The Ramblin’ Wreck is a 1930 Ford Model A sports coupe that leads the Georgia Tech football players onto the field every home game in Atlanta.
Even though a university-sponsored club selects a student to drive the car each season, they should probably consider nominating junior running back Jonathan Dwyer as the driver and that second-year head coach Paul Johnson ride shotgun.
Johnson found tremendous success in his first season at the helm at Georgia Tech, leading his team to an impressive 9-4 record. One of Johnson’s most impressive wins came against Georgia — Tech’s first victory against its in-state rival since 2000.
Johnson, who left Navy to join the Yellow Jackets, was voted the ACC coach of the year in 2008 and also won CBSSports.com’s Coach of the Year award.
The Yellow Jackets had no difficulties in running Johnson’s spread option scheme last year, which racked up 273.2 yards per game. The offense can only get better and more efficient at running the offense, returning both its star running back, Dwyer, and quarterback Josh Nesbitt.
Dwyer needs no introduction, as the Yellow Jacket tailback was the fourth leading rusher in the nation last season. The ACC Player of the Year led the conference with 1,395 yards for an average of 7 yards per carry. Dwyer ran an impressive 88-yard touchdown against Mississippi State last year, the longest run in school history.
Sophomore running back Roddy Jones isn’t too shabby either. Jones rushed for 690 yards last season, including 213 yards against Georgia. The second-string back should expect to get more touches this season after his impressive performances near the end of Tech’s 2008 campaign.
While running will continue to be a strong point for Johnson’s team, don’t expect too much from the passing game. The Yellow Jackets only connected on five touchdowns through the air in 2008, while their opponents tallied 20 passing touchdowns. Projected starter Nesbitt only had two touchdowns last season.
Georgia Tech lost a big chunk of its defensive line this season, which could be the biggest problem for Johnson to assess. Defensive tackles Jason Peters and Ben Anderson will have to step up to prevent opposing backs from running it right down their throats.
But if the running back manages to get past the line, they’ll have to worry about safety Morgan Burnett.
Playing with Polamalu-like attitude, Burnett has the ability to cover any receiver on the field while also possessing the speed to defend the run. His rover-like mentality will cause chaos for offensive coordinators. Burnett had 93 tackles and seven interceptions last season, and should earn enough recognition to receive All-American honors this season.
Georgia Tech should have a good idea where it stands among its ACC foes early in the season, playing three conference games by the beginning of October. It will all come down to a showdown against Virginia Tech, which could be the difference in who will hoist the Coastal Division crown and another bowl invitation.
Johnson proved a lot of doubters wrong last season in his first year at a big-time school. Many thought of it as a rebuilding season before the Yellow Jackets took the field for their first game in 2008. But with more experience under their coach’s scheme, the Yellow Jackets can expect to top last season’s accomplishments.
Team name: Georgia Tech
Head coach: Paul Johnson
Conference: ACC
2008 Record: 9-4
Players to watch:
- Jonathan Dwyer – Junior – RB
2008: 1,395 yards/12 TD
Returning ACC Player of the year will be the focal point of the Yellow Jacket offense. Another year under the triple-option offense should improve his stats and give him consideration for Heisman honors. - Morgan Burnett – Sophomore – S
2008: 150 tackles/1 forced fumble/10 INT
He is the heart and soul of the Tech defense, with the ability to cover and tackle.
Game to watch: Oct. 17 vs. Virginia Tech
This contest will make or break the Yellow Jackets, and it is only seven weeks into the season. The winner will have the most likely case for the ACC title at the end of the regular season.
The word on Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets will possess a potent offense, which is sure to give opposing defenses nightmares. Tech is still a very young team that should see much improvement in Johnson’s second year. The season will be a success if they can win 10 games for the first time since 1998.
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