South Carolina State @ Georgia Tech preview
Bobby Dodd Stadium
No. 16 Georgia Tech isn’t being picked to repeat as Atlantic Coast Conference champions after losing four juniors to the NFL. However, if there’s one player the Yellow Jackets won’t have trouble replacing, it’s running back Jonathan Dwyer and his 1,395 rushing yards.
No knock against Dwyer, but the guy who waited behind him might be better. Anthony Allen, a senior who transferred from Louisville in 2008, averaged a ridiculous 9.7 yards on 64 carries last year, scoring seven touchdowns in limited duty.
Saturday’s opener against South Carolina State will be his coming-out party.
Allen (6-0, 229) brings a rare mixture of power and speed and is a perfect fit for coach Paul Johnson’s option attack. Allen and senior quarterback Joshua Nesbitt, who accounted for 28 touchdowns rushing and passing, lead an offense that figures to lead the ACC in rushing and scoring again.
The Bulldogs are one of the top teams in the FCS, having won back-to-back Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference titles. Last year their only regular-season loss came at South Carolina. Senior quarterback Malcolm Long completed 65 percent of his throws while throwing for 2,502 yards and 20 scores last season.
But in essence this is a tuneup for Georgia Tech, which travels to Kansas and North Carolina in the next two weeks. That stretch is part of a brutal road schedule that includes visits to Clemson, Virginia Tech and archrival Georgia.
Fans are especially eager to see the 3-4 defense installed by new coordinator Al Groh. The longtime defensive guru was hired after last season, when Tech’s inability to prevent big plays led to the firing of Dave Wommack.
Coaches will be looking to see which outside linebackers and defensive ends can get to the quarterback. No returning player had more than three sacks last year, and Derrick Morgan, who led the ACC with 12.5 sacks, now plays for the Tennessee Titans.
As usual, Tech is loaded with speedy runners. This game is a chance for Johnson to get them all some touches.
After Allen, look for Roddy Jones (6.5 yards per carry), Marcus Wright (5.8) and Embry Peeples (5.5) to run wild behind a solid offensive line that’s deeper than last year.
In Johnson’s previous two openers at Georgia Tech, the Jackets hammered inferior competition while putting on a show for the home crowd. That isn’t like to change Saturday.