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GEORGIA TECH SPRING FOOTBALL
Jackets have new look on offense
By MIKE KNOBLER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/07/07
A new offensive coordinator, a new receiver, a kind of new quarterback — Georgia Tech shows off its 2007 look today in the final, free spring scrimmage at 11 a.m. at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Perhaps the best thing for Yellow Jackets fans: The defense should look reassuringly familiar.
Five things to watch
The freshmen
Calvin Johnson takes his size, speed, leaping ability and hand-eye coordination to the NFL after accounting for more than half of Tech's receiving yards and 60 percent of its receiving touchdowns in 2006.
The Yellow Jackets still have James Johnson, who had about half Calvin Johnson's totals for catches, yards and touchdowns. But James Johnson's hamstring has been acting up again, so you'll have to wait to get a reminder of what he can do.
Not to worry. Spend your time today watching No. 8, redshirt freshman Demaryius Thomas. He's no Calvin Johnson, but he might become Bennett's favorite receiver this fall. Bennett and Thomas even connect on the same fade play Ball threw to Calvin Johnson for so many Tech touchdowns.
Another receiver to watch: No. 15 Correy Earls, a redshirt freshman. The Jackets aren't deep at receiver; a freshman could contribute early.
Lots of options on defense
Defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta has plenty of options in the secondary, where cornerback Kenny Scott is gone.
Avery Roberson, Pat Clark and Jahi Word-Daniels have started at corner. Jamal Lewis and Djay Jones return as starters at safety, and Joe Gaston, who was first-team before he tore up his knee last spring, also returns. Corners Laurence Marius and Dominique Reese and safety Jake Blackwood also can play.
"There's probably right now about nine guys that are, I don't want to say interchangeable, but usable for game time," Gailey said.
Roberson, who has played safety and corner, has practiced this spring at nickel back.
"He's a very intelligent player," Gailey said. "We'll see how he does there. Really, it's as much to give other guys a chance to work at corner and safety as it is to work him at nickel."
Strong line gets stronger
Tech fans should enjoy watching the defensive front seven, even without Adamm Oliver and Michael Johnson on the field.
This defense could dominate up front, with a few new players added to a talented and experienced core.
Middle linebacker Philip Wheeler will make teammates and coaches grateful he decided against turning pro. Defensive tackle Darryl Richard will make them happy he's taking his graduate classes this fall at Tech instead of somewhere else.
Gary Guyton, moving from strongside to weakside linebacker, could pick up where KaMichael Hall left off. Shane Bowen and Anthony Barnes are competing for Guyton's old spot; that's a key position.
The defensive line, already a strength, keeps getting stronger despite the loss of Joe Anoai. Take a look at No. 91, defensive end Derrick Morgan, who enrolled as a freshman in January to go through spring practice and might be too good to redshirt, even on a team with Tech's defensive line depth.
Fall lineup will look different
Keep in mind the players you see on the field today might not be the players you see on the field Sept. 1 at Notre Dame.
Injuries and offseason surgeries will keep at least nine potential starters off the field for today's scrimmage. It's not all bad news; backups have gotten more practice time as a result.
But Tech will look much different in the fall with the return of Mike Cox, the only experienced fullback; Colin Peek, the only experienced tight end; Djay Jones, a starter at free safety; Jahi Word-Daniels, a five-game starter at cornerback; Adamm Oliver, a second-team All-ACC defensive end; Michael Johnson, the pass-rushing star of the Maryland game; James Johnson, the top returning receiver; Cord Howard, who is expected to compete with A.J. Smith for the starting right tackle job; and receiver Greg Smith, who caught seven passes last season as a redshirt freshman.
None of the injuries is expected to carry over into the fall, Tech coach Chan Gailey said.
Bennett brings new QB skills
Taylor Bennett brings a different set of skills to the quarterback position than Tech had there the past four seasons with Reggie Ball, and new offensive coordinator John Bond appears to be taking a different approach than Patrick Nix did in 2006.
Get ready for more medium-range passes instead of the very short or very deep passes that dominated the Tech playbook last season. Watch for Bennett, 6 feet 3, to see things Ball, 5-11, couldn't. Look for the Yellow Jackets to throw to more of the field instead of being restricted to the sidelines.
Don't look for the quarterback draws that made Ball dangerous.
Bennett has solidified his hold on the No. 1 quarterback job. There's healthy competition for the backup job between two quarterbacks who didn't practice at Tech before this spring: Auburn transfer Calvin Booker and freshman Steven Threet. They're both big, strong guys with potential but a lot of learning to do.
