Georgia Tech Football: Will Yellow Jackets rebound in 2018?
By Jacob Wilson
Following a promising 9-4 record in 2016, Georgia Tech football took a step back last season, finishing with a disappointing 5-6 record. Here’s how they can bounce back in 2018.
Georgia Tech has only missed out on a bowl game twice since 1997, a testament to their consistency in recent years. Head coach Paul Johnson has been with the team since 2008 and has played a critical role in its development since then. While there have been numerous ups and downs throughout that time, the Yellow Jackets have stood their ground nonetheless.
As mentioned before, Georgia Tech had a very successful 2016 season, backed by a bend-but-don’t-break defense that finished within the top 40 in points allowed. The 70th ranked offense was nonexistent at times, but the Yellow Jackets still maintained a well-balanced attack over the course of their nine wins.
Although the team went 4-4 in ACC play, most of those losses came against ranked competition. Those losses included matchups against Clemson (5), Miami (14), and North Carolina (18), with their lone loss against unranked competition coming against Pitt.
The team was lead by quarterback Justin Thomas who, despite unimpressive numbers, enjoyed decent success through his conservative approach. Thomas would finish the year with 1,559 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and only two interceptions. Thomas was also effective on the ground, rushing for 604 yards and six scores.
Georgia Tech would go on to defeat Kentucky in their season finale, taking down the Wildcats by a score of 33-18 in the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl. The Yellow Jackets seemed to have taken that momentum into the 2017 season, claiming victory in three of their first four games. However, that success would prove to be fleeting as the team dropped five of their last seven games.
Georgia Tech fell victim to a tough schedule once again, facing off against five top 25 opponents (Tennessee, Miami, Clemson, Virginia Tech, and Georgia) in 2017. This is a bruising schedule for any team, especially a squad with the limited depth of the Yellow Jackets.
Last year’s Yellow Jackets deployed an offense that ranked identical to its 2016 squad, but it was the Georgia Tech defense that took a significant step back in 2017. Also contributing to the team’s struggles was a change in quarterback from Thomas to junior TaQuon Marshall, with the latter serving as a much less capable passer. While Marshall was great on the ground, Tech’s ailing defense wasn’t able to support a one-dimensional offense.
However, the Yellow Jackets intend on returning to their previously competitive norm in 2018, bringing in former Appalachian State defensive coordinator Nate Woody to serve in the same role at Georgia Tech. One of Woody’s most anticipated changes is an attack-centered mindset from his defense. After years of being “good enough”, expect a completely revitalized defense under Woody.
Another factor that could potentially work in Georgia Tech’s favor is next year’s schedule. After a top 20 strength of schedule in 2017, the Yellow Jackets will face off against only three currently ranked top 20 teams (Clemson, Miami, and Georgia). However, they will also face off against USF (21) and Virginia Tech (24).
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While this schedule isn’t a cakewalk by any stretch of the imagination, it has plenty of winnable games that will help the Yellow Jackets develop an identity on both sides of the ball. Besides, a rebound year for a team such as Georgia Tech doesn’t require victories over top 10 teams. Overall, look for 2018 to be a solid season for the Yellow Jackets in the team’s 11th season under Johnson.