It isn’t far along into Georgia Tech’s preseason – the Yellow Jackets finished their third day of practice Monday. Even still, coach Paul Johnson has been encouraged by the developing competition for the starting job at B-back.
B-back Marcus Allen, who entered the preseason at the top of the depth chart, has “done fine the first couple days of camp,” Johnson said. “So I’m excited about our B-backs that we have there. I think that Marcus Marshall and Mikell Lands-Davis, they both look really good.”
It’s an important competition, as B-backs typically carry the load for Johnson’s spread-option offense. Last season, B-backs Synjyn Days, Zach Laskey and Matt Connors had 44 percent of the team’s rushing attempts, most of any position.
It’s also significant because none of the B-backs have played a single down in a game at the position at Tech. Allen returned to B-back in the spring after arriving at Tech to play that position and then switching positions twice in search of more playing time. Marshall and Lands-Davis are incoming freshmen. Patrick Skov, No. 2 on the depth chart, transferred from Stanford as a graduate student.
“Anytime you have more than a couple guys competing, that’s good for everybody,” he said.
At A-back, Johnson said that Broderick Snoddy is penciled in at one of the slots “unless he has a terrible camp” but that the other spot is “pretty much wide open.”
Walk-on Isiah Willis is at the top of the depth chart with Snoddy, but redshirt freshmen Clinton Lynch and Qua Searcy figure to make strong bids. Incoming freshmen Nate Cottrell, Omahri Jarrett and TaQuon Marshall are also competing.
“Isiah’s been there a while, he knows what to do so he can play a little faster than the other guys,” Johnson said. “But Qua and Clinton are doing better every day, and then we’ve got to bring the freshmen along so they can play.”
Tech practiced in shoulder pads and shorts Monday and will do so again Tuesday. The first practice in full pads will be Wednesday, and the team will scrimmage Saturday. The afternoon heat was a factor Monday.
“You kind of have to learn to play through it,” Johnson said. “I think some of our guys did a better job than others.”
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