Three offensive adjustments for Georgia Tech to make following Louisville loss
Georgia Tech had its best offensive half in years in the first half of Friday's game vs Louisville, but it could not carry the momentum into the second half and would end up losing the game 39-34.
When you look at the stats, it paints a positive picture for a team that has been pretty bad on offense in recent years. Georgia Tech rushed for 175 yards, threw for 313, and averaged nine yards per attempt, and Haynes King threw three touchdowns in his Yellow Jackets debut. Georgia Tech nearly churned out 500 yards and hit explosive plays for touchdowns.
Everything that worked in the first half for Georgia Tech on offense did not work in the second half. The running game was not producing like it did in the first half and the offensive line struggled to protect King. There were fewer explosive plays and that led to Louisville being able to come back and win.
So what adjustments does Georgia Tech need to make going forward?
1. Help the offensive tackles in pass protection
The Georgia Tech offensive line was a big issue last season no matter the position. Friday night against Louisville, the interior of the offensive line held up well. Joe Fusile and Weston Franklin were the two highest-graded players on the entire team on PFF (Pro Football Focus) and both guys showed growth from last season against what I think is a solid Louisville defensive line.
The offensive tackles struggled in this game and it showed in the grades via PFF.
Whether it was Corey Robinson II or true freshman Ethan Mackenny, Louisville was consistently getting to the edge, beating the tackles and creating havoc. It is obviously a tough ask for a true freshman to come in and play against a good defensive line and I think Mackenny is going to be a good player in the long run.
One thing that I think needs to happen going forward is the coaching staff is going to have to provide more help, especially on the left side. Whether it is a running back chipping on the edge or a tight end being an extra blocker, the tackles for Georgia Tech need help until they can hold up better in one-on-one matchups.
2. Being able to run the ball when you have to
Georgia Tech struggled in the run game in the second half
Nathaniel Caudell
The running game in the first half for Georgia Tech, specifically in the second quarter, was good. The line was opening up lanes in the middle and both Trey Cooley and Jamal Haynes were making cuts and getting upfield. That stopped in the second half, as the best runs that Georgia Tech could find were via King on scrambles.
In the third quarter, Georgia Tech had six runs for 19 yards, averaging just over three yards per carry. The Yellow Jackets as a whole had only 21 yards and completed one pass in the quarter. It was a disaster of a quarter and there are plenty of reasons why, but the inability to run the ball better tops my list.
While the playcalling did get more conservative in the second half, the running game could not get the same push, and Haynes or any other back in there could not get those extra yards that were there. Teams that are trying to close out games with a lead need to be able to run the ball and Georgia Tech did not do that in the second half against the Cardinals. This does not mean that once you get the lead you just need to run and nothing else, but being able to do so when you have a double-digit lead is crucial. Georgia Tech will have to show it has the ability to close out games when they have a second-half lead.
3. Converting better in the red zone
The red zone offense was not terrible. The Yellow Jackets did have a touchdown run from Cooley and the goal line pass to Seither, but there were also miscues that led to the late-game fumble and then a missed field goal attempt. Georgia Tech was 3-5 in the red zone and if they had been better, it may have resulted in a win against Louisville.
While I do not want to see King carrying the ball 10 times in every game, I would like to see his athleticism used in the red zone more on designed runs, which is not something the coaches used often when they had the ball down there. The play calling in the red zone seemed to not work consistently and that is an area where there needs to be improvement.
The offense for Georgia Tech looked much better than it has in recent years, but there is still work to be done. Better pass blocking from the tackles, being able to close out games in the second half, and being better and more creative in the red zone are going to be things to watch for this team going forward.
Georgia Tech will face South Carolina State this Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
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