Jackets have new look on offense
By MIKE KNOBLER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/07/07
A new offensive coordinator, a new receiver, a kind of new quarterback — Georgia Tech shows off its 2007 look today in the final, free spring scrimmage at 11 a.m. at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Perhaps the best thing for Yellow Jackets fans: The defense should look reassuringly familiar.
Five things to watch
The freshmen
Calvin Johnson takes his size, speed, leaping ability and hand-eye coordination to the NFL after accounting for more than half of Tech's receiving yards and 60 percent of its receiving touchdowns in 2006.
The Yellow Jackets still have James Johnson, who had about half Calvin Johnson's totals for catches, yards and touchdowns. But James Johnson's hamstring has been acting up again, so you'll have to wait to get a reminder of what he can do.
Not to worry. Spend your time today watching No. 8, redshirt freshman Demaryius Thomas. He's no Calvin Johnson, but he might become Bennett's favorite receiver this fall. Bennett and Thomas even connect on the same fade play Ball threw to Calvin Johnson for so many Tech touchdowns.
Another receiver to watch: No. 15 Correy Earls, a redshirt freshman. The Jackets aren't deep at receiver; a freshman could contribute early.
Lots of options on defense
Defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta has plenty of options in the secondary, where cornerback Kenny Scott is gone.
Avery Roberson, Pat Clark and Jahi Word-Daniels have started at corner. Jamal Lewis and Djay Jones return as starters at safety, and Joe Gaston, who was first-team before he tore up his knee last spring, also returns. Corners Laurence Marius and Dominique Reese and safety Jake Blackwood also can play.
"There's probably right now about nine guys that are, I don't want to say interchangeable, but usable for game time," Gailey said.
Roberson, who has played safety and corner, has practiced this spring at nickel back.
"He's a very intelligent player," Gailey said. "We'll see how he does there. Really, it's as much to give other guys a chance to work at corner and safety as it is to work him at nickel."
Strong line gets stronger
Tech fans should enjoy watching the defensive front seven, even without Adamm Oliver and Michael Johnson on the field.
This defense could dominate up front, with a few new players added to a talented and experienced core.
Middle linebacker Philip Wheeler will make teammates and coaches grateful he decided against turning pro. Defensive tackle Darryl Richard will make them happy he's taking his graduate classes this fall at Tech instead of somewhere else.
Gary Guyton, moving from strongside to weakside linebacker, could pick up where KaMichael Hall left off. Shane Bowen and Anthony Barnes are competing for Guyton's old spot; that's a key position.
The defensive line, already a strength, keeps getting stronger despite the loss of Joe Anoai. Take a look at No. 91, defensive end Derrick Morgan, who enrolled as a freshman in January to go through spring practice and might be too good to redshirt, even on a team with Tech's defensive line depth.
Fall lineup will look different
Keep in mind the players you see on the field today might not be the players you see on the field Sept. 1 at Notre Dame.
Injuries and offseason surgeries will keep at least nine potential starters off the field for today's scrimmage. It's not all bad news; backups have gotten more practice time as a result.
But Tech will look much different in the fall with the return of Mike Cox, the only experienced fullback; Colin Peek, the only experienced tight end; Djay Jones, a starter at free safety; Jahi Word-Daniels, a five-game starter at cornerback; Adamm Oliver, a second-team All-ACC defensive end; Michael Johnson, the pass-rushing star of the Maryland game; James Johnson, the top returning receiver; Cord Howard, who is expected to compete with A.J. Smith for the starting right tackle job; and receiver Greg Smith, who caught seven passes last season as a redshirt freshman.
None of the injuries is expected to carry over into the fall, Tech coach Chan Gailey said.
Bennett brings new QB skills
Taylor Bennett brings a different set of skills to the quarterback position than Tech had there the past four seasons with Reggie Ball, and new offensive coordinator John Bond appears to be taking a different approach than Patrick Nix did in 2006.
Get ready for more medium-range passes instead of the very short or very deep passes that dominated the Tech playbook last season. Watch for Bennett, 6 feet 3, to see things Ball, 5-11, couldn't. Look for the Yellow Jackets to throw to more of the field instead of being restricted to the sidelines.
Don't look for the quarterback draws that made Ball dangerous.
Bennett has solidified his hold on the No. 1 quarterback job. There's healthy competition for the backup job between two quarterbacks who didn't practice at Tech before this spring: Auburn transfer Calvin Booker and freshman Steven Threet. They're both big, strong guys with potential but a lot of learning to do.
