Paul Johnson’s eyesight is such that he had trouble reading the final statistics at the postgame news conference of Georgia Tech’s 63-21 walloping of Western Carolina on Thursday night.
But the Tech coach had no trouble locating warts in his team’s performance. Special-teams plays, one of the many sore spots in Tech’s 2010 flop and the focus of much practice and meeting time since then, failed the Jackets again. That the Yellow Jackets will get a full helping of special-teams coaching this coming week in advance of the second game against Middle Tennessee State next Saturday is a safe bet.
“I’m probably disappointed with that area as I am with anything because we spent a lot of time on it,” Johnson said. “Just bonehead.”
The most egregious error belonged to defensive end Euclid Cummings, who made a regrettable play on the punt-return team. As a Western Carolina punt rolled to a stop near the Tech goal line and was surrounded by Catamounts players ready to down it, Cummings tried to secure the ball as though recovering a fumble. It squirted away and Western Carolina recovered, setting up an easy touchdown.
Western Carolina also blocked a 45-yard field-goal try by Justin Moore, which Isaiah Moore returned 69 yards for a touchdown by weaving and evading would-be tacklers. Tech hadn’t had a field goal blocked since 2007. Tech’s efforts to replace former kicker Scott Blair have been trying.
“I think it was probably a combination [of a low kick and superior execution by Western Carolina at the line], but that shouldn’t be such an adventure every time you line up,” Johnson said.
Special-teams performance wasn’t entirely a loss. Tech made all nine of its point-after tries. The punt and kickoff return teams, both of which ranked 97th out of 120 FBS (formerly Division I-A) teams in return yardage last season, produced. Orwin Smith brought his two kick returns to the Western Carolina 36- and 42-yard lines.
Freshman Zach Laskey cleanly handled four punts — a weak spot a year ago. He made fair catches on two and returned one 28 yards, although it was brought back 10 yards on a penalty. On his other return, Laskey scooped up a bouncing punt as Catamounts approached — a risky, if successful, play.
While Tech’s Sean Poole had only two punts, they averaged 33.0 net yards, close to last season’s average of 32.2, which was 114th in FBS.
Some of the failures can be attributed to a lot of young players getting their first action. But not enough for Johnson, who has taken a greater role in scheming and coaching the units.
“We’ve just got to do a better job of coaching the special teams; we’ve just got to,” Johnson said. “Because we do some dumb stuff out there at times.”
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