Georgia Tech football preview!

#49 R.P.I. Virginia Tech vs. #44 R.P.I. Georgia Tech:

Today’s word of the day is… Mariner!

mar·i·ner
/ˈmerənər/
nounarchaic•literary
noun: mariner; plural noun: mariners

Origin

Middle English: from Old French marinier, from medieval Latin marinarius, from Latin marinus (see marine).

  • a sailor.
  • smooth sailing or choppy waters come ~4 PM?

Georgia Tech Head Coach: Donald Brent Key: age=46, (16-13 @Georgia Tech and overall); has a rep’ for oLines, Special-Teams, and for his Football Camps. (He does very well here). Hence the hawkish rise in recruiting down in The Omni.
$.2,800,000.oo. (A bargin if this is indeed a Keynote hire).

…homecourt advantage 1o1.

Youngling Key grew up in Trussville, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama. He attended and played football at Hewitt-Trussville High School. Key played guard at Georgia Tech under coach George O’Leary, starting all four years. During his four-year playing career, Georgia Tech would go on to four straight bowl appearances, finish the season in the AP poll top-25 four times, beat rival Georgia three straight times, and rank No. 1 nationally in total offense in 1998. He was voted team captain and first-string all-ACC right-G1, as a senior in 2ooo.

Key picked the coaching lock as a Grad’ Assistant for g.O’Leary and then went on to be the Te’s then Oline coach over at U.Cent.FLA. Then he went down to big-bad, ‘Bama. Where Alabama would go on to win one national championship (2o17) and two S.e.c. championships (2o16, 2o18). Locking Key in as being widely regarded as one of the top offensive line coaches in college football, Key’s lines have been a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, presented annually to the top offensive line in the nation, three times in his career. (Hence his kra-kra ’24 blocking stats no doubt(s)).

Coach Key kinda/sorta comes off as a bit of a throwback or bygone-era football coach. Kinda does still favor the ‘baller part; not a weak-sauce-looking or: ‘pick on me’ physically or demeanor-flavored guy. Sorta: ‘gruff’ in a word. Real. Legit.

Key.edu earned his degree in management from Georgia Tech in 2oo1. During his time at UCF, Daddy Key met his wife, Danielle Key, who worked on the marketing team for the university’s athletic department. Together, they have a daughter named Harper.

2023 record: 7 up 6 down and 5-3 in the A.c.c.

Foe’rensics:

Georgia Tech Defense: (starters back=)

  • 46th in Total D.
  • 82nd in zone D.

  • 2.5 from 1o in dLine Havoc.
  • 3 of 1o in Linebacking Havoc.
  • III in X in Secondary Havoc.
    LOW is how they tally on Havoc.
GT: base D.
  • D Overall: As this is a keep everything in front of you flavor D. Make the other team beat you and drive long fields and see if they wet the bed somewhere along the way. Kinds reminds of the heyday MiaFLA style of stopping. They play the ball, not the man and keep everything in front of them. Not the best halting stop-unit Eye’ve seen. They are shallow, or wide or too high on tackling at times. (King Tut’… are you wif me here son?).
    Film Study:
    This D does a lotta little to medium thingys. Some 3os, some 4o’s some with a true Ng/Dt hybrid. Some with a stand-up 2-point De. The #88 kid (a De/Dt crossover his own self) is huge. One of the few that is north of his listed metrics on the down-low. As said… there are numerous thingys going on here. (The Thurs. +2 an only help). Overshifts, Cover/Tampa (with true MLb1) variants. Lotta forward 1st-movement keyings here. They will overrun things for it at times. Seems to favor getting into the run for it though. Their angles and leverage (against the sideline/12th defender) are too inside-out or wanting. Coach Euclidean is unpleased with my breaking of this tape. This is a D built off of and shading to a couple of higher-end guys. (Cb1, De/Dt hybrid, and 2 better Lb’ers). Kinda like Cobra-Ky’ and Tut carrying things about on the strength of their prolly getting tired at times, backs. Dline is deep; 2-deep at least. D did not seem super-fast to me at times. D is kinda a Gestalt set. Coached up beyond the sum of their moderated and a couple of keeper parts. Sans is one of those uppercase parts. Mind you, as Lb1, Kyle Efford is a piece they can ill afford to L. He is the vocal leader and tone-setter and the table {sic: play} setter on top of all of dat. (Undisclosed, Coach God bless). Trenilyas Tatum… no relation, JIC you were thinkin’… Defensive backfield is well-seasoned; older. They are average less the one good Cb1.
  • ∑ (summary): returning D production=49% (1o5th most) is your conflict defender here.

