Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 2010 NCAA Football Preview, Schedule, Odds, and Predictions: It only took head football Coach Paul Johnson two years to win an Atlantic Coast Conference title with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The Yellow Jackets averaged over 300 yards a game on the ground and passed just enough to keep the defense on its toes on its way through the ACC with the Miami Hurricanes as their only conference defeat. They outscored the Clemson Tigers in the ACC Championship game 39-34 a feat their porous defense made them often do to win.
Johnson brought in experience defensive coordinator Al Groh who has installed a 3-4 attacking scheme to stop the bleeding of 6.1 yards per play the defense game up last season. “Al is a great football coach. I think our players our excited about the direction. (Last year) we struggled to stop the run. We struggled in getting the other team off the field.” Coach Paul Johnson quoted on his hiring of Al Groh. Vegas odds makers have the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets +5000 odds to win the 2011 BCS National Championship.
Offensively senior quarterback Josh Nesbit returns with an outside shot at the Heisman Trophy if the Yellow Jackets have an outstanding season and BCS bowl berth. Nesbit, primarily running the option, had a double double last year with 1,701 passing yards and 1,037 rushing yards also accounting for 18 touchdowns. Being more familiar with the offense he should be even more productive this season. Anthony Allen will carry most of the load at B-back this year and has the size and speed to have a 1,000 yard rushing season. The Yellow Jackets lost three starters on the O-line but have a bevy of talent with game experience to step in and excel immediately. The odds makers at SBG Global have the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets +900 to win the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Defensively the team will improve under coordinator Al Groh who brings experience on both the collegiate and professional level. The line seems to be responding to the new 3-4 scheme and should produce more quarterback pressure this year. The linebackers are the most athletic and led by Brad Jefferson and Steven Sylvester on the inside charged with stopping the run. The secondary has depth with a couple of talented freshmen Ryan Ayers and Louis Young to help out. The odds makers at BetUS have the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets middle number listed at over/under 8 wins for the 2010 NCAAF regular season.
Coach Johnson has an offense that is tough to stop and with new defensive coordinator Al Groh on board the defense should not be a liability. I predict another 11 win season and a shot at a BCS bowl berth.
2010 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Football Schedule
Sat, Sept 4 vs South Carolina State 1:00 PM ET
Sat, Sept 11 @ Kansas 12:00 PM ET
Sat, Sept 18 @ #18 North Carolina 12:00 PM ET
Sat, Sept 25 vs North Carolina State TBD
Sat, Oct 2 @ Wake Forest TBD
Sat, Oct 9 vs Virginia TBD
Sat, Oct 16 vs Middle Tennessee TBD
Sat, Oct 23 @ Clemson TBD
Thu, Nov 4 @ #10 Virginia Tech 7:30 PM ET
Sat, Nov 13 vs #13 Miami (FL) TBD
Sat, Nov 20 vs Duke TBD
Sat, Nov 27 @ #23 Georgia TBD