The expectations for Georgia Tech’s offense, especially the ground attack within that offense, were high entering the 2024 season. Tech became one of the best rushing units in the country over 13 games in 2023, and most of the players who helped make that happen a season ago came back to build on those laurels.
But the Yellow Jackets (3-2, 1-2 ACC) have seen their rushing stats pan out to rest at a similar spot through five games this season compared with the first five games of last season.
For coach Brent Key, the issues in getting the ground game back to the levels they were by the end of 2023 haven’t stemmed from one simple issue.
“There’s everything. What I said after the (Louisville) game was dead on. There’s not one in-particular thing, there’s not one in-particular person,” he said Tuesday. “There’s extra guys we gotta account for the in the box — that’s schematic. There’s movement where we gotta account for and handle movement up front. Loaded boxes. It’s all encompassing in everything.”
Key, a former offensive lineman for the Jackets, added, “the evaluations were deep,” during the bye week when sitting down with his offensive staff and players in trying to determine what the problems have been when trying to run the ball over the past five weeks. He didn’t commit to confirming there would be changes in the offensive line rotation, but it’s reasonable to think Key and offensive line coach Geep Wade could be looking for someone new to spark that unit.
Starters Keyland Rutledge (right guard), Jordan Williams (right tackle), Weston Franklin (center) and Joe Fusile (left guard) all have run blocking grades less than 68, according to Pro Football Focus. Left tackle Jordan Brown (209 offensive snaps) has been graded at 49.9, according to the site, and fellow left tackle Corey Robinson (113 offensive snaps) is at 59.6.
Tackle Harrison Moore and center Tana Alo-Tupuola both have graded above 73, but both are freshmen who have played less than 30 offensive snaps each this season. Sophomore Ethan Mackenny, who was named a freshman All-American by ESPN and On3 last season after starting eight games at left tackle, has yet to make an appearance in 2024.
“Going back, focusing on our fundamentals, focusing on footwork, hand placement, hat placement — really everything to really clean up everything that’s been going on in the past. Having that bye week was good for the offensive line,” Williams said Wednesday. “Coach Wade has always been moving around with a little bit of personnel, just experimenting, making sure everybody keeping that same chemistry all across the board.”
Before finishing the 2023 season ranked 13th nationally and first in the ACC at 203.7 rushing yards per game, Tech began last season in strikingly similar fashion to this one.
The ‘23 Jackets had six more rushing attempts for 4.4 more yards per game than their ‘24 counterparts. But the ‘24 team has one more rushing first down nine more rushing touchdowns than last year’s squad. This year’s Tech attack is gaining 4.9 yards per carry — same as the ‘23 unit.
Perhaps the one clue to this year’s slow start has been the absence of a consistent third ball carrier or backup running back. At this point in 2023, backup running back Trey Cooley had 41 carries for 216 yards and three touchdowns. Cooley has missed virtually all of this season after leaving the Florida State game Aug. 24 game with an unspecified injury.
A change of pace from starter Jamal Haynes, who has 152 fewer rushing yards so far this season through five games compared with last season, has been lacking. Freshmen Anthony Carrie and Trelain Maddox and sophomore Chad Alexander have combined for 232 rushing yards.
Perhaps, though, the matchup for Tech against Duke (5-0, 1-0 ACC) at 8 p.m. Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium could be fortuitous. The Blue Devils, despite a high number of tackles for loss as a team, rank 11th in the ACC in allowing 133 yards per game on the ground. Duke opponents have given up 26 runs of 10 yards or more.
And Duke’s past four foes have averaged 4.1 yards per carry.
“(Tech’s) very well-coached, they have a good scheme,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said Wednesday. “You really have to defend two plays against them: the play before the snap and then the play after the snap with changing pictures, so there’s a lot to look at. They have good players that play with a toughness.
“And then when you add the QB run-game element, now you have to defend an extra gap because the quarterback becomes an extra runner, that gives them an extra blocker in the run game. It’s a big stress on your defense and you have to decide if you need to go all-in on that then you are susceptible to some 1-on-1 shots down the field. They do a nice job of putting a lot of stress on you in a lot of different ways.”
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