Seven games into his first season, Georgia Tech defensive line coach Mike Pelton has seen signs that his teaching points are taking hold.
“You don’t have to correct as much as … in the beginning,” Pelton said. “By no means are they where they need to be, but you’re starting to see recall. You’re starting to see memory.”
Pelton gave two examples — the linemen’s alignment and footwork, like the “step, dip and rip” technique when slanting through the line. He used to have to repeat the instruction all the time, he said.
“It’s getting ingrained in them,” he said.
Tackles Euclid Cummings and Adam Gotsis are two of the more improved and productive members of the defense. Cummings has 22 tackles, most among linemen, and Gotsis is next with 21, including nine tackles for loss and three sacks. Cummings said he feels more comfortable in his role at defensive tackle, “just being able to just know what I have to do in certain situations, like my step, because we have a big emphasis on step and hands.”
Injury report: Tech will play without offensive tackles Ray Beno and Morgan Bailey for the third consecutive game, and nose tackle Shawn Green for the second. All three were ruled out of Saturday's game against Virginia on the Yellow Jackets' injury report. Bailey had returned to practice this week from an undisclosed injury.
Tech figures to stay with its same starting offensive line, left tackle Will Jackson, left guard Trey Braun, center Jay Finch, right guard Shaquille Mason and right tackle Chase Roberts. Jimmie Kitchen likely will be Gotsis’ backup at nose tackle.
By the numbers: Tech has scored 23 touchdowns in 28 red-zone trips, 82.1 percent. That rate ranks second in FBS behind Wyoming. A win against Virginia will guarantee Tech's 19th consecutive season with a conference record of .500 or better. B-back David Sims has 84 rushing attempts this season for 409 yards without being tackled for a loss. No player in the country has more carries without a negative-yardage carry than Sims.
Scouting report: "They're shorter guys, so center of gravity is a little bit lower, so we're really going to have to bend when we tackle them, bend at our knees and bend at our hips and not bend at our waists because these guys run through arm tackles." — Defensive coordinator Ted Roof on Virginia running backs Kevin Parks and Khalek Shepherd, both of whom are 5-foot-8
Etc.: Tim Brant (play-by-play), Dave Archer (color) and Rachel Baribeau (sideline) will call the game for the ACC Network, airing in the Atlanta market on WUPA, Channel 69. They also were on hand for Tech's win over Syracuse. … Saturday will be Virginia's homecoming, or, as the school calls it, homecomings. … The Weather Channel forecast for Saturday in Charlottesville, Va., calls for sunny skies, a high of 59 degrees and no chance of rain.
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