It seems D.J. White has a knack for making big plays when Georgia Tech needs it most. Last season, the senior cornerback from McDonough notched a game-winning pick in the Yellow Jackets’ victory over rival Georgia.
On Saturday, with Notre Dame leading 7-0 and having driven to Tech’s 5-yard line, White intercepted an overthrown fade in the right corner of the end zone to force the Fighting Irish’s first turnover of the season.
White’s second interception of the season was impressive for both its timing and athleticism. It came on a third down when the Yellow Jackets could ill-afford to go down two scores. Irish quarterback DeShone Kinzer overshot his intended receiver on a fade route, but White read the play well, leapt, caught the ball and managed to get his feet down in-bounds.
Four plays and a 1:30 later, B-back Patrick Skov powered up the middle from 5 yards out to score Tech’s first touchdown and tie the score at 7-7. The Jackets have converted all six of their turnovers into touchdowns this season.
“It was huge,” Tech coach Paul Johnson said. “It turned the momentum, it turned everything. We got the ball, hit a couple nice running plays, got it down there and scored.”
To that point, Tech’s offense had been sputtering, with just two three-and-outs and a missed field-goal attempt to show for their three possessions. The two big plays on the drive came courtesy of A-back Broderick Snoddy, who broke loose for runs of 17 and 48 yards.
Good blocking on the perimeter by A-back Clinton Lynch and WR Ricky Jeune helped spring Snoddy into the open field. The school record holder in the 60-meter dash looked fully recovered from the broken leg he suffered last year, sprinting away from defenders until he was tackled at the 10-yard line, where an Irish penalty set Tech up at the 5. From there, Skov did the rest.
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