Early in his team’s win over N.C. State Nov. 8, Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas brought the offense to the line of scrimmage for a third-and-10 play at the Wolfpack’s 34-yard line. The Wolfpack overloaded the left side, leaving the right side fairly vacant.
At the line, Thomas checked out of the pass play called in the huddle. The play he checked into says a little bit about the startling success the Yellow Jackets have had this season turning third downs into first downs. Thomas switched into the triple-option, giving the ball to B-back Synjyn Days, who gashed the Wolfpack for 18 yards and a drive-extending first down. The next play, Thomas was in the end zone.
“That could happen anytime, not just on first down,” Thomas said. “We feel like we can get 10 out of it if we execute it right.”
Going into Saturday’s game against No. 10 Georgia, No. 18 Tech leads the country in third-down conversion percentage at 58.3 percent (77 for 132). In the Jackets’ Nov. 15 win over then-No. 19 Clemson, the Tigers brought the No. 1 third-down defense to Tech (23.2 percent) and gave up seven conversions out of 14 third downs.
If Tech can maintain its rate, the Jackets would be the highest since the NCAA began tracking it in the 2005 season. The highest rate since then at the FBS level was achieved by Hawaii in 2006 (57.9 percent).
It would also be the highest that any of Johnson’s teams at Georgia Southern, Navy and Tech have recorded, bettering the 54.8 percent achieved by his 1999 national-championship team at Georgia Southern. Tech’s best rate with Johnson was 53.9 percent by the 2011 team. By being able to convert third downs, the Jackets have extended drives, created more scoring chances, placed pressure on opposing offenses by limiting possessions and worn down opposing defenses. In part due to the success on third down, Tech is sixth in the country in time of possession (33:50) and third in fourth-quarter scoring margin (122-57).
A critical piece of Tech’s efficiency on third down stems directly from the Jackets’ play on first and second downs. Of the team’s 132 third-down snaps, 24 of them have been either third-and-1 or third-and-goal from the 1. Tech has converted 21 of those. More than half of Tech’s third downs have been third-and-5 or less, and the Jackets have hit on 70.6 percent (48 of 68) of those.
For a team that averages 6.0 yards per rush and is not afraid of going for it on fourth down, third-and-short is a comfortable place, particularly for an offense that has been as consistent as this one. More than likely, two rushes by Days or Thomas likely will do the trick, earning Tech’s potent attack another three chances to hit for a big gain.
“The nature of the offense is, for a lot of teams, third-and-6 is a passing down,” Johnson said. “Not so much for us, and especially if we’re thinking about taking two plays to get it. It limits blitzes. We’ve had some success running the ball against blitzes, i.e., the first series Saturday (against N.C. State). It makes the other team a little more hesitant to jump in dime and nickel and all that stuff if you’re not in third-and-forever.”
Perhaps the biggest piece of the puzzle, though, is Thomas. On option keepers, scrambles or quarterback draws, he has picked up no fewer than 20 first downs with third-down runs. That doesn’t take into account, either, the correct reads he has made on option plays to get the ball into the right hands.
Further, Thomas seems to raise his play on third down. He is sixth in the country in passer efficiency with seven to nine yards to go on third down, according to cfbstats.com, at 238.7. He is 12 for 19 for four touchdowns, no interceptions and 240 yards. Of the 19 passes, 11 resulted in first downs. Thomas overall efficiency rating is 161.2.
“Their passing game is much better this year,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Their quarterback has played some great football. He fits their system. He loves that system. He knows exactly what Coach Johnson wants him to do and it’s a difficult thing to defend, especially when you’ve got a quarterback that is really capable of beating you with his legs, his arm and his mind. And that’s what he’s got. He’s a heck of a ballplayer.”
