In a season in which little has gone right for Georgia Tech, the schedule makers certainly have done their part.
After Clemson and its star-studded defense finished overwhelming the Yellow Jackets on Saturday, Pittsburgh’s highly rated unit will get its chance to end a two-game losing streak to the Jackets at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium in an ACC Coastal Division matchup.
“It seems like we’ve played top 15 every week in defense,” coach Paul Johnson said with a bemused laugh.
He isn’t too far off. Over Tech’s four-game losing streak, the Jackets have played Notre Dame (No. 34 in total defense), Duke (No. 4) and Clemson (No. 13). The only relative break was North Carolina, ranked No. 44, and the Jackets played by far their best offensive game in the past four games against the Tar Heels. The Panthers rank seventh in total defense at 264.6 yards per game and 14th in defensive yards per play at 4.37.
“I think they run their scheme extremely well,” Johnson said. “They’re well-coached. They don’t give up big plays. And you can see their guys play really hard and run to the ball. They understand what they’re doing. It’s easy to see.”
The Panthers are directed by first-year coach Pat Narduzzi, who had a celebrated run as defensive coordinator at Michigan State. Pittsburgh is giving up 2.88 yards per carry, No. 12 in the country. In their first two ACC games, the Panthers choked Virginia Tech and Virginia with a combined 18 tackles for loss. With seven Pitt sacks, the Hokies netted nine rushing yards.
Pittsburgh is hefty up front, with defensive tackles Tyrique Jarrett and Darryl Render weighing in at 335 and 300 pounds, respectively. Middle linebacker Matt Galambos is not easy to miss, either, at 240 pounds.
“He’s all over the place,” offensive line coach Mike Sewak said of Galambos.
It is not the most promising matchup for Tech’s offense, which Johnson has described as “inept” and “jacked up” in recent days. Against Clemson, of the Jackets’ 56 plays, 23 gained no yards or went for loss, not counting a kneel-down or an interception.
“I look out there, and I don’t even recognize it,” Johnson said. “It doesn’t even look like what we do.”
So it goes for the Jackets, waylaid by injuries and getting knocked around by a seemingly merciless schedule. In an effort to charge the lineup, the Jackets could start as many as three freshmen on offense (B-back Marcus Marshall, A-back Mikell Lands-Davis and right tackle Will Bryan). Redshirt freshman A-back Clinton Lynch also is expected to start.
Following Pitt, Tech will play No. 11 Florida State. With a defense ranked 22nd in total defense, the Seminoles may practically seem like a vacation for the Jackets.
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