Georgia Tech will not have one of its starters on the offensive line for at least part of Friday’s game against Louisville. Coach Paul Johnson declined to identify the player.
In answering a question at his weekly news conference about setting a starting five, Johnson said that it was ongoing.
“I mean, we thought we had a plan, and then we got thrown a curveball this morning,” he said.
Asked if it was a suspension, Johnson replied, “It’s going to keep him from starting.”
Asked if he could identify the player, Johnson answered, “Not really. I mean, I could, but I’m not going to do that.”
Johnson was asked if the player would be held out for one quarter, as has been the case with other players this season.
“We’ll see,” Johnson replied.
The starting line in Saturday’s game against Bowling Green was Zach Quinney at left tackle, Parker Braun at left guard, Jahaziel Lee at center, Connor Hansen at right guard and Andrew Marshall at right tackle. Johnson said Monday that center Kenny Cooper could possibly start as he continues his return from a foot injury suffered in spring practice. Cooper was held out of the first quarter of the Pitt game for a violation of team rules.
Starting this season, Johnson has held players out for the first quarter of games for violations of team rules such as missing class or study hall. Johnson did it, he said before the season began, because the previous discipline of making players run at 6 a.m. was not effective in correcting the behavior.
He said Monday that the change in policy had “absolutely” been effective.
“It’s cleaned it up a lot,” he said.