Defensive letter-grade: Solid B. Maybe even a B+. Same as below.

Georgia Tech Offense: (returning starters=)

  • 39th in Total O.
  • 16th best in zone O!!

  • O overall: oLine is as interchangeable as they come. +/- 5 lbs. of each other nearly straight across. There has gotta be an intent for that. Even or right-side is mo’ experienced. Tho’ some say odd or left-side is no less Talented. They good. Smart. Savvy. Coachable. Technical. Over 1oK snaps combined! That’s as far right-tailed as collegiate eligibility standard Experience and Learning curves alike allow. BeeCee+++ if you will.
GT: base O:
  • ∑ (summary): returning O production=83% (7th MOST!)
    Film-study: Same as nearly every week… lotta ‘gun, sawed-off s.Gun and pistol thingys here. 2-4 wide and single Back looks. The vaunted GeeTee oLinemen… are not maulers per se. They are good in space. They have better-than-average footwork to boot. From what Eye saw… GT did not seem entirely trustworthy in this Qb2. Not as wide-open as before. Qb2 seems to like to throw the orthodox side or right a bit. He is zippy enuff; tho’ ND nearly ignored him at times on the R.P.O.’s and that says something(s) to me. Haynes (Rb1) has ~1,6oo rushing in his last 17 contests, with 37 receptions in addition to that. Gotta take him away and make the Qb2 upset you here. Oldest-school Elkhorn Indian Coach Jack Owens style ‘ball.
    Qb2 does have some slickster ball-handling and faker looks to him. Might be a Pt.G2 in another life. Play-actions well enuff accordingly.
    This strikes me as something of a truncated or shortened O under this Qb2. It was never vertical and it has only shrunk of late for it. Top-2 Wideouts are downright solid. They double and triple everyone else up. Not a lotta depth behind them. There are a lotta swings, screens, and shorter to jus’ medium angular thingys here. Is some lateral stretch for it. O seems not mo’ than Vanilla (now) to me. French vanilla if Zach feels his flow. And, they do look to iso’ a lotta things on edge with whatever they find to be a favorable match-up(s).
    Some say that blindside-Ot1: Corey Robinson is sleeper best oLineman pick good. Kinda their still improving X at odd or left-Ot1 if you will. Left-G1 (Fisher) is no king. He is the one adequate guy upfront down-low and the one possible bull’s-eye to ‘git after’.
  • % run:pass mix. Rb1, Haynes no secret, tho he is your one housing threat threw the air and down in the dirt. As the rest of GT contact hits in M.L.B. terms. Some doubles and trips; tho’ Hayens is the powerhaus here. He is 2nd in the whole A.c.c. in TD’s!

Offensive letter-grade: Solid B. Maybe even a B+. Same as above.

y.Jackets Special Teams: (return)

Georgia Tech is 11oth best in Net Punting and incoincidentally enough, so is P1: David Shanahan. Last year. This year they are perfectly dead-last at 131st best in Net Punting! wow. Yikes too. Davy by way of Bonnie Ole Ireland, where he played Gaelic football— must merely replace last season’s Ray Guy Award winner (Pressley Harvin III). That is all… no biggie there, right? As this 6′, 190 lb. nugget or Senior-year voter hails from: Castleisland, County Kerry, Ireland. Where he attended: St.Patrick High School! No bleep… and may St.Patty bonne bless! Davy was rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports and ESPN. Where he was a versatile athlete who played: Gaelic football, rugby, and basketball in his native County Kerry, Ireland. Dang… He also was a member of Kerry U17 Gaelic football “panel” that won the 2o17 Munster championship (Gaelic football’s national title) at the U17 level. Shanahan attended the venerable Prokick Australia in Melbourne “down under”. A place where you bet the over on kids going American football. As this kicking academy has produced six of the past seven Ray Guy Award winners and four current National Football League punters. That counts. Davy continued to hone his punting skills during the cv19 pandemic by punting in solitude on his uncle’s dairy farm in southwest Ireland. Moooooo-ve over Raymond Guy, a frenchy o-2 in WW’s name, rights? Almost 44-yard average with a 70+ leg does count. So, you must wonder what is punt game up here? Or, you could just read the turnstile blocked-punts allowed counter, 4 thus far in his career. (None this year, however).

  • 68th in Punt Returns | and a matching 68th in KO returns.
  • 1o3rd in punt coverage | 121st and in suicide-squad!!!
  • GT has blocked FOUR, that’s (4) kicks and yet allowed 2 kicks to be blocked! wow, kra-kra.
  • GT has blocked 1 punt and allowed o punts to be blocked.

