Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
2010 record: 6-7 overall, 4-4 conference
2010 Bowl Game: 14-7 loss to Air Force in the Independence Bowl
2010 ATS: 5-8
2010 O/U: 6-7
Returning starters: 11 total (6 on offense, 5 on defense)
Over the month of August, our team of writers will be previewing the top teams heading into an exciting 2011 campaign. The college football handicappers at Maddux Sports are also preparing and have season-long packages readily available for clients. Let’s take a look at a school that was recently slapped by the NCAA and stripped of its 2009 ACC title during the offseason.
Offense
Head coach Paul Johnson’s spread offense continues to pile up the yards and finished the 2010 campaign leading the nation. Georgia Tech became the first ACC school to accomplish that feat.
Quite a disparity in numbers is found when examining the unit, as it averaged just 83.9 yards through the air, which ironically enough was last in college football. The coaching staff could care less due to having a running back named first team All-ACC in each of the last four years.
Senior A-Back Roddy Jones is likely to continue the school’s streak of having a 1,000-yard rusher for a sixth consecutive season, as he’s averaged 7.46 yards on 186 carries over his three years in the offense.
Junior quarterback Tevin Washington is the most likely choice to orchestrate Johnson’s option attack, starting the final four games of the 2010 campaign. He will need to improve his accuracy to maintain that spot for the entire season, as he connected on just 41 percent of his passes last year.
Defense
Defensive coordinator Al Groh comes back for a second year and hopes his 3-4 defensive scheme improves upon a lackluster year. The Yellow Jackets lacked playmaking ability last year and allowed opponents to rack up 371.6 yards a game.
An experienced defensive line is expected to be a strength and will allow a linebacking core led by Julian Burnett to roam free. Burnett made 89 tackles last year, but is also someone that lacks the necessary speed to run sideline to sideline.
The front seven’s success is critical in protecting a secondary that lost all four starters, but does have some experience.
Special Teams
Placekicker Justin Moore has huge shoes to fill in replacing Scott Blair, who ended up handling all three kicking responsibilities during the 2010 season. He played in the first two games last season, but didn’t see the field from that point on.
Senior Chandler Anderson is the most likely option at punter and has starting experience. He has accumulated 2,000 punting yards with eight boots of 50 yards or longer.
Johnson has been quoted during the offseason that he’s placing an emphasis on improving a kickoff and punt return team that ranked 97th in both categories a year ago.
Against the Spread
Despite costing bettors at the window last year, Georgia Tech is always a great source for winning money, as the team is 21-14-1 ATS during the Johnson era. The Yellow Jackets are 8-4 ATS as a road underdog over the last three years.
Bet On
Watch the college football lines page closely when the team heads off for a second consecutive road game against Miami (FL) on October 22. The squad will test its 6-0 ATS mark in the second of back-to-back road games in that contest.
Fade Away
Alumni are tired of throwing away money when playing rival Georgia on the road, failing to cover the number in six consecutive tries.
