It ultimately proved moot, but Georgia Tech was the recipient of a fortunate break in Saturday’s loss to North Carolina. Wide receiver Darren Waller’s 55-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Justin Thomas was not executed as planned, but benefited from Thomas’ improvisation, as he flung a deep ball to Waller down the left sideline that was misplayed by the North Carolina defensive back. Waller caught it and ran unimpeded into the end zone for an easy touchdown.
“It wasn’t as planned, but it worked out alright,” quarterbacks and B-backs coach Bryan Cook said. “It’s nice to catch one of those breaks.”
The Tech offense has not needed much luck this season. While the Yellow Jackets have a series of challenges ahead, starting with Saturday’s game at Pittsburgh, they’ve played at a level of execution noteworthy even for them.
Coach Paul Johnson said on his radio show Monday night that the team’s offensive efficiency against North Carolina – scoring six touchdowns and a field goal in 10 possessions, not counting both series at the end of each half – was “about as good as I’ve been around. We’ve got to keep that up and try to build on it.”
Various statistics illustrate that Tech is moving and retaining the ball more effectively as well or better than it has in Johnson’s record-setting tenure at Tech, and scoring more efficiently. Tech’s yards-per-play average (6.8), points per play (.506, reflecting the offense’s efficiency at turning plays into points), third-down conversion rate (59.3) and turnover rate (one per 60 offensive plays) are all higher than any season-ending number for any of Johnson’s first six teams.
The play of quarterback Justin Thomas, the best fit Johnson has had at that position of the four starters he has had, has provided a considerable lift.
“I think you have to give the quarterback credit,” Johnson said in an explanation of how the Jackets are leading the country in third-down efficiency. “He’s made some plays on third down.”
It comes at a time when Tech’s defense is putting up some of its poorest number of Johnson’s tenure, a dichotomy that is helping drive the offense’s precision.
“I get after those kids on offense pretty hard,” Johnson said. “It‘s just like with penalties or whatever, because there is no margin for error.”
One of the most significant differences between the 2014 offense and its predecessors under Johnson has been its tenacity in holding on to the ball. Between 2008 and 2013, Johnson’s first six seasons, Tech fumbled the ball 200 times in 80 games, an average of 2.5 per game and the most fumbles of any FBS team in the country.
Tech has fumbled the ball seven times thus far, a rate of one fumble for every 68 offensive snaps. That’s more than double the Jackets’ highest ratio for a season under Johnson, a result of considerable ball-security training in practice and Thomas’ ball-handling skill in the option.
Better ball security has allowed more plays to have a chance to succeed and also more possessions to play out until either a punt or score. Given that four of Tech’s seven games have been decided by six points or fewer (Tech is 2-2 in those games) and that the Jackets have played several low-possession games, it’s not a small impact.
Not surprisingly, Tech’s turnover count – eight, or one for every 60 plays – is also lower. Tech’s best season for turnovers was 2009, when the Jackets turned the ball over 18 times in 14 games, one per 53 offensive snaps.
Tech will face possibly its sternest test of the season in Pittsburgh. The Panthers are ranked No. 7 in defensive third-down efficiency, 13th in yards per play (4.59) and 25th in yards per rush (3.35).
“It’s going to be will vs. will, who’s going to break first,” offensive line coach Mike Sewak said.
It begins a stretch that will reveal the offense’s true nature. By measure of defensive yards per play, Tech will play the Nos. 6 (Clemson), 13 (Pittsburgh), 19 (Georgia) and 24 (Virginia) defenses over the final five games, as well as N.C. State (No. 71).
“We still can get a lot better, just going back and watching the film,” Thomas said. “Just take it one week at a time and continue to progressively get the small things done.”
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