Georgia Tech

 After weeks of building up, you finally have the courage to ask out the gorgeous girl that sits two rows over and one seat up. As you hold your breath after somehow stringing together two somewhat cogent sentences with infinitely more umms than your endless mirror practice; she says “Sure!”, and you float to third period. In the ensuing three days, higher powers decide that this is a perfect time for acne to explode across your forehead. Then while attempting to open a door for your dreamgirl, you lose track of the basic tenants of walking upright, and stumble to the ground. As the bill arrives, you proudly and deftly grab the check and open up your wallet and immediately and horrifically recall that you let your bff borrow your only credit card yesterday. Despite this cascade of self inflicted idiocy, somehow this glorious batch of perfected DNA says yes, she would love to go out with you again next Friday. 

Our boys and their well paid color coded chaperones did absolutely everything they could to self flagellate themselves yesterday, but somehow we are more in love than ever. On your first possession, you matriculate into the opponent territory and then on third and fourth down, just drop easy throws to thwart a drive. Get it back, and drive the length of the field and get inside the five. Nope, you can not have nice things…and call two timeouts because your receiving corps cannot figure out the play call, and then spit up your pudding and fumble from the 7 inch line while forcing your qb to race 75 yards and tackle the rambling wrecker while he gets a finger in his eye socket saving a touchdown. In a home stadium that was the quietest it has been in years, our OL had multiple presnap infractions. And, oh boy, let’s talk about special teams and our halftime “adjustments”. We have locker room adjusted into four straight lightning quick touchdowns allowed after halftime, but this week since we were supposed to get the ball first, we had to dig deep into the Holiday tree of giving to devise a way to keep this four game streak in tact. Let’s stare at an onside kick like it is covered in anthrax, and let Tech take it from us. Then a team that had two first downs in five possessions just sprints into the end zone like the ‘99 Rams. And yet….through all the above, our beloved white helmeted warriors just obliterated an ACC team and made us start to believe that an 8 or 9 win season is in sight.

This offense has rushed for 200 plus in three straight games. Three straight not against the defensive dregs of the conference but NC State, Clemson and GT. Someone may want to whisper that the line improves when the starting RT went out and Washington entered, but the holes were there and when they weren’t, Trey Benson ran through any bodies in the way. We are also watching LT grow up as a complete back given the extra time that the Ward injury opened up. His value as a slot receiver has become crazy. In that spot, he almost single-handedly brought us back against NC State, and this week, he broke open the game for good after Jordan hit him on a dime which turned into a splash TD. The Travis toss to Douglas on the run was also a snickerdoodle in the sunshine. And we have not mentioned the puzzle in a pigsty dressed like a prince that is Johnny Wilson. He makes a unbelievable grab on a short toss early. He saves a drive with a redonk back shoulder throw on the sideline on third and an Uber. Big 14 studder-stepped his way to a grab and go 78 yard paydirt payoff and we all gasped. But, every game he drools into his spitcup, and this week it was a  great touchdown throw that blew through his size 15 mitts. Maybe we should be rooting for some level of inadequacy so he stays in the 850 for another year,  but I think that ship has sailed, so let’s just hope for greatness this season. 

Methinks that zero is a big number. After watching opposing teams run through the middle for the last 7 weeks, having Fabian back this week was huge. The 24 yards on 24 plays in the first half was a testament to his health and a rejuvenated Jared Verse. When Verse has this kind of juice, he completely dominates his edge. He was doubled on most pass plays, and still impacted on every down. We were fortunate enough have plenty of lopsided down and distance situations in this one and what Coach Fuller chose to employ here mystified me. He had Cooper, Fabian, and Verse as a three man front (only one of which can truly pass rush) and then passively sat back in a terrible man zone combo that consistently allowed 2/3 of the yards on the pass, and hoped for a quick tackle. Fortunately, one Techster - uncovered - floated out of bounds. Two other easy conversions the home team was bailed out by penalty. At some point, we have to be able to mix in an effective zone coverage or the turnover battle will be unwinnable. Since our defensive backs don’t turn around in coverage, the only way to get a pick is to face the ball in a zone. Our last successful zone execution was the interception at Louisville. Our inability to function in a basic zone drop is going to bring a boatload of man-beating crossing patterns and back shoulder frustrations. Too much safety and corner talent to be this poor this late. 

Don.t look now kids, but our maligned kicker is on a hot streak. He has also looked solid on his extra points; short stride and banging it straight through. Not that we have ever needed a solid kicking performance against that green and orange bunch…but it is nice to see his confidence return. The next kickoff we return from inside the goal line should be a fireable offense for Papuchis. Not only are we incapable of making it to the 25, but we have an even shot of piling on a penalty which starts us out inside the 10. Great news if you are playing Georgia Tech and want to set passing yardage records for your QB, but might not be an answer against anyone wearing orange on our schedule. 

We have been pounding the drum all season about how far this program has come in one season. Winning our second ACC game with a drubbing when you made more mistakes than a cab driver in NYC attempting to recite Shakespeare is not a small feat. If we can find a way to 8 or (knock on wood) 9 wins this regular season with this level of talent, every Nole with a pulse should be thrilled about what is coming. Enjoy the stretch run friends!