Georgia Tech’s offensive-line shuffle will continue against Middle Tennessee State on Saturday, when the Yellow Jackets will start their fifth combination up front.
Senior Austin Barrick will start at right tackle as Phil Smith's ankle remains problematic, and coach Paul Johnson said if Smith plays at all against the Blue Raiders, "It will be marginally." Barrick, who started the North Carolina State game, will start at right tackle and Nick Claytor at left tackle. Those three have rotated all season.
Tyler Kidney, a redshirt freshman who walked on the team in 2009 after playing at Northview High in Alpharetta, may be more likely than Smith to serve as the backup tackle.
Barrick started the first nine games last season -- when Tech’s starting offensive line went unchanged -- and again in the Orange Bowl after a leg injury healed. Tech used three combinations on the line last season, and the first and third combinations were the same.
Injuries this season to left guard Will Jackson and Smith have necessitated changes. Jay Finch likely will start his second game at left guard, where Nick McRae has started one game.
McCollum’s not emotional
The Jackets' assistant-coach reunion tour continues this week as defensive-line coach Andy McCollum prepares to square off against the team for which he was once head coach. On Saturday, Tech defensive coordinator, and former Virginia coach, Al Groh was on the winning side in a similar situation.
Having been an assistant at MTSU from 1981-88, and then returning to serve as head coach from 1999-2005, McCollum still knows plenty about the school's traditions. But he said Saturday’s game will not be a big deal in large part because he has been away longer than Groh has been.
Virginia fired Groh after last season, and he was hired a Tech within a couple of months. McCollum was a scout with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans for a year after compiled a record of 34-43 at MTSU. He then spent three years as linebackers coach at N.C. State.
“I knew this day would come,” McCollum said. “I’m just excited to get our guys ready. There are a lot of memories. Middle Tennessee was a great opportunity for me, and we did a lot of things, but that was five years ago. The kids I was with, they graduated last year.”
More offense
Tech players and coaches believe the offense can be better than it was while piling up 477 rushing yards and 536 yards of offense in Saturday’s win over Virginia, in which the Jackets lost a fumble and an interception (at Virginia’s 8-yard line), turned the ball over once on downs and punted twice while scoring four touchdowns and two field goals.
Quarterback Joshua Nesbitt said, "We can be 10 times better. We stopped ourselves. We work a lot on ball security, and we keep working on it."
Extra points
Nesbitt (90.5 yards per game) and B-back Anthony Allen (87.5) are Nos. 1-2 in rushing in the ACC. ... Tech is back to No. 3 in the nation in rushing yards per game (328), trailing Air Force (357.7) and Nebraska (337.6). ... The Jackets are No. 115 (out of 120 Division I schools) in net punting (30.3 yards per boot and cover), and No. 99 in punt returns (5.69). ... Tech has just seven takeaways in six games, tied for No. 85 in the nation. ... The Jackets are No. 10 in kickoff yardage allowed, surrendering an average of 17.66 yards per boot.
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