This year’s upcoming season of mediocre-to-slightly-above-average college football in Hotlanta will not be enough to distract Ramblin’ Wreck fans from the fact that they are on probation for four years and just had the 2009 ACC Championship stripped and vacated.
I’ve always said stripping of titles and wins are pointless. They may be removed from the media guides and programs, but they won’t be erased from our collective memories. Yet in this instance, vacating a title actually might have some teeth. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets don’t celebrate conference titles very often. The ’09 conference crown was their first since 1990, when they won a share of the national title.
Of course, it is the ACC. And winning that conference is kind of like being the richest man in Detroit. Not the richest man in Joliet, IL (that would be the Sun Belt Champion). But anyways, GT avoided any major problems like being taken off television or being ineligible for bowl games, so they have that going for them. Which is nice.
2010 was: mediocre and blah. But it was also BORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRING as they ran an offense that fits right in with Army and Navy. It’s fitting because Tech went 6-7, losing to Air Force in their bowl game. Maybe they should leave the ACC and become independents with the service academies. They have similar colors and all run the same system. The Jackets finished one spot from dead last in the nation in passing offense. Running their triple-option, the need to pass didn’t come up very much. They also finished 114th in punting, so they might want to fix that issue this year.
BMOCs: “Welcome to Atlanta, where the playaz play and we ride on dem things like every day.” QB Synjyn Days, a redshirt freshman who is elusive, with home run threat speed. The dual threat could push junior Tevin Washington for the starting gig, maybe. But this offense is all about the ball-carriers, and Hoddy Jones looks like he’ll be the real deal. The OL is led by Jay Finch; one of the finer Centers in the college game. WR Stephen Hill, should the Yellow Jackets ever actually pass, is a stud.
2011 will be fruitful if: Al Groh’s 3-4 scheme takes hold and the players buy in. Groh has a ton of coaching pedigree, but Tech gave up at least 20 points to every non mid-major team they faced in 2010. LBs Julian Burnett and Jeremiah Attaochu will be the bellwethers. The secondary will break in four new starters, so it’s on the front seven to make it happen and pick up the slack.
2011 will be awful if: The inexperienced OL fails to open up running lanes, and pass protect the 7 times a season that the Jackets throw the ball. But I believe in Paul Johnson, and his program didn’t get hit that hard by NCAA sanctions. It was a typical case of the cover-up was worse than the crime. Had they complied better, this would have been much easier.
Bottom Line: In the ACC anyone can go 6-6, since the conference is a crapfest. (But hey, at least it’s not as bad as the Big East). Tech has one of my all time favorite fight songs by the way. And how awesome is it that they use the phrase “Go to hell Georgia” in it?
GT Rankings: #50 Athlon, #46 Lindy’s, #54 Phil Steele
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Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports You can follow him on Twitter