Georgia Tech bests Jacksonville State in home opener
Turnover-touchdown-repeat. And then repeat again. This was the winning sequence Georgia Tech used to pull out a victory over visiting Jacksonville State on Saturday.
Tech took care of business on Saturday in Atlanta. They bested a good Jacksonville State team 37-10 in a contest that felt much closer than that score suggests. The Yellow Jackets used a trio of touchdowns, born of turnovers, to pull away from the visitors, who had played them quite evenly until the middle of the 3rd quarter.
Coach Paul Johnson complimented the team from Alabama. “They are a really good team. I don’t see them losing many in the Ohio Valley Conference this year.”
Johnson expressed plain old relief that this game was behind him, and marked with a “W”. He was concerned about his team’s ability to play well on just 4 days rest after a Labor Day double-overtime loss to Tennessee that was draining mentally and physically. Johnson noted “Early on it looked like we were playing in sand. Maybe some of our guys had been reading their press clippings.”
Whatever the cause, his squad shook off the threat beginning late in the 2nd quarter. It was then that Lawrence Austin picked of a Bryant Horn pass along Tech’s left sideline. Moments later, Tech QB TaQuon Marshall found Ricky Jeune in the end zone, giving Tech a narrow halftime lead of 10-7.
In the third quarter, Tech struck twice, again following turnovers. The first was an interception by Step Durham. The second was an unforced fumble by JSU quarterback Horn. The resulting scores included another TD pass to Jeune, and one to JJ Green as well. Freshman B Back Jerry Howard then broke free for 65 yard touchdown gallop, completing a 20 point 3rd quarter for Tech, and putting the game away at 30-10.
The Tech offense that had been so smooth and productive against Tennessee 5 days earlier was nowhere to be found. The Yellow Jackets sputtered early, with missed assignments and penalties. “It was ridiculous” said Johnson.
That Tech was able to pull away was due to the air game displayed by Marshall and his mates. Tech’s quarterback credited his line and his receivers for the success. But Johnson was quick to defuse any notion that this air game would become a bigger part of the offense. When asked same, he said simply, “No.”
Both Marshall and Johnson noted that JSU’s stout defense pinched inside hard to halt the ground game parade that plowed through Tennessee’s defense earlier in the week. Not until B back Jerry Howard’s long TD run did the run game produce.
It was a beautifully sunny September afternoon that graced Bobby Dodd Stadium for Tech’s home opener this Saturday. The steady breeze, delightful to fans and annoying to offensive coordinators, was a solemn reminder to all that our neighbors to the south are bracing for a bad blow in the name of Hurricane Irma. The same storm may affect the schedule, as the Yellow Jackets are slated to travel to Orlando next Saturday to play UCF. That game time and place may be in play depending on which path Irma takes through the Sunshine State this weekend.