Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas’ availability for Saturday’s game against Georgia may not be known until the release of the injury report Thursday, and maybe not even then.
At his weekly news conference Monday, coach Paul Johnson said he didn’t know if Thomas would be able to play in the rivalry game, at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Thomas suffered an upper-body injury in the Yellow Jackets’ loss to Miami this past Saturday and did not return.
On the sideline during the game and leaving the locker room afterwards, Thomas moved slowly and seemed to have difficulty turning his neck.
“I’m hopeful that he’s going to play, but I couldn’t sit here right now and tell you that I know he’s going to play for sure or that I know he’s not going to play for sure,” Johnson said. I think we’ll just have to see how the week unfolds.”
Thomas is a critical cog in the Tech offense. He played all but two offensive snaps between the Jackets’ third and 10th games of the season. The decision maker in Tech’s option offense, he is second on the team with 491 rushing yards and has thrown for 1,263 yards for 12 touchdowns against six interceptions on 69-for-162 passing.
If Thomas can’t play, it would be the first game he has missed since becoming the starting quarterback in the first game of the 2014 season. Redshirt freshman Matthew Jordan, who subbed for Thomas Saturday, would make his first career start. Jordan led the Jackets to two touchdowns in 11 possessions against Miami, ending one drive with a fumble and another with an interception. He ran 28 times for 60 yards and one touchdown. He was 4-for-8 passing for 59 yards with one interception.
Johnson also answered a question about the possibility of staff changes after the season, which regardless of the result Saturday will be the worst in terms of win total since the 1994 season.
“I look at everything after the season’s over and we’ll sit down and talk about it,” he said. “For the most part, it’s the same coaches that won 11 games and the Orange Bowl last year. I mean, they didn’t forget how to coach overnight.”
He went on to say that “everyone’s accountable,” but that he would take time to think about the matter and “figure out what we’ve got to do to get it right.” Johnson has at times been critical of the offensive line, special teams and the defense in general. Monday, he said that “we’re probably a tad better statistically on defense, not enough to make a difference.”
The unit was expected to improve with eight returning starters. Likewise, the offensive line, with four returning starters, was counted on to help carry an offense that had almost all-new skill-position players but has not played to expectations.
Now in his eighth season, Johnson has changed coaches for performance reasons only twice, defensive coordinators Dave Wommack after the 2009 season and Al Groh during the 2012 season.
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