2017 ACC Football: Coastal Division Power Rankings week 11

I Like It, I Love It

Just when things seemed doomed for the Yellow Jackets, Georgia Tech pulled out a signature win against Virginia Tech not only potentially saving their season but also their coach’s job.

Of course, that’s just what Paul Johnson does. He finds ways to stay out of the fire. Last season, it seemed as though he was in trouble after a four-win season the year before. He followed that up with a nine-win season and a bowl game.

This year, the Yellow Jackets looked in danger of missing a bowl game after losing three of their past four games. They would need to win two out of three against Virginia Tech, Duke, and Georgia. Only one seemed like a given.

If things played out the way they seemed and Tech missed a bowl game again, the flames under Coach Johnson’s seat would be blazing. So what does he do? He wins, of course. Now the Yellow Jackets only need to beat Duke to make a bowl game and keep everything going smoothly.

If you are curious how Johnson does this, it’s because he trusts his system. The triple option has served him well and helped him beat the Hokies.

The Yellow Jackets rushed the ball 57 times and got 261 yards on the ground. They just keep running it and teams can’t stop it.

However, he will also mix in the pass when needed, which is something else he did against the Hokies. Georgia Tech completed only two passes but they both went for over 60 yards and a score.

That’s what makes the triple option most dangerous. When you sell out to stop the run, they beat you with the pass.

As mentioned, Georgia Tech will travel to play Duke this weekend. Win and they are bowl eligible for the second straight season. Lose and they will have to upset a Georgia squad that can also run the ball and make a team’s life miserable.