Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Ted Roof has little interest in waiting for his young defensive ends to develop into pass-rush threats.
“We’re not patient,” Roof said. “We’re very impatient.”
That said, the Yellow Jackets’ shortcomings in pass rush against Tulane, particularly in the first half, were understandable. Roderick Rook-Chungong was playing his second college game, as was his backup KeShun Freeman. Tyler Stargel was playing his second game as a starter after backing up (and playing minimal snaps) behind Jeremiah Attaochu last season. Both Stargel and Freeman recorded their first career sacks against Tulane.
“That’s a different deal, because so many times in high school, guys are talented enough to not have to use good technique to beat the offensive linemen,” Roof said. “Whereas in college, you can’t have a sloppy rep.”
For Tech’s game against Georgia Southern Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium, Rook-Chungong will start at the strongside defensive end spot and Freeman will move into the starting lineup at the rush end position. Stargel, who had been the strongside starter, will join them in a three-man rotation. Rook-Chungong practiced on the strongside in the spring and said the positions aren’t particularly different.
“It’s just a chance to get KeShun some more reps,” coach Paul Johnson said.
The inexperience is a considerable factor. Last year, for instance, Attaochu’s sack numbers took off in the second half of the 2013 season as he learned to trust his pass-rush moves, and this was in his senior season.
Part of the challenge thus far has been playing an option offense in the first week (Wofford), a pro-style scheme last week (Tulane) and now another option team in Georgia Southern, as the different offenses call for different responsibilities from the ends.
“And then going back to Virginia Tech the next week,” said Rook-Chungong, who has been trying to work on his power pass-rush moves. “So we’ll settle in soon as a whole defensive line.”
Johnson was asked if he was confident that the ends will improve.
“You hope so,” he said. “I’m confident I’ll get home tonight, but I might not. You just never know.”
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