Georgia Tech should bring a pass-heavy attack against Miami's defense

How can Georgia Tech upset Miami on Saturday night?

Jackson Caudell | Oct 5, 2023

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Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Georgia Tech faces a stiff test on Saturday night against the No. 17 Miami Hurricanes. It is true that Miami has only played one respectable opponent this season and Georgia Tech could present some challenges, but the Hurricanes hold decisive advantages across the board in this matchup.

One of the biggest mismatches in this game is going to be Georgia Tech's running game against Miami's run defense. Miami has the top run defense in the country, holding opponents to an average of 48 YPG on the ground. Georgia Tech's running game ranks 55th in the country, but has been slowed to a halt. Against Bowling Green, Georgia Tech was only able to muster 69 yards on the ground and barely averaged 69 yards against one of the worst run defenses in the country. Against Wake Forest, they had a better day with 158 yards on the ground, but a lot of that came on the final drive of the game for the Yellow Jackets offense.

Jamal Haynes is still the third-leading rusher in the ACC and he is closing in on second. Haynes has 376 yards this season, trailing North Carolina's Omarion Hampton (383 yards) and Louisville's Jawhar Jordan (510 yards). Trey Cooley has been quiet the past two games and Georgia Tech will need him to get back to being an explosive part of the offense.

I am not an X's and O's expert, but I think that for Georgia Tech to have a shot at staying in this game and having a chance to shock the nation, they need to throw the ball and throw it often in this game.

GEORGIA TECH @ MIAMI pic.twitter.com/3QWgaAczLZ
— parker fleming (@statsowar) October 3, 2023

Now, I am not saying that Georgia Tech should throw the ball on every single play, but I think they need to be honest about the mismatch they face on the lines of scrimmage and how they are unlikely to have a lot of success in that area. Georgia Tech has the top passing attack statistically in the ACC and they should try and ride that to victory.

Haynes King is currently the leading passer in the ACC, with 1,480 yards in five games. He is in front of some notable quarterbacks like Drake Maye (ACC preseason Player of the Year), Florida State's Jordan Travis, and Miami's Tyler Van Dyke (though Van Dyke has played in only four games). King struggled against Bowling Green on Saturday but has been fantastic this season and provided stability at the position. He had his worst game of the season against Bowling Green last week with two interceptions and is going to need to bounce back.

Georgia Tech has explosive playmakers at the wide receiver position and the top playmaker is true freshman Eric Singleton Jr. Singleton has become a starter for the Yellow Jackets now and is sixth in the ACC in receiving yards with 335 yards, trailing Virginia's Malik Washington (556 yards), Louisville's Jamari Thrash (444 yards), Miami's Xavier Restrepo (355 yards), Virginia's Malachi Fields (355 yards), and Boston College's Lewis Bond (350 yards). Singleton is averaging 18.6 yards per catch and is tied for second in the ACC with five touchdown catches.

Dominick Blaylock had his best game as a Yellow Jacket last week, going over 130 yards. Malik Rutherford and Christian Leary are guys to watch this year and either one could have a big game.

Georgia Tech has one of the top EPA (Expected Points Added) marks when it comes to throwing the football and it is not nearly as high when they run the ball. Miami's defense has taken away the run and has one of the top EPA marks against the run, but not nearly as good against the pass, ranking 36th in passing success rate allowed.

Miami is going to get perhaps their best defensive player back this week. Safety Kam Kinchens was injured in the Hurricane's win over Texas A&M, but head coach Mario Cristobal said that Kinchens will be back this week and the preseason All-American should give the Hurricanes defense a boost. Kinchens intercepted three passes in last year's game against Georgia Tech, including a pick-six.

Another reason to throw the ball around, Miami's defensive line plugs holes and fills the lanes quickly. Miami might be down a couple of defensive linemen, but still have plenty of athleticism up front. Defensive tackle Leonard Taylor is a projected first-round pick and true freshman Reuben Bain is one of the most impressive freshmen in the entire country. Right tackle Jordan Williams is out for another game this week and Jakiah Leftwich will get another start.

If the offensive line can give King time, he should be able to find his receivers. The pass protection is a big question mark however and if they fail to protect King, it is going to be a long day for the offense.

If you look at the stats and the numbers, it is clear what works for Georgia Tech on offense and there is a reason they are one of the top passing teams in the ACC and the country. While they should not abandon the run completely, they should play to their strength and try to maximize their chances to stay competitive against a very good Miami team and that means letting King and his explosive receivers throw the ball around try to find the holes in the Hurricanes defense.