TAMPA, Fla. — The Georgia Tech defense has been used to adversity this season.
On Friday, facing an early two-touchdown deficit, Tech rebounded again to eventually smother the high-powered Central Florida offense in the Yellow Jackets’ 30-17 win at the Gasparilla Bowl.
An interception by defensive back Ahmari Harvey sealed the double-digit victory with just 1:28 left in the fourth quarter in Tampa.
“If that wasn’t the capsule of our entire season, and the way that they’ve just kept fighting and kept fighting,” coach Brent Key said.
It was an impressive feat for defensive coordinator Kevin Sherrer, who took sole ownership of the defense nearly three months ago. Tech entered the game ranked 119th in the country after giving up 438.2 points per game, but were able to limit UCF’s seventh-ranked offense to 17 points.
Sherrer had served as co-defensive coordinator with Andrew Thacker, who was reassigned to safeties coach in early October and later demoted to off-field duties this month.
“There was a lot of ups and downs happen throughout the course of the season, you know, changing coaches was kind of crazy,” defensive lineman Horace Lockett said. “But we did pull together as a defense and let that not distract us and kept going.”
During the first quarter, it seemed Tech was in for another long game, as UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee torched the defense for 97 yards and two touchdowns. Plumlee routinely found the wide receiver duo of Kobe Hudson and Javon Baker, who finished the game with 173 yards and a touchdown. Knights running back RJ Harvey added 120 yards on the ground.
The Jackets gave up 243 yards on UCF’s first four drives, including 17 points on the first three. Still, they found themselves close thanks to a missed field-goal attempt and a forced fumble by Lockett, which helped change the momentum.
By halftime, the score was tied 17-17, and Tech never looked back.
On UCF’s last seven possessions, they gained 181 yards and never scored. The Jackets also stopped the Knights on fourth down, twice. Key said his team made adjustments and the players trusted the plan.
“The first two drives we were kind of nervous, worried about messing up too much,” Lockett added. “We had to realize that this was a good team we were playing, but we have played a good game before, we have been down before. So we knew what we had to do, came together as a defense and just (get) locked in.”
A three-headed rushing attack leads the way
Similar to the defense, Tech’s offense started slowly but found its footing as the game progressed.
The Jackets eventually finished the game with 284 yards rushing, led by running backs Dontae Smith and Jamal Haynes, as well as quarterback Haynes King.
Smith rushed for 65 yards in his final game with the Jackets, while Haynes rushed for 128 yards and earned the MVP award. Quarterback Haynes King had only 87 yards passing, but it didn’t matter. He added another 89 on the ground.
Toward the end of the game, Tech couldn’t be stopped. They finished by running the ball on their final 23 plays.
“Just seeing the O-line come out of halftime with a different mindset and we get the run going,” Smith said. “The rest of the game took care of itself.”
“This is a moment I’ll never forget,” he added.
