Anyone who thought Georgia Tech's loss at Notre Dame wasn't so bad (hand raised) needs to rethink things after the Jackets lost at Duke. Here are three observations from the game:
The triple-option is misfiring: Through three quarters Tech had 103 yards rushing on 45 carries with a long of 24 yards compared to 110 yards passing by quarterback Justin Thomas. The Jackets couldn't even gain a yard when they need it most: Duke stuffed them for no gain on fourth down when they were 26 yards away from the go-ahead touchdown with five minutes left in the game. It seems inconceivable for Paul Johnson's offense but for the second week in a row the Jackets couldn't run inside or outside because the opponent beat them to the punch. Thomas was forced to pass because the Jackets were frequently behind the sticks, and he was actually pretty effective, but that's not what the Jackets are all about. They are very ordinary when the triple-offense isn't humming, especially when . . .
The special teams are a calamity: Special teams have never really been a strength for Johnson's teams but now they are downright bad. In the first half at Notre Dame the Jackets had a couple of poor punts coach Paul Johnson descried as "sideways" and missed two field-goal attempts. Against Duke, the Jackets gave up a 69-yard punt return to their one-yard line that set up Duke's third touchdown for a 19-3 lead. After Tech pulled to within 19-13 in the third quarter, DeVon Edwards got free for a 100-yard kickoff return for a TD. The Jackets also had a bad snap on a punt that led to a short field for Duke's four-play TD drive and muffed a punt they were lucky to recover with less than three minutes left.
Duke has a D: The Irish have a great defense, especially against the run. After they stymied Tech's triple-option, Jackets backers took solace in the belief their team won't see another unit that good this season outside of Florida State. They overlooked the Blue Devils, who after three weeks actually ranked 11 spots higher than Notre Dame in the opponent-adjusted stats at Football Outsiders. The Blue Devils had been much better against the pass than the run but they were plenty stout against the Jackets. Once Tech had to pass, they went all out to get to Thomas.
