For Georgia Tech fans, this may not rate as much of a surprise, but Yellow Jackets defensive coordinator Ted Roof plans to resume his aggressive approach to scheming and play-calling this season.
The Jackets played safely at the start of last season, in part because of a number of new starters and also (perhaps not unrelatedly) because of a slew of big plays to start the season. (You may remember Wofford’s 92-yard touchdown run in the season opener, a 61-yard touchdown pass by Tulane in the second game and a barrage of big gains by Georgia Southern in the third.)
However, after the 48-43 defeat against North Carolina in the seventh game of the season, Roof adopted his preferred risk-loving approach with blitzes and man-to-man coverage in the passing game. It helped catalyze the stunning stretch of 19 takeaways in the final seven games.
With eight starters returning, two previously ineligible players back in the fold and more non-starters with playing experience challenging for playing time, Roof has a pool of players with a bank of knowledge and sufficient talent to implement his aggressive style. The hope is that the combination will rear results far surpassing those achieved in 2014.
“We’re going to call it how we need to call it,” Roof said. But, “we’ll go into the games now thinking (about) being aggressive.”
The wins over Clemson, Georgia and Mississippi State aside, the results largely would deem the midseason decision to increase pressure a success, if not a raging one. Besides the steep increase in turnovers, Tech also averaged one sack per 20.1 opponent pass attempts after averaging one per 25.9 passes in the first seven games. Opponent third-down conversion rate fell from 49.4 in the first seven games to 43 percent in the second half of the season.
It was not solely a function of pressure — for instance, safeties Jamal Golden and Isaiah Johnson found their pre-injury form as the season went on. But it was decidedly a factor.
That said, Tech still finished the season in the bottom 20 nationally in yards per play and third-down conversion rate.
As Johnson put it at media day Saturday, “We won the Orange Bowl by two touchdowns. We also set an Orange Bowl record for passing yards against us and total yards. You can’t live like that forever.”
The ideal for Tech would be that it retain its takeaway-hoarding proficiency while improving in its ability to do just about everything else — stop the run, reduce pass completions either through the pass rush or in coverage and force opponents to punt. Aggressive elements such as tight pass coverage and heavy commitment to blunt the run figure to be part of the formula.
Pieces such as defensive end KeShun Freeman, a rising star on the edge, pocket-collapsing defensive tackle Adam Gotsis and All-ACC safety Jamal Golden are in place. The projected starting lineup has played a combined 251 games for Roof, with 149 starts. Last year’s starting 11 in the season opener had played 100 games for Roof with 44 starts. With such experience, linebacker Tyler Marcordes said the defense was “flying through” the installation of its packages.
“I think guys know what to do,” Golden said. “I’m very excited to see how we play.”
About the Author
