Georgia Tech hosted Boston College for its homecoming game and won over the Eagles. The Yellow Jackets fell at home and were dominated. What were the biggest takeaways from the loss? We take a deeper look.
1. Georgia Tech's run defense gets obliterated
Boston College ran the RPO to perfection. The Eagles averaged 8.6 yards per carry in the first half, and finished with 121 rushing yards and a touchdown. Bo MaCormack rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown on eight carries in the first half. The second half somehow got worse. The Yellow Jackets couldn't stop a lot of misfits and reads.
The RPO was successful, handing it off to MacCormack or letting Mason McKenzie keep it. McKenzie also rattled off a 40-yard run in the third quarter. The Eagles did what they wanted in the run game, and with ease. Boston College finished with 343 rushing yards and four touchdowns. MacCormack had 158 yards and three touchdowns, and McKenzie had 166 yards and two touchdowns. The run-defense problem reared its ugly head again, and it was their worst performance all season.
2. The Yellow Jackets struggle to run the ball on offense
It is disappointing, especially after the run game was productive over the last few weeks. Earlier in the week, Coach Key said the offensive line had its best performance of the season against the Hokies. However, that wasn’t the case on homecoming. Georgia Tech's top running backs had just 2.3 yards per carry in the first half. Justice Haynes had 22 yards on nine carries, and Trelain Maddox 14 yards on six carries.
The second half was much the same, as Boston College stacked the box and made it hard for the Yellow Jackets to run the ball up the middle. As a team, Georgia Tech finished with just 108 yards on the ground
3. Georgia Tech WRs with too many drops
It started with Isaiah Fuhrmann dropping two early passes that affected drives. It only continued into the second half with more drops from wide receivers. The most egregious was a pass intended for Jaiven Plummer that was dropped and landed in the arms of Charlie Cornella.
For the most part this season, the Yellow Jackets' wide receivers have performed, but this game was one where they struggled and simply couldn’t get it done. The Yellow Jackets may have to try some different offensive options for who they get the ball to, especially with the surplus of drops in this game.
4. Is it time to move on from Jason Semore?
You can talk about injuries, young players, or even players having new roles as excuses, but simply put this Yellow Jackets defense hasn’t been good enough. They have struggled against the pass and run all season long. Last week it was the pass against Virginia Tech and Ethan Grunkmeyer who put on a show with Que’Sean Brown. Saturday was more of the same. They were torched for 346 ruhsing yards and four touchdowns.
The defense has regressed and every week it gets worse. There is no answers for what the opposing offense is doing each week. We didn’t even see last year under Blake Gideon the defense look like this and couldn’t stop a series of the same plays. They at least turned in good games, but we have seen regression and a defense getting picked apart. Coach Key isn’t one to make in-season changes at coordinator positions, but this one may be one to consider.
5. Tae Harris puts forth one of his best games of the season
While there is a lot of negative you can point at, there was a positive. One of the bright spots was Tae Harris. Harris is blossoming into a top defensive player, regardless of how things look as a whole for the team. Harris was all over the field on Saturday afternoon for the Yellow Jackets.
He had a sequence of plays where he really came on strong. One was a tackle for a loss in the backfield. The other was a key pass breakup on 3rd and long that forced a punt. Harris finished with seven tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup.
6. Jordan Allen and Dalen Penson Are Building Blocks
Some of the most consistent players this season for the Yellow Jackets on offense continue to be their two wide receivers who are breaking out. One is a cornerback turned wide receiver. The other is establishing himself as one of the top pass-catching options in the ACC.
We will start with Penson. I’m not sure why he doesn’t covet or garner more targets, especially early in games with how dynamic he is with the ball, but every time he touches it, a big play happens. He finished with five catches for 88 yards and a receiving touchdown. Allen turned in another solid game, finishing with four catches for 85 yards, including a 43-yard snag. While the season has been bad, the Yellow Jackets have to do everything in their power to try and keep these two players.
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