Best / Worse Case Record for :
Clemson | Virginia | Miami | Louisville | Duke | Boston College | Pittsburgh | Florida State | Virginia Tech | NC State | Syracuse | North Carolina | Wake Forest
Georgia Tech
Good luck trying to predict what Georgia Tech is going to do this year. Two years ago Georgia Tech won 11 games, won an Orange Bowl and finished in the top 10. Last year as the pre-season Coastal Division favorites they went 3-9. The Yellow Jackets were decimated by injuries at the offensive skill positions last year. It was also the worst blocking team of the Paul Johnson era. Dynamic QB Justin Thomas returns, and last year was just Paul Johnson’s 3rd losing season in 19 years as a head coach. Can the Jackets rebound in 2016 or is this a program in decline?
Will Go 9-3 (6-2) if:
The offensive line can return to any semblance of it’s 2014 form. Go back and watch games against Georgia and Mississippi State towards the end of the 2014 season. The Yellow Jackets offensive line was blowing people off the line of scrimmage. Last year QB Justin Thomas was running for his life time and time again. Also whenever Georgia Tech has been good, they’ve had a a NFL Caliber receiver to open up the option offense. If Ricky Jeune or another receiver can take the next step, that will certainly help an offense that bogged down too often last year.
I don’t think defense has enough personal to be more than average, but it can’t be awful. Georgia Tech needs to find a way get pressure on the quarterback. Something they’ve struggled with in recent years. Quietly Georgia Tech has assembled one of their most talented groups of running backs in a while. If the Jackets can get off to a 3-0 start with games against BC, Mercer, and Vanderbilt they have a chance to get rolling.
Will Go 4-8 (2-6) if:
The offense again struggles. Georgia Tech’s defense can’t carry this team. It is too inexperienced and there isn’t a lot of elite talent. It was a mediocre unit last year with NFL 2nd round pick Adam Gotsis. If the offense resembles last season’s version Georgia Tech will be sitting at home for the holidays again. Mercer is the only game on the schedule that Georgia Tech is virtually assured of a win.
Georgia Tech isn’t capable of playing poorly and winning games. They don’t recruit well enough for that. A loss in game 1 or 3 to Boston College or Vanderbilt could be an early signal that this could be a long season in Atlanta. Georgia Tech can’t lose either winnable but dangerous game.
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