Let us not insert clever puns or funny jokes here at the beginning of this article to describe the outcome of Thursday’s contest in Blacksburg, VA. Instead, let us call it what it is – Georgia Tech walked into Lane Stadium on Thursday night and showcased a beat down. A beat down, the likes of which the Virginia Tech faithful have not seen since 1974! Oh, and they did it with a backup quarterback under center.
Fast Analysis: Georgia Tech vs Virginia Tech
So how did Tech perform in their 49-28 victory against Virginia Tech? Let’s discuss in our eighth edition of Fast Analysis: Georgia Tech 2018.
First Half
Offense
When Georgia Tech took the field for their first offensive possession, it was not TaQuon Marshall running out on to the field, but Tobias Oliver, the redshirt freshman from Warner Robins, GA. Oliver has seen plenty of time this season with Marshall suffering injuries in multiple games; and some fans have thought Oliver should have been handed the reigns after the South Florida game. The time was not right though.
And that experience proved invaluable as Oliver took the field in hostile territory on Thursday night. Virginia Tech fans unfamiliar with the Georgia Tech football team probably thought Oliver was the starter from day one. Georgia Tech moved the ball at will in the first half against the Hokies.
Almost every drive for the Yellow Jackets in the first half resulted in a touchdown – with two exceptions. One, that gave Pressley Harvin III a reason to put on a jersey Thursday night, ended with Virginia Tech’s Sean Savoy fumbling the ball on the Hokies 12 yard line. For once a special teams fumble went in favor of Georgia Tech! The other exception was the end of the first half – which we won’t count.
Forget Fox Sports or ESPN, Last Word on Sports has a quick recap of Georgia Tech’s first half possessions. Readers will notice that Georgia Tech’s four, first-half Touchdown drives averaged 58.5 yards!
- 12 plays, 75 yards, TOUCHDOWN
- 11 plays, 75 yards, TOUCHDOWN
- Six plays, 24 yards, PUNT (Fumble recovered by Georgia Tech)
- Two plays, 12 yards, TOUCHDOWN
- Nine plays, 72 yards, TOUCHDOWN
At the end of the first half, Georgia Tech had rushed for 234 yards and attempted one, incomplete pass. Oliver’s incomplete pass to Brad Stewart in the second quarter would register as the only pass attempt of the game for Georgia Tech.
At halftime, three different Georgia Tech players had found the end zone. Tobias Oliver led the charge with two touchdowns and 100+ rushing yards. Georgia Tech entered the locker room with the lead 28-21.
First half = 2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣ rushing yards and 4️⃣ touchdowns 🙌#TogetherWeSwarm #GTvsVT pic.twitter.com/4Y4yQcqnFx
— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) October 26, 2018
Defense
The first quarter was a shoot-out. Even several minutes in to the second quarter, it appeared as though the team that had the ball last was going to win the game. But Nate Woody would find his defense’s rhythm sometime in the last 10 minutes of the second quarter.
Ryan Willis looked impressive in the first half for Virginia Tech. Georgia Tech’s defense had no answer for the Kansas transfer – especially in the first quarter. Virginia Tech’s two scoring drives took a total of 158 seconds. Willis and company were firing on all cylinders.
After Virginia Tech’s longest touchdown drive of the game, four minutes and 45 seconds, Georgia Tech’s defense would settle in and force Virginia Tech to give their punter some work for the remainder of the half.
Special Teams
It should be pointed out how much progress has been made by Georgia Tech’s special teams since the fiasco that was the first half of the South Florida game. Virginia’s Tech bread and butter throughout the years has been their special teams units – HELLO, “Beamer Ball.” That was not the case Thursday night.
Georgia Tech did not allow Virginia Tech’s special teams to put their mark on this contest. Lamar Owens and the special teams staff have made impressive adjustments in the second half of the season.
Wesley Wells made every extra point attempt in the first half – a major piece that was missing in the first month of the season. At this point, Wells has solidified himself as the go-to kicker moving forward.
Second Half
Offense
Fans who were afraid that Georgia Tech could not maintain their momentum in the second half quickly had those fears put to rest. Tobias Oliver and the offense mounted another 75 yard touchdown drive to open the second half.
