GEORGIA TECH GAMEDAY

Former defensive coordinator Al Groh, who was fired midway through the 2012 season and had developed connections in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference through his time as the Virginia coach, had been integral in recruiting efforts there. Tech signed defensive linemen Kevin Robbins and Darius Commissiong in 2013 out of the Washington area, but they were the last ones signed. Both left the program early. Commissiong was dismissed, and Robbins transferred.

“We weren’t getting anybody,” coach Paul Johnson said. “In the last two or three years, hadn’t had much luck.”

With the hire of defensive coordinator Ted Roof, the team has recruited significantly better in Gwinnett County, where Roof grew up and now lives. Rook-Chungong, a junior from Silver Spring, Md., may be the last Washington-area player for a while. It’s good news for him. He was planning to ask teammates for a lot of tickets to Saturday’s game.

Injury report

The Jackets have a mixed bag on the injury front — guard Shamire Devine and safety A.J. Gray are both out, but A-back Broderick Snoddy may return.

Snoddy hasn’t played since the Duke game in the fourth game of the season after suffering a hand injury. He had been listed as “out” on the four previous injury reports until Thursday’s. Snoddy brings a speed element the position that has been missing since his departure.

Devine and Gray are both impact players who Tech could certainly use against Virginia. Devine had the key block on quarterback Justin Thomas’ 60-yard touchdown run against Florida State. Gray, though a freshman, is one of the more athletic players on the defense and one of its best tacklers.

B-back Patrick Skov and cornerback D.J. White, who both sat out the FSU game, were listed as probable. White indicated earlier in the week that he expected to play.

Correcting slow road starts

In Tech’s five-game losing streak, all three road losses began with slow starts. The Jackets ended the first quarter behind 7-0 to Notre Dame, 19-3 to Duke and 19-3 again to Clemson, the last a lead that later expanded to 26-3. Tech also fell behind 13-3 in the second quarter to Florida State on Saturday before rallying.

Virginia could be an ideal opponent to break its tendency. The Cavaliers have been outscored 67-30 in the first quarter. In seven games, they’ve been behind four times after 15 minutes, tied twice and ahead once.

On the road, a key message coach Paul Johnson sends to the team is not to lose its poise. It seemed to be a problem in particular in the loss at Notre Dame. Johnson described saucer-eyed players, many of them making their first road trip, and doing so in a daunting environment.

“I tell ’em all the time, ‘Everything’s not going to go perfect, and you’re going to make mistakes, and, guess what, once in a while they’re going to block you and you’re going to miss a tackle or you’re going to miss a block,’” Johnson said. “Just got to put it out of your mind and go play the next play. That’s the way you’ve got to approach it. You’ve just got to keep playing.”

Slippery fingers

Virginia has been giving the football away in bulk. The Cavaliers have 17 turnovers, most in the ACC and in the bottom 15 in the country. They killed five of their final six possessions with turnovers in their 26-13 loss to North Carolina on Saturday. Four were interceptions by quarterback Matt Johns.

Johns has thrown 12 touchdown passes, second most in the ACC, but his 12 interceptions are tied for the most in the country. Starting with the Notre Dame game, Tech has nine takeaways in six games. The Jackets have one in the past two games, a stretch of 121 offensive snaps by the opposition.

“I think we were closer the other night (against Florida State to forcing turnovers),” coach Paul Johnson said. “When you play better and you get people in third-and-longs and you do some stuff and you get pressure on the passer and you get more guys rallying around the run, sometimes you’ve got to force ’em, but sometimes you’re just fortunate.”

Thanks to their almost inexplicable turnover binge in the second half of last season, the Jackets had 29 takeaways in 14 games, including 19 in the final seven games.

How they saw it

Witnesses and participants in Saturday’s “Miracle on Techwood Drive” give their account of Patrick Gamble’s block and Lance Austin’s touchdown return:

Defensive coordinator Ted Roof: "I just remember standing up and that place was shaking. Our fans were absolutely fantastic the other night. They were a big part of that, and it was great to see a bunch of Tech people excited again."

Tech cornerback D.J. White, whose place Austin was playing in, if he would have scored on the play: "I would like to think so. But everything happens for a reason. Maybe me not being there set that moment up the way it needed to be set up."

Defensive end Roderick Rook-Chungong, who was lined up next to Gamble on the kick block: "It was wild. Pat made a play. I just remember, shoot, just getting in my gap on my side. I really couldn't get too much penetration, so I just tried to take one, two steps and just jump as high as possible. Next thing I know, I hear a block, and then, actually, the ball tipped my fingers, too, and it rolled back to Lance and he made the play and took it to the house."

