KirVonte's crazy day
It was the best of times and the worst of times—or maybe just a tale of two situations—for Georgia Tech B-back KirVonte Benson this past Saturday against Pittsburgh. Benson established a rushing record for Georgia Tech B-backs in the Paul Johnson era, going for 196 yards on 29 carries. He also scored two touchdowns, one on a 47 yard romp.
On the down side, Benson lost three fumbles which diluted the effect of all that production and earned the frustration of his coach. In so doing, Benson personified the potential beauty, and risk, of Georgia Tech’s spread option offense. When it’s clicking, the offense can be amazingly and relentlessly productive. But when there’s a hiccup, the hurdles created can seem extra-problematic. And turnovers are the prime hiccup.
On Saturday, Tech defense played so well that the team’s total of four turnovers did not yield points for Pittsburgh. However, they did prevent the Yellow Jackets from putting the game safely away earlier in the day. And, as Johnson noted, against a better team, turnovers can cost a win.
Johnson praised his B-back’s effort, noting that “KirVonte ran hard.” But he also said that perhaps 29 carries was a few more than Benson might optimally have during a game. And like most coaches, Johnson clearly believes that fumbles such as these result from less than full focus, and can be remedied by a greater commitment to ball security.
To his credit, Benson has grabbed the B-back position and made it his own. Just a few weeks ago, Tech fans were worried about the sudden loss of Dedrick Mills, last year’s leading rusher. Mills landed in junior college in Kansas following his dismissal from the Tech squad in August. Just five weeks later, sophomore Benson has gone over a hundred yards in two of three games, and become an effective blocker.
Now about those turnovers….