Georgia Tech 2009 Football Predictions

Written June 25, 2009 by InfoPlays

2009 Georgia Tech Football Predictions Georgia Tech’s success in Paul Johnson’s first season sent expectations through the roof for 2009. If Josh Nesbitt can manage the passing game well enough to open up the offense, the Yellow Jackets should score enough points to offset the uncertainty on defense, and make Tech an ACC favorite this season. Right now the NCAA football lines show the Yellow Jackets listed at +5000 to win the National Championship!

Offense: The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets ranked among the best rushing teams in the country last season, but also among the worst passing teams. The plan this fall is to throw more now that everyone is accustomed to Paul Johnson’s system. The Yellow Jackets ranked 116th out of 119 teams in passing, largely because of the scheme change. The option game was foreign to most of these players under Chan Gailey. Johnson kept things basica as a result, and with the success of fullback Jonathan Dwyer, the ACC’s leading rusher, Georgia Tech didn’t need to throw much. But they also know that the league opponents will start to catch up with the offense now that they’ve faced it. So Tech put in extra work on the passing game in the spring.

Nesbitt is a skilled player, and he has wide receiver Demaryius Thomas to target, so this will give Johnson reason to air it out. Nesbit is big at 215 pounds, but he has an even bigger arm. Thomas has quietly drawn comparison the past two seasons to former Georgia Tech star Calvin Johnson. Though the Jackets have a ton of talented skill players, the make-or-break players this fall are ultimately the offensive linemen. Tech returns three starters up front, but they expect large contributions from newcomers as Johnson looks for more agile blockers. He has recruited seven offensive linemen in his two classes at Georgia Tech.

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Defense: A lot of credit for Georgia Tech’s nine-win season a year ago falls on their defense. Behind a veteran line, first-year coordinator Dave Wommack built a Top 25 defense. The Yellow Jackets held four ACC opponents and Mississippi State to 20 points or less to allow the offense to jel. But the offense will need to carry the defense this fall. Tech is experienced at linebacker and in the secondary, but they must replace NFL draft picks Michael Johnson, Vance Walker and Darryl Richard up front.

The lone returnee up front is a star in the making in Derrick Morgan. Johnson overshadowed Morgan last season, but not any more. He had seven sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss a year ago. Morgan is 275 pounds and explosive, and he’ll be drawing most o the blocking attention this season. Supporting him will be a talented group of linebackers. Four players with experience return here, with Kyle Jackson and Brad Jefferson utilizing their versatility to play inside and outside. Throw in strong safety Morgan Burnett, and All-America candidate, and Georgia Tech has a good tackling defense.

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