A dramatic, last-minute fumble recovery and subsequent touchdown sealed Georgia Tech’s upset victory against then-No. 17 Miami on Oct. 7.
Ahead of the game, coach Brent Key emphasized consistency and playing hard for 60 minutes. It worked out for the Yellow Jackets, wide receiver Malik Rutherford said.
“When you play the whole 60 minutes, things like that will happen eventually,” Rutherford said. “It felt like it paid off.”
Tech went straight into a bye week after the victory, which featured off-days and a focus on recovery. But players and coaches still embraced the lessons learned in Miami and want to build on them ahead of facing Boston College on Saturday.
The Jackets have played some roller-coaster football this season. There have been highs, like an explosive 28-point second quarter in the season opener against Louisville. These have been interspersed with lows, as when Bowling Green outscored them 21-6 in the third quarter of their Sept. 30 matchup en route to an upset loss for the Jackets.
The contest against Miami, however, was Tech’s most complete this season. The Jackets went scoreless in the first half, but held the Hurricanes to three points. Then, Tech’s offense came alive in the final 30 minutes, putting up 14 points in the third quarter and nine in the fourth.
Coach Brent Key said the Jackets may have played a full 60 minutes against Miami, but it’s what the team does going forward that matters.
“(We have to have) the right frame of mind, the right mindset that we take the field with,” Key said. “The game of football is played independent of any clock and of any scoreboard. We’ve got to continue to keep that mindset whether you’re up or down.”
The Jackets are starting to embrace this mentality. Defensive back Ahmari Harvey said consistency during practice and having a good mindset each week are ways the team can build on a big game such as the victory against Miami.
Tech also is adjusting to a defensive coordinator change. Key elevated Kevin Sherrer the Sunday before the Miami contest. Although Hurricanes quarterback Tyler Van Dyke threw for 288 yards, the Jackets were relatively sharp on defense, with two fumble recoveries and three interceptions.
Defensive lineman Kyle Kennard, who made the fumble recovery that powered the Jackets’ win, said the unit wants to avoid going up and down as it did against Bowling Green.
Another step for the defense: not being complacent.
“We’ve been focused on not becoming complacent and not thinking that this game means we won anything,” Kennard said. “We’re just trying to beat Boston College the same way we beat Miami.”
Key said he believes in fixing something whenever it’s not working for the team. The coordinator decision was one way of doing that. Another is prioritizing rest on Fridays, which he noticed helped the Jackets in Miami.
Tech may make tweaks from week to week depending on what happens on the field, but Key said the team’s identity remains the same: having a strong work ethic.
“You’ve got to put the work in and be consistent in the way you do it,” Key said. “You’ve got to continue to elevate yourself in the way you practice and prepare every week.”
About the Author
