Tech’s B-backs bring ‘A’ games in win over Vandy
Georgia Tech’s 38-7 victory over Vanderbilt on Saturday featured several notable plays from Georgia Tech’s B-backs.
It started with Marcus Marshall catching an 81-yard touchdown pass from Justin Thomas, the longest of his career.
It continued with Dedrick Mills scoring three touchdowns, during the last of which he carried several Commodores for yards into the end zone to give the Yellow Jackets (3-0, 1-0 ACC) a 31-7 lead just before the fourth quarter. It was Mills’ third touchdown of the game and the fourth in the freshmen’s career. He had 14 carries for 58 yards as the Yellow Jackets rushed for 289 yards on 46 carries.
Mills was suspended for last week’s win over Mercer after violating team rules.
“Sitting out last week made me think a lot,” he said. “It hurt my team a little bit last week. It was a minor setback for a major comeback.”
Marshall’s touchdown reception was remarkably easy and came from something Tech’s coaching staff noticed while watching film.
Coach Paul Johnson said he knew that a linebacker would try to cover Marshall if he ran a wheel route. Thomas rolled left and hit Marshall, who had come out of the backfield, with a linebacker nowhere near him on the game’s first play. Thomas hit him with a short pass, and Marshall outran the linebackers, safeties and cornerback for the score. The play took 14 seconds.
“First play was huge,” Johnson said. “It was a nice play by Marcus Marshall.”
Mill’s touchdowns were slightly tougher. His first score came on Tech’s second drive. Running right, he took a pitch from Thomas and, aided by strong downfield blocks by Qua Searcy and Isiah Willis, completed the 15-yard scoring run with 4:50 left in the first quarter to give the Yellow Jackets a 14-7 lead.
Mills’ second came on a 4-yard run in the third quarter on a run left, and his third and final came on a tough run up the middle in which he dragged at least three Commodores who hit him around the 2-yard line into the end zone.
“Dedrick got some tough yards,” Johnson said. “They were committed to stopping the B-back inside, Which is fine. It opens up the pitches and had some huge plays on the perimeter.”
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