in the ACC in scoring defense and total defense. The Jackets generated 17 sacks, 11th in the ACC, and 21 turnovers, eighth in the ACC.

The issues were not solely scheme-related. Within the defense, Groh said he has had to create a culture of competition, toughness, preparation and teamwork. Sylvester said players worked harder in the offseason strength-and-conditioning program than in the past.

Said Groh of the defense’s identity, “That seems to be a little clearer for the players this time around.”

The Jackets already have received returns from their first season with Groh. As Tech went through the 2010 season, Groh compiled more and more video of the Jackets playing various offenses. At the beginning, Groh could show players video only of his past teams, which made it more difficult to correct mistakes.

Watching other players make errors, “You can learn from it, but it’s not the same as when you see yourself making a wrong step because you know what your thought process was, what you were looking for,” defensive end Jason Peters said. “Then you say, ‘OK, this is what I need to [do] better on.’”

More training and repetition have led to increased understanding and confidence.

“Now that I’m able to pick up on [presnap reads] more, I have a better idea of what can happen before it happens,” said Peters, part of a three-man front with tackle Logan Walls and end Izaan Cross, who have a combined 55 starts.

Said Sylvester, “When you’re confident in the defense, it seems like you’re moving a lot faster because you’re not second-guessing yourself.”