Bud Foster is well-known for his defensive prowess, but his impressive knowledge concerning that side of the ball was absent Thursday night in Blacksburg. Foster was quoted after the game saying “They won the line scrimmage and manhandled us tonight.” That is one way to put it, coach.
Georgia Tech’s second-half offensive production would proceed as follows:
- 10 plays, 75 yards, TOUCHDOWN
- Eight plays, 64 yards, TOUCHDOWN
- Six plays, 11 yards, PUNT
- Six plays, 28 yards, TOUCHDOWN
- Seven plays, 52 yards, END OF GAME
The Georgia Tech sideline had much to celebrate on Thursday. At the end of regulation, Georgia Tech had 78 rushing attempts for 465 yards! The 465 rushing yards were 99 yards above the Yellow Jacket’s 2018 rushing average. The average of 366 rushing yards per game was already good enough to give Georgia Tech sole possession of first place in rushing offense.
ROAD WARRIORS! Final from Blacksburg: #GaTech 49, Virginia Tech 28! #TogetherWeSwarm #GTvsVT pic.twitter.com/oHIj5nsAtD
— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) October 26, 2018
Tobias Oliver had a career night! That is meant to be a joke of sorts given the length of Oliver’s career. Oliver would take possession of first place for most rushing yards for the Yellow Jackets this season (660). His numbers on Thursday would also put him in the Georgia Tech record books.
Oliver carried the ball 40 times for 215 yards and three touchdowns. That would make Oliver the second quarterback in Georgia Tech history to rush for over 200 yards in a single game. “Who is the other quarterback?” you might be asking. He was in the stadium, on the Georgia Tech sideline, possibly watching his starting quarterback position literally running away from him. That’s right – TaQuon Marshall. Marshall rushed 44 times for 249 yards and five touchdowns in 2017 against Tennessee in week one.
It will be interesting to see how the quarterback position battle will play out through the rest of the season. But this writer believes Oliver will carry the torch moving forward.
Defense
Georgia Tech’s defense would also carry over their late first half success to the second half of play. The only touchdown recorded by Virginia Tech in the second half came with under four minutes left in the fourth quarter. A miscue that Nate Woody will hopefully address before Georgia Tech takes on North Carolina on November 3rd.
Charlie Thomas, the true freshman, has played exceptionally well since taking over more duties due to injury. Thomas would lead the team in total tackles on Thursday with nine, and would also record the only sack of the game for Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech mood pic.twitter.com/jqlAcvqG2o
— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) October 26, 2018
Georgia Tech’s defense would only allow 84 total yards in the second half. The adjustments made at halftime were more than impressive. For contrast, Virginia Tech’s offense gained 234 yards and scored three touchdowns in the first half.
The defense would give up 332 yards of offense against the Hokies. For Virginia Tech, that is 104.8 yards shy of their season average of 436.8 yards per game. Job well done, Coach Woody and the defense.
Special Teams
Pressley Harvin III would see little work, again, on Thursday night. Harvin III was only called upon to fulfill his duties two times. It is safe to say that Harvin III is ok chilling on the sideline drinking Gatorade. Wesley Wells would successfully convert every PAT in the second half.
How Fans Are Feeling Now
Hopeful for the first time this season. Paul Johnson’s decision to start Tobias Oliver over the oft-injured TaQuon Marshall could be the move that guarantees him, at least, one more year on the Flats.
With a record of 4-4, and four games remaining in the season, if Georgia Tech can manage to win two out of the four and become bowl-eligible it will be hard for the administration to justify dismissing Johnson. Some fans will not want to hear that, and that is understandable. Georgia Tech has been an inconsistent team this season. But if Oliver can right the ship and propel the Yellow Jackets to a bowl game, Johnson stays.
The Yellow Jackets have North Carolina, Miami and Virginia left on their ACC schedule – with Georgia, SEC, closing out the season. North Carolina is the easiest opponent left to play, and after Thursday’s performance, Georgia Tech has to feel confident they can win all three remaining ACC games. And who knows what could happen in Athens if Georgia Tech enters with a four-game winning streak.
Who rushed for more yards in a single game than anyone in the ACC this season? This guy 👇pic.twitter.com/6mY2XyfWxr
— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) October 26, 2018
