Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Recruiting Class Analysis | Schedule Analysis
– Georgia Tech Previews 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 7-6 overall, 5-3
Head Coach: Geoff Collins, 1st year
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE GEORGIA TECH OFFENSE
– Square peg, meet round hole. As the offense undergoes a transformation from an option attack to a more balanced overall conventional style, veteran offensive coordinator Dave Patenaude will have some work to do. The O averaged 409 yards and 34 points per game, but it was all around the nation’s best running game. And now comes the transformation.
– Step One … find a quarterback who can throw. The Yellow Jackets didn’t go the grad transfer route to find a dual-threat passer who might be a better fit, mostly because junior Lucas Johnson is handling things just fine. The 6-3, 215-pound junior can move, but he’s also has pro-style passing skills with good mid-range accuracy.
No one’s asking for Drew Brees right out of the gate, and it’s going to be a process, but there’s not a massive concern. Option quarterbacks James Graham and Tobias Oliver are each going to see time and a role in some way, but that will come in fall camp.
– Of course the running backs are in place. 212-pound sophomore Jordan Mason returns after leading all running backs with 659 yards and seven scores, and 215-pound junior Jerry Howard is back, too, after running for 564 yards and five touchdowns, Overall, this is a deep group that has to adjust, but can handle the changes. But …
– Now they all need a line to run behind. Losing G Parker Braun to Texas as a big blow, and there’s a whole lot of shuffling to be done in August to figure it all out, but the starting five will be fine. The depth, though, is a big issue with a rotation needing some work. At the very least, this group is athletic.
– Are the receivers in place to do more than block and hit the home run? Short answer … it’s a work in progress. Getting UConn grad transfer Tyler Davis is a huge help considering the position was all but ignored under Paul Johnson.
Senior Jalen Camp is the leading returning wideout – he caught 11 passes. Malachi Carter is a 6-3, 185-pound deep threat, and Miami transfer Marquez Ezzard adds another big 6-2 body to the equation … next year. Ezzard was denied immediate eligiblity.
