Three days after winning its biggest game of the season, Georgia Tech began preparing for an even bigger one. On Tuesday, the Yellow Jackets began work for a Nov. 10 Thursday night home game against Virginia Tech that could determine the winner of the ACC Coastal Division.
“Virginia Tech now views us as the team that beat the No. 5 team in the country,” said defensive coordinator Al Groh, referring to Tech’s win Saturday against Clemson.
“So I would say that they certainly see our team as a significant threat to them and will prepare accordingly and therefore, it’s important that we do likewise.”
With no game this week, coach Paul Johnson adjusted the practice schedule. Players had Monday off and, following Tuesday’s practice, will work Wednesday and Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. They will be off Saturday and Sunday and then practice Monday and Tuesday of next week. Johnson said scout-team work for Virginia Tech will begin Wednesday.
“This time of the year, that’s what we do,” he said. “We’ll try to correct some fundamental stuff, but we do that every week. It’s mostly game-plan stuff now.”
The break arrives at an opportune moment. The team has been lagging physically and mentally for the last few weeks.
“It’s good because we’re beat up,” Johnson said.
Injury report
Center Jay Finch (leg) and guard Will Jackson (neck) did not practice Tuesday. Johnson said he was hopeful that Finch could return to practice this week.
Said Johnson of Jackson, “His tests were all negative. It’s just a question of when he feels like he can come back.”
Guard Shaquille Mason, who has been rotating with Jackson, played the entire second half against Clemson, Johnson said, and acquitted himself well.
Practice report
The team did conditioning work and correction of mistakes from the Clemson game at Tuesday’s practice. Johnson said there wasn’t as much conditioning as usual because the team’s effort against Clemson was better than it has been. Johnson said the number of “efforts” — demerits given to players for not giving complete effort on a play — was probably the fewest of the season.
Said outside linebacker Steven Sylvester, “I feel like we’re moving in the right direction.”
Barnes better
Groh gave a pat on the back to backup defensive tackle T.J. Barnes, who had his best game of the season against Clemson. Barnes had two tackles, including his first career sack. Groh said Barnes used techniques he had been rehearsing in practice, but had yet to put into use in a game.
“If he can continue to do those things and build on his game, hopefully he’ll get the confidence from what happened the other night,” Groh said.
Saturday’s stars
Coaches named quarterback Tevin Washington, defensive back Jemea Thomas and punter Sean Poole the players of the game for the win over Clemson. Thomas was also named ACC defensive back of the week after making two interceptions, one forced fumble, two pass break-ups and five tackles.
Poole had three punts that netted 44.0 yards. He also did a good job in his role as holder, Johnson said, catching and placing some off-target snaps on point-after tries and field goals.
Quotable
Sylvester on his Halloween costume: “I tried to get a Jemea Thomas jersey, but they said they were all sold out.”
