After a much-needed bye week, Georgia Tech returned to serious work this week in preparation for a crucial string of games spanning this month.
The Yellow Jackets (3-2, 1-2 ACC) last played Sept. 21, a 31-19 loss at Louisville, the end of five consecutive games to open the season. That concluded an exhaustive stretch for coach Brent Key’s team that included trips to Dublin, Syracuse and Louisville, respectively, and three conference games.
A rest and a reset were vital for Tech, given the team now faces four consecutive games before its next bye week at the start of November. The first of those four is a showdown with unbeaten Duke at 8 p.m. Saturday.
“Coming off a bye week really couldn’t have come at a better time for us. We were able to heal up, get our energy back, call it pep in your step,” Key said Tuesday. “A lot of mental reps in practice. A lot of work we’ve gotten done, a lot of things we’ve gotten worked on, but I thought more than anything I think when we came out on Sunday night to practice we looked fast again. That’s what we’re looking for. It was a grind to the start of the season and that’s what the name of the game is. Now we’re into another part of it.”
The Jackets, while in no way ashamed of a 3-2 start, know they are a few plays away from possibly being 5-0 with two defeats that have totaled 15 points. But also they arguably are a play or two away from being 2-3 and winless in the ACC standings had Aidan Birr’s field goal against Florida State on Aug. 24 not been true.
Statistically, Tech has been good throwing the ball around, but not good stopping the pass. It has been solid defending the run, but uncharacteristically poor at totaling rushing yards. The team has registered only five sacks, but also hasn’t allowed one.
So clearly there have been a litany of things for Tech to clean up before it takes the field again. The Jackets had light practices Tuesday and Wednesday last week before a full-pads practice Thursday and then returned to a normal week of work Sunday evening.
“I do feel like we know the team. We know ‘em well. We know what they’re good at, what they’re deficient at, what we’ve gotta improve on,” Key said. “Assessment to this point, probably have to say the same thing I told the team, we’re playing hard. This team plays hard. Playing hard and preparing the right way gives you a chance to have success on Saturdays. It guarantees nothing.
“There’s no guarantees just by coming in and practicing hard, practicing and preparing the right way, playing hard. Playing hard just gets you there. You don’t play hard, you don’t play smart, then you got zero chance. The decision-making is what we gotta improve.”
Duke, off to its best start since a 7-0 beginning to the 1994 season, comes to town riding high from a 21-20 win over rival North Carolina. The Blue Devils (5-0, 1-0 ACC) have beaten Northwestern by six in double overtime, Connecticut by five and UNC by one along the way.
Coach Manny Diaz has a top-10 third-down defense, a top-20 passing defense and a top-30 scoring defense and total defense. Duke also has 17 sacks, 52 tackles for loss (one off the national lead) and nine takeaways. Some of the players making those plays worked with Tech defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci and Tech defensive line coach Jess Simpson, both of whom were at Duke for the 2023 season.
“Look, (Diaz is) a good football coach. He’s a good defensive football coach. Gone against him a bunch in my football career,” Key said. “I respect him not just as a coach but as a person. I think he’s a good man, and he’s a heckuva football coach. So excited to have him here and play here at Bobby Dodd (Stadium).”
Saturday’s contest will be televised live by ACC Network. Tech began the week as eight-point favorites in the matchup.
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