WFU will face tough test today at Georgia Tech

Deacons must try to find a way to slow Jackets' option offense

Credit: AP Photo

Georgia Tech's Jonathan Dwyer scores on a run against Vanderbilt.

By: By Dan Collins | JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: November 07, 2009

It might take another college-football coach to truly appreciate not just what Paul Johnson has done as head coach at Georgia Tech but also how he has done it.

"One thing about Paul is he's stuck to his guns on that stuff," Coach Jim Grobe of Wake Forest said, referring to the Yellow Jackets' triple-option offense. "Most coaches get run out of it because the fans don't like seeing the fullback carry the ball as many times as he does. Most people get bored with winning. Paul has never gotten bored with winning.

"I think there's just been probably a fear in a lot of coaches to feel like you wouldn't be accepted if you ran that type of offense, but obviously I think the Georgia Tech fans are enjoying it."

Grobe's immediate problem is that he is staring down the barrel of those guns that Johnson has stuck to. Under Johnson, a native of Newland in his second season at Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets (8-1, 5-1) have ridden their offense and an opportunistic defense to six straight victories and the No. 10 spot in the Associated Press Top 25.

The Deacons, who have lost three in a row, will try to derail the Jackets at 3:30 today at Bobby Dodd Stadium (WXLV Ch. 7). Even with quarterback Riley Skinner cleared to play from his concussion, it will be a tall order.

Georgia Tech ranks second in the nation (behind Nevada) with 304.1 rushing yards a game. Virginia Tech, with 190.1 yards a game, is the only ACC team averaging half of what Tech has produced.

"I think he's just a guy who knows he can win with his offense and he doesn't make any apologies for winning," Grobe said.

Grobe is well-versed in option football. He was a defensive assistant at Air Force, a traditional Wishbone team, and he installed that offense when he became the coach at Ohio University in 1995.

But those teams didn't have players with the ability of a Josh Nesbitt, Jonathan Dwyer or Demaryius Thomas. Nesbitt, a junior quarterback for Tech, ranks third among quarterbacks in rushing (84.8 ypg). Dwyer, a junior fullback, ranks third in the ACC (100.4 ypg rushing). And Thomas, a junior wide receiver, leads the ACC in receiving average (91.4 pg) and has caught 34 of the 50 passes that the Yellow Jackets have completed.

"When we went to Ohio University we ran the option because we were challenged talentwise and felt the scheme would give us a chance to move the football," Grobe said. "Here you've got a coach, Paul Johnson, who is as good as there has ever been running the triple option, and you've got all these All-Solar System Talent guys running it.

"It really is scary to watch -- their talent level and the way they're coached."

That's the predicament that the Deacons (4-5, 2-3 ACC) have found themselves in after successive losses to Clemson, Navy and Miami. Barring an upset today, Wake Forest will have to beat Florida State at home and Duke in Durham to win the six games necessarily to become eligible to play in a bowl game.

"Somebody was asking how the kids were bouncing back from the Miami loss," Grobe said "As coaches, after we've corrected the mistakes, we try to put them behind us as quick as we can and move on to the next opponent.

"There's no beating around the bush, our backs are against the wall right now. We've typically responded pretty well when that happens."

dcollins@wsjournal.com. | 727-7323