Tech radio voice Brandon Gaudin, on how he named the play the "Miracle on Techwood Drive": "So, at first, I was like, 'Well, Techwood's easier to say (than Bobby Dodd Way)' and then I thought, 'Well, wait a minute, but he's going into the end zone at Bobby Dodd, and the last one was on the other end zone at North Ave., so maybe I need to bookend with the end zone (street).' But then I said, 'Well, he's running alongside Techwood Drive.' By that time, you've got to say something, so that's just what popped out of my mouth.'"

Eagerly awaited

B-back Patrick Skov sat out of Saturday’s game with an undisclosed injury; coach Paul Johnson said he learned that he would be kept out of the game 20 minutes before kickoff. When he returns, he’ll have a role waiting for him. Skov is listed as probable for Saturday’s game.

“Well, if he can get healthy and play, he’s going to play,” Johnson said. “How much will depend on how he’s playing. We could have used him the other night.”

Tech coaches are still not entirely comfortable with freshman B-back Marcus Marshall’s blocking, an area that Skov handles well.

“He’s got to get better at (blocking),” quarterbacks and B-backs coach Bryan Cook said of Marshall. “He’s running out of opportunities to improve at it. That’s definitely a point of emphasis for us this week.”

Winning with defense

When Tech beat Florida State 22-16 on Saturday, it was the first time since the 2013 win over Pittsburgh that the Yellow Jackets won when they scored 25 or fewer points, ending a streak of five games. Since coach Paul Johnson’s hire, Tech is tied for the second fewest games with 25 or fewer points and is eighth among ACC schools in winning percentage.

School; Games; W-L; Pct.

Florida State; 26; 12-14; .462

Virginia Tech; 51; 22-29; .431

Pittsburgh; 43; 15-28; .349

Clemson; 35; 12-23; .343

Louisville; 47; 16-31; .340

North Carolina; 36; 10-26; .278

Boston College; 62; 17-45; .274

Georgia Tech; 35; 9-26; .257

Miami; 44; 11-33; .250

Virginia; 63; 13-50; .206

Wake Forest; 63; 13-50; .206

N.C. State; 40; 8-32; .200

Syracuse; 57; 10-47; .175

Duke; 44; 6-38; .136

Who’s No. 1

Twenty-five years ago Tuesday, Tech earned one of its most cherished victories, a 41-38 win over No. 1 Virginia at Scott Stadium on a last-second field goal by Scott Sisson. Since then, 20 schools have reached the top of the Associated Press poll for at least one week. A breakdown of the poll-sitters:

Team; Weeks No. 1; Most-recent No. 1 rank; Titles since 1990*

Florida State; 54; 2014; 3

Ohio State; 36; 2015; 2

Alabama; 35; 2014; 4

USC; 34; 2012; 2

Miami; 34; 2002; 2

Florida; 31; 2009; 3

Oklahoma; 26; 2011; 1

Nebraska; 21; 2000; 2

LSU; 14; 2012; 1

Oregon; 7; 2012; 0

Tennessee; 5; 1998; 1

Notre Dame; 5; 2012; 0

Mississippi State; 4; 2014; 0

Washington; 4; 1992; 0

Texas; 3; 2008; 1

Michigan; 3; 1997; 1

Auburn; 1; 2010; 1

Colorado; 1 1990 1

Georgia; 1; 2008; 0

Missouri; 1; 2007; 0

* National championships as determined by the AP poll

The last time they met

Last game: Nov. 1, 2014 at Bobby Dodd Stadium

Score: Georgia Tech 35, Virginia 10

Star of the game: B-back Synjyn Days, subbing for the injured Zach Laskey for the second consecutive game, ran 24 times for a career-best 147 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. It was the highest rushing total for a Tech running back since 2011. He put the game out of reach with a 17-yard touchdown reception at 7:01 in the fourth quarter.

Stats that matter: Tech held Virginia to 22 rushing yards, and the Tech defense held the Cavaliers to 3-for-12 on third downs. … Defensive end KeShun Freeman had five tackles, including a sack, a forced fumble and a blocked kick. … Wide receiver DeAndre Smelter had his fourth 100-yard receiving game with four catches for 107 yards.

Play of the game: On fourth-and-8 from the Tech 10-yard line late in the third quarter, Virginia quarterback Greyson Lambert threw into the end zone, but was intercepted by safety Jamal Golden, keeping the score 28-10 in Tech's favor.

Quote of the game: "They're a very good football team. They have their formula for success." — Virginia coach Mike London

By the numbers

5

Turnovers committed by Tech in its victory against Virginia in 2013;

0

Points that Virginia converted those five turnovers into in the Jackets’ 35-25 win in 2013.

10-7

Tech’s record on Halloween. The past three have been wins, most recently over Vanderbilt in 2009.