Mike London & Company gear up for every game, but this one has that extra special something to it.

It’s Homecoming!!! Just kidding.

Georgia Tech is playing some very impressive ball recently, so much so they are ranked 12th in the nation, and are a perfect 6-0 so far. One could make the argument that the teams they have beaten are not all that impressive. Western Carolina, Middle Tennessee, and Kansas have not but up much of a fight. The ACC teams have been solid (UNC, NC State, and Maryland) but are not the top teams in the conference. This week they will face a UVa team with 2 weeks to get ready, on the road, in our Homecoming game, and with extra motivation.  So let’s get to our breakdown.

Coaching

Paul Johnson blah blah Navy blah blah brought in the Triple Option. We all know that is not the story. The real story this week is the return of Al Groh to Charlottesville for the first time since he left the head coaching job with the Wahoos. And while Paul Johnson will be front in center, all eyes will be on GTs defensive coordinator.

Offense

This team lives and dies by the Triple Option. Each year they are tops in the country in rushing yards per game and so far this season they are 4th with 360.5 yards per game. What has made them dangerous this year in the incorporation of the passing game as the ‘fourth option’. Now they are only 95th with 193 yards per game, and while new QB Tevin Washington started off hot, as the schedule got harder, his passing stats have decreased. He still has 10 passing TDs to 2 INTs, but his primary role is facilitating the option run, where his rushing yards are steadily increasing. The other players in the rushing game are Orwin Smith (464 yards, 8 TDs), David Sims (432 yards, 3 TDs), and Roddy Jones (226 yards, 2 TDs). Their one big play receiver is Stephen Hill (552 yards, 4 TDs). In addition to gaining steady yards on the ground, Johnson loves to go for it on 4th down and short regardless of where they are on the field, so getting to them early on  in drives will be paramount.

Defense

Al Groh’s famous 3-4 defense is still being cultivated, but has improved slightly. They are 53rd in points against this year with 24.2 points per game and around 343 yards a game. But when you have an offense like the Yellow Jackets do, that’s all you need. ILB Julian Burnett and Safety Isaiah Johnson are the top tacklers on the team and OLB Jeremiah Attaochu is the leading sacker on the team, which is not surprising, as a majority of the pressure comes from the Linebackers in the 3-4. What is surprising about this team, as with most, is they tend to get worn down the longer they are on the field, and the 2nd and 4th quarters have been the defense’s windfall all year and have kept the ACC teams in position to win, especially in the running game, one thing the Hoos can do well. We saw in the UNC and Maryland game that if you can gain a few first downs on the ground, you can grind back into games.

How Virginia Wins

It might look like a Herculean task, but every team has flaws and Georgia Tech really showed their hand the the past 3 games. First off you have to stop the triple option on first and second down. Long third downs of 7 yards or more will force GT to try to pass the ball, which is not their strong suit. Secondly, you have to match running game with running game. This will keep the Yellow Jacket offense off the field and will wear down the defense so that you can take advantage as the game goes along. Lastly, you have to weather the storm early.  There is a learning curve in stoping the triple option, especially now that Washington can throw the ball, but GT outscores opponents 87-17 in the first quarter and 74-14 in the 3rd. So look for the Jackets to have two scoring spurts during the game. If the Hoos can limit the damage, they can have an opportunity late to pull out a win.

How Virginia Loses

Under the Mike London era, the Hoos don’t like ‘scheme’ teams. They seem to do worse against the Spread, End Around Speed Options, and the Triple Option teams. This usually leads to a lot of early points, the Cavs can not match. And if the Hoos give up a ton of points early, I don’t think they have the firepower to go point for point. On that same note, if Virginia abandons the run in favor of the pass to play catch up, it will lead to short drives that will do more harm than good. Lastly, if the Hoos can not defend the pass in man to man, Tech will jump all over the 7 men in the box and grind out first downs.

Predictions

It will be a very emotional day. Regardless of your feelings for how Al Groh left his coaching legacy at UVa, he bleeds Orange and Blue. He is one of our own and should be treated as such. On the field, it is not that we haven’t seen the triple option before, and with 2 weeks to prepare we should be better than most. But while I think the Hoos can stay in the game, the 8.5 point spread for GT is probably generous for UVa, and it even has moved down to 7 as of today. Look for it to be heavily favoring Tech at halftime, with the Hoos coming back in the 2nd half to make it a game, but GT pulling it out late. Georgia Tech 34, UVa 21.