The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets suffered their first losing season under fourth-year head coach Paul Johnson and also failed to deliver a winning against-the-spread mark for the first time as well.
Johnson has accumulated a solid 21-14-1 ATS mark in his first three years in Atlanta and will continue to lean heavily on a running game that averaged 323.3 yards last year, which ended up leading the nation. The figure also broke an ACC single-season record.
This success has ultimately led to the school producing a 1000-yard rusher in each of the last five seasons, while a running back has been named first team All-ACC in each of the last four years.
Many questions are circling around campus heading into a new year, as the NCAA slapped the program with probation and took away its 2009 conference title. The school is in the process of preparing to appeal and any possible sanctions will not affect a possible bowl appearance this year.
Junior quarterback Tevin Washington is likely to run the offense heading into a opening week matchup against Western Carolina before heading off on the road to face a dangerous Middle Tennessee team.
Washington started the final four games of the 2010 campaign and is the logical choice in handing the ball off to a talented backfield. He will need to improve his accuracy to remain as the top dog, connecting on just 41 percent of his pass attempts last year.
The leader of the A-Back group this year in the backfield is Roddy Jones, who has rushed for nearly 1,400 career yards and averages an incredible 7.5 yards per carry. He will receive plenty of attention from opposing defenses, which will allow more room for the contingent at B-Back to run through.
Johnson expects the committee to produce 1,000 yards combined, as they replace star Anthony Allen from a year ago. Senior Preston Lyons will definitely be given a chance to make the position his own early on.
Defensively, the team really struggled to learn defensive coordinator Al Groh’s 3-4 defense, but the staff is confident that a year of experience will do the trick. The line is definitely a strength with three returning starters.
Most of the focus will be spent on filling the secondary slots, as the group welcomes back zero starters, but does have capable replacements. The unit’s pass defense was a strength last year, ranking fourth in the ACC and 34th nationally.
Don’t count out this program under Johnson’s leadership, especially with its propensity to win close games, posting an 11-2 mark in games decided by five points or less.
Georgia Tech has also posted a 33-17 record against conference opponents since a divisional format was created in 2005.