The scope of injuries and unavailable players that waylaid Georgia Tech prior to its 23-13 loss to N.C. State on Saturday wasn’t fully known until hours before kickoff.
As it particularly hit the Yellow Jackets defense, it required coach Geoff Collins, defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker and the staff to shuffle pieces around as kickoff approached.
“We got ready for our walk-through and pregame and made some adjustments before our pregame meal,” Thacker said Monday.
Among those particularly realigned was junior linebacker Charlie Thomas, who played defensive end for the first time in his career. Thomas has mostly played nickel back this season, but has been listed at linebacker for the past two games. Thomas only learned of his new assignment on Saturday, then went on to play 25 snaps there against the Wolfpack. Thacker called him unique for being able to play in pass coverage, rush the passer and play inside the box, as well as being one of the team’s better tacklers.
“Really pleased, really proud of him, really neat example of selflessness,” Thacker said.
Thacker said that Thomas got a crash course before the game from himself and defensive ends/outside linebackers coach Marco Coleman.
Thacker said that it was “amazing” what Thomas was able to apply from his quick tutorial, as well as perhaps from his memory of his time as a rush linebacker for former defensive coordinator Nate Woody in 2018.
“He is as cerebral, in terms of football intelligence, of a kid as we have,” Thacker said.
2. After defensive ends Jordan Domineck, Curtis Ryans and Chico Bennett, cornerback Tre Swilling and safety/nickel back Kaleb Oliver were unavailable for Saturday’s game for unspecified reasons, Thacker said that “we’re preparing to have everyone back and available” for Thursday’s home game against Pittsburgh.
Asked about his team’s overall health situation, which would include running back Jahmyr Gibbs and wide receiver Ahmarean Brown, Collins did not answer the question directly, as he typically does not address injuries.
“Obviously, any time that you lose guys, whether it be short notice, game day, whatever the case may be, obviously, the health and safety and well being of all our guys is first and foremost the thing that we care about,” Collins said.
3. Tech found out only hours before Saturday’s 4 p.m. kickoff that more of its players were unavailable. The team does not comment on injuries or how many or which players were unable to play due to COVID-related reasons. But coaches’ explanation that they did not find out until game day that additional players were unavailable most likely means that a player or players were ruled out after they developed coronavirus symptoms on Saturday after arrival in Raleigh, N.C., following ACC protocol. That would also have sidelined teammates or staff identified through contact tracing.
Players and staff are permitted to travel to a road game only after COVID-19 tests taken on Thursday are found negative.
4. Offensive coordinator Dave Patenaude’s frustration with the offense’s false starts was obvious when he addressed the topic. In accepting responsibility for the mistakes, Patenaude said he can tolerate penalties made after the snap, like holding, but “I can’t live with pre-snap penalties that are unforced errors.”
Tech was called for four false starts against N.C. State, including twice when the Jackets were on the Wolfpack 1-yard line, which led to the Jackets settling for a field goal. The Jackets have been called for 24 false starts this season compared to 16 for their opposition.
A snap issue was part of the problem Saturday.
“When you get down in there (in the red zone) and you’re clapping (for the ball) and the center’s snapping and you’re trying to be fast-paced, it’s a different tempo than when you’re in the course of the game,” Patenaude said. “Everything gets sped up a little bit and the combination of the quarterback calling the play, calling for the ball, the center snapping it and everybody being choreographed in a rhythm of a quicker play got thrown of and we jumped offsides.”
5. Collins said that wide receiver Marquez Ezzard is out for the season and had surgery on Monday. Ezzard caught nine passes for 124 yards and also returned seven punts for 55 yards. This was Ezzard’s first season playing after sitting out the 2019 season following his transfer from Miami.
Collins also confirmed that defensive end Antonneous Clayton had opted out for the remainder of the season. Clayton made that announcement last week, citing mental-health reasons.
“Love him, support him and are with him every step of the way,” Collins said of Clayton. “So those are two guys that won’t finish the season with us playing ball, but we love them, care about them and we’ll be supporting them throughout the process of them returning.”
6. Tech’s placekicking appears to be on more secure ground. Kicker Gavin Stewart was 2-for-2 against N.C. State (from 26 and 22 yards) and now has made nine consecutive point-after tries and is 20-for-22 overall. The field goals were Tech’s first since the season opener after the Jackets had missed three in the intervening games. Stewart made the kicks out of the hold of kickoff specialist Austin Kent, as Collins couldn’t use either of his first two options – punter Pressley Harvin and quarterback Tucker Gleason. It was Kent’s first time holding in a game, Collins said.
“I was proud of Gavin, the way he nailed two down the stretch,” Collins said. “The holder situation, it is what it is. I was proud of Austin Kent stepping up as a holder when he’s never done that in a game and was really proud of him. Hopefully that situation, on Thursday night, we’ll get some guys back to do that who’ve done it before.”
7. Collins gave his support for the athletic department’s furlough plan for full-time staff, one that will call for him (and all staff making $154,000 or more) to take 29 furlough days between now and July 31, 2021 as part of a cost-saving measure. Collins will give up 11.15% of his $3.1 million salary, or $345,650.
“The one thing I will say with all this going on around the world with unemployment, people’s health (issues) – the thing that you’ve got to be thankful for is that myself, my family (are) healthy, have a job that we love,” he said. “I’m blessed every single day that I get to come to work, I get to coach these guys that I’m so lucky that I get to coach on a daily basis.”
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