As Georgia Tech prepares to play North Carolina on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, who will be their starting quarterback is a question still on the table. Will it be Jordan Yates or Jeff Sims?
Although Yates has started the past two games and played in the Northern Illinois game to open the season, the Yellow Jackets are still figuring out how to use both quarterbacks.
Offensive coordinator Dave Patenaude gave credit to Yates in their 14-8 loss to Clemson on Saturday.
“Jordan was managing the game so well, and the defense was playing out of their minds,” Patenaude said. “He hasn’t made a lot of bad decisions. He missed a few throws that we should have had, and he did a great job of moving around.” Patenaude added that Yates was a “competitor.”
Since Yates has taken over the reins at quarterback, he has thrown for 592 yards and eight touchdowns while completing 66 percent of his passes.
While Patenaude gave a bunch of credit to Yates, he also spoke about Sims’ skill set and everything he brings to the table.
“Explosiveness in the run game is different,” Patenaude said about Sims. “Even in the first game, on his first two carries, he had 25 yards. There’s a different skill set there.”
As for what goes into Patenaude’s decision as to who will start, he said he has his reasons for making the decision, but stated the challenge of choosing one or the other.
“We’re fortunate that both guys are good players,” Patenaude said. “I think the challenge is finding a role for both. It’s a great luxury to have that. We’re fortunate to have either of them.”
About the Author
