Virginia Tech defense to face tough test from Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech is 3-1 in the ACC, 5-1 overall and ranked 19th nationally as it prepares for Saturday’s 6 p.m. home game against fourth-ranked Virginia Tech. The Yellow Jackets have won lately because of their option-based offense’s success and in spite of their defense’s poor performances.

The Jackets are riding a three-game winning streak thanks in large part to the huge numbers from the offense. They gained 406 yards in a 24-7 win over North Carolina, 479 in a 42-31 victory at Mississippi State and 532 in Saturday’s 49-44 win at Florida State.

That’s a 472.3 average. Last year’s best stretch was the regular season’s final three games, when the Jackets averaged 456.3, went 2-1 and hung 41 points on Miami and 45 on Georgia—both victories. They rank 24th nationally in yards per game (426.7).

Second-year coach Paul Johnson’s offense relies on running (318 rushes this season compared to 75 passes), and in the past three games, the Jackets have run for 317, 213 and 401 yards.

The defense, meanwhile, has allowed 487 and 539 yards the past two games. Those would be the two worst defensive showings, in yardage terms, of Johnson’s year-plus in Atlanta, if not for last year’s Georgia game, in which the Bulldogs gained 488.

Moreover, Miami beat the Jackets 33-17 by hanging 454 on them. The Jackets rank 82nd nationally in yards allowed per game (385.2) and 77th in points allowed per game (26.5).

“When you play as poorly as we played, there’s enough stuff to go around everywhere,“ Johnson said. “Certainly, the people playing have to be accountable. We have to be accountable as coaches when they look like they don’t know what the hell they’re doing.“

Defense adds to trend

Three games into the season, Virginia Tech’s defensive coordinator, Bud Foster, was irked by his group’s play, especially against the run.

Opponents were rushing for 200 yards a game against the Hokies. So Foster hung notes in his players’ lockers, challenging them to uphold the team’s reputation for fielding one of the nation’s best defenses. They responded by limiting Miami to 209 yards in Tech’s 31-7 victory.

But the next week, they slipped, allowing 397 yards in a 34-26 win at Duke.

Foster got mad again and demanded more leadership from his seniors. The Hokies answered by holding Boston College to 163 yards en route to a 48-14 win—the sixth-fewest yards they have allowed in 73 games since the beginning of the 2004 season.

Moreover, since those first three games, Tech has surrendered 59, 38 and 45 rushing yards and allowed an average of 1.5 yards per rush, compared to 5.3 per rush in the first three games.

Tyrod Taylor throwing well

With 1:44 remaining in the season’s third game, against Nebraska, the Hokies began a five-play, 88-yard touchdown drive that would boost them to a 16-15 victory and kick off quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s impressive play over the next three games.

Before that drive, Taylor this season was 28 of 60 passing (46.7 percent) for 352 yards (5.9 yards per attempt), two touchdowns and one interception. Since then, he is 30 of 44 (68.2) for 643 yards (14.6 yards per attempt), six touchdowns and no picks. Before that drive, Taylor completed six passes for 20 yards or longer—one for a touchdown. Since, he has completed 13—five for touchdowns

Just as notable, he has now attempted 80 consecutive passes without an interception, dating to his fourth pass of the second game, against Marshall.

“I think he’s an exceptional quarterback right now,“ Hokies coach Frank Beamer said.