There was no hiding Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson’s pleasure in the work of the offense following Saturday’s scrimmage at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Quarterback Justin Thomas led a 17-play, 70-yard touchdown drive to open the scrimmage, one of six touchdown drives executed by the offense on about 14 possessions over the entire session. What’s more, the offense did not commit a single turnover in about 110 plays.
“There was a lot of good things,” Johnson said, noting the turnover-free scrimmage. “I don’t think the ball was even out on the ground once.”
The lack of turnovers is noteworthy. As the Yellow Jackets offense requires so much ball-handling, Tech scrimmages have rarely lacked for fumbles on center-quarterback exchanges and quarterback-B-back meshes. Tech had 28 fumbles last year, which was tied for eighth most in FBS. Johnson attributed it to his players’ hard work and the offense’s return to its option basics.
“Throughout camp, if we had any fumbles between the quarterback and the center, the quarterback and center are staying after, making sure they’re getting snaps, and I think (Saturday) it just showed,” B-back Zach Laskey said.
The offense generated a number of big plays, including a 70-yard touchdown run by wide receiver DeAndre Smelter on a reverse. Johnson also said that wide receiver Darren Waller made some nice catches in the scrimmage, which was closed to the public. Quarterback Matthew Jordan, A-back Deon Hill and B-back C.J. Leggett had runs of 29, 25 and 24 yards, respectively, according to a report from the Tech sports information office.
Leggett, a freshman, has returned to practice after missing several days with an injury.
“You just wish he didn’t miss the, whatever it was, week or eight days, that kind of thing, because he’d probably be further along than where he is right now, but I think everybody can watch and see that he’s got athletic ability,” quarterbacks and B-backs coach Bryan Cook said. “There’s no doubt about it.”
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