Georgia Tech played Syracuse on Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium. It was won by the Yellow Jackets in both teams’ game-planning sessions and on their practice fields in the six days prior.
Hopped up on the frustrations of a three-game losing streak and the ragged play that helped cause it, the Jackets committed themselves to playing mistake-free and with an edge. Their coaches ensured that that intention would be honored. The result was a 56-0 win over Syracuse, which set a school record for the widest margin of victory in an ACC game.
“I think it was a big relief for us to come out and show people that coach (Paul Johnson) is still a really awesome coach and play-caller and that we’ve got some really awesome football players, as well,” offensive lineman Will Jackson said. “When we execute and don’t beat ourselves, I think we can play with anybody in the country.”
After consecutive losses to Virginia Tech, Miami and BYU, games in which Tech’s mistakes and lack of focus ensured defeat, beating Syracuse (3-4 overall, 1-2 ACC) was enough. Perhaps most notably for Tech, the Jackets (4-3, 3-2) turned the ball over only once, didn’t allow a play of more than 22 yards and didn’t commit a single penalty. It was a remarkable turnaround for a team that during the losing streak gave it away eight times, permitted 16 plays of 20 or more yards and was flagged 22 times. The last time Tech went penalty-free in a game was in 1968.
“We just didn’t want to beat ourselves this week,” said linebacker Quayshawn Nealy, who contributed an interception on an athletic play, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. “We focused on the little things to make the big things happen.”
Things like sticking to assignments on Syracuse’s zone-read option, staying in rush lanes to prevent quarterback Terrel Hunt from leaking out of the pocket for scrambles and staying in assigned gaps against the run.
Syracuse rushed for a combined 685 yards in its previous two games, but was held to 75 on Saturday. Nealy and defensive end Jeremiah Attaochu credited physical practices instituted by defensive coordinator Ted Roof for helping ready the Jackets.
Going back to the start of the second half against BYU, Tech’s defense has allowed seven points in the past 19 possessions, not counting half-ending kneel-downs.
“Euclid (Cummings) and Adam (Gotsis) did a great job,” Attaochu said, referring to Tech’s defensive tackles. “They were flying around, ripping off blocks and chasing down the ball.”
Tech’s offense piled up 482 yards of offense, 394 on the ground. In the first half, when the Jackets scored touchdowns on four of six possessions, they threw only twice. Quarterback Vad Lee, in fact, didn’t throw at all.
“As long as you’re churning out seven, eight yards a pop, there’s no use to (throw),” Johnson said.
Tech’s offensive line — Jackson at left tackle, left guard Trey Braun, center Jay Finch, right guard Shaquille Mason and Chase Roberts and Bryan Chamberlain splitting time at right tackle — repeatedly created paths for the backs to run downfield.
It was a departure from the past three games, when false-start penalties repeatedly thwarted possessions, and the line’s play called into question preseason expectations that it would be a team strength.
“The guys up front were just blowing off the ball all day, and we were able to take advantage of it,” said B-back Zach Laskey, who ran 13 times for 75 yards and three touchdowns.
Tech took advantage of Syracuse’s “double eagle” defensive front, which coach Scott Shafer never strayed from despite the onslaught.
It was not a defense that the Jackets spent much time preparing for, Jackson said, but “it just gave us some opportunities to get the B-back going, and they never really adjusted to it, so we just kept going back to the well, and it was successful for us.”
Said Shafer, “Maybe that was a big mistake on my part. Maybe we needed to be a little bit more multiple.”
In the first half, Tech ran 37 plays and reached third down only three times. The Jackets led 28-0 at the half, with field-position help provided by Chris Milton’s blocked punt and Nealy’s fumble recovery.
“At the end of the day, poor job by me,” Shafer said. “I got outcoached (Saturday).”
The next challenge waits for the Jackets in a road trip to Virginia, where the Cavaliers are 9-1 against Tech in the past 10 games.
“It’s good to get back on the right track,” Johnson said. “Maybe now we can string some together.”
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