Aidan Birr is your PK1; at least for the moment.

He is 5×5 or perfect on P.A.T.’s (31 outta 31). Though he is fiddy, that’s 50% on FGA’s this campaign, and that has some calling for a 3rd-party or K2 write-in here.

Though, he was a near sterling ~9o% in ’23. The 2nd-highest make percentage in Georgia Tech kicking history, mind yah. And he does have that going for him. He is not a bionic-legged or lead-footed K1. What with an entirely serviceable range out to the mid-4o’s and makeable range out to the high-40’s. So, you could get/expect some short-punts here. r-Soph. from Texas. Some thought Birr to be a KO specialist as he gets real tight hangtime on his kickoffs. Good tho’ not great place-kicking scholastic numbers might add to that to boot. 1 fer’ 4 ≥ 42 yards this season has been his bugbear. Tho’ he has been a bit better in the last fortnight+ of footsie. We shall see if he is outta the sophomoric slump or not? Or, was last year just a one-off, K1, fluke? Time=tell… as 33% of his misses have been ’24, blocked!

BONUS: they ‘go for it’ on 4th, a lot. Nearly Top-15 best at it as well. Aggressive set or one that does not trust their leg talent (s)… take thy TechNO’ pick.

Special Teams letter-grade: there is talent here… tho’ it surely is all kinda ’24 Helter-Skelter. c.Mason coaching the foxtrot outta the Gah.Tech ST’s. Cish... should be a B most would say.

Unit Rankings:

  1. GT O then GT D. (Tie).
  2. …small gap…
  3. VT O and VT D. (Tie, precisely at 65th apiece).

X-factor(s):

  • motive: BIG game for each Brent here trying to showcase enuff to get: RENEW me swagg going. Both are trying to inch upwards and backdoor a 2nd-place All-Championship Confrontation seating as well. EDGE=push.
  • weather: high to mid-6o’s and jus’ plum nice favors neither squadron schematically here. EDGE=Indian Summer 1o1.
  • health/off-field: VeeTee has mo’ injuries than GeeTee does. (’bout 2:1 too). Tho’ you know of the Qb1 ding; and they are really hurtin’ at Te1 to boot. EDGE=???
  • penalties: Are about the same here. The good Tech is a pinch better technically though nearly a wash. EDGE=push.
  • intangibles: V.Tech is up a mite in Turnover Margin with T.O.P. (time of possession) nearly a draw. EDGE=us. (Tho’ not by a lot).
  • fatigue: There is a massive scheduling gap/querk here. GT has played 3 games since the Hurricane and yet VT has played 2. This amounts to a whopping +9 advantage in days IDLE or sans a contest outright. Wild. EDGE=us, (XXL big too).

 

In Randolph Hall technical terms.... which Tech wins here?

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Illation, conclusion(s) and OPT digits:

Number of jackets who could suit up @Tech=12.

the takeaway:

The takeaway here is

that it is hard to be taken with whichever Tech.

What with one Tech’s Qb1 low on certainty; or, health.



That monkey-wrenches the whole Technotronic shebang more than a mite.

With this just in… rain is still rumored to be, ‘wet’, right?

Nonetheless, such is your get there early and cast your swing-state vote once you see where #1o of Gah.Tech is or is not. IF, he is dressed out and seems dialed in this one is a Hokiebird dog-fight. IF, #5 is taking the warm-up reps with the GT 1’s on O; that could take some of the sting outta this one for the F’n Gobblers here.

Thus making this pre-game a numbers (#’s) game indeed.
…in spades (s).

***

permutations:

  1. Δ1=45% GT if their Qb is good to go solo. (15% here at a min’ if he sits).
  2. Δ2=45% VT. (see: above subtractive maths).
  3. Δ3=1o% that this one is so screwy and so upside-‘rong that some OT just has to go down. There is a noticeable shot this one takes 65 minutes (or, mo’) to render a spit-decision on the judges’ scorecards. (Might even be 15% in point-of-fact).

#ChallangeA.c.c.epted… there are 1,440 minutes in a day and it will prolly take a Ric Flair or 6o-minute man nooner here.

the optics…
Nine of the last 14 games between Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech have been decided by seven points or less.

the skinny
The visiting team has won seven of the past eight meetings in this series, with Georgia Tech having won four consecutive games at Virginia Tech.

WWI: “The Great War”…

Trench Warfare favors…

…though it also favors the hostesses with the mostest. As this is a BIG hosting recruiting weekend for our Tech here.

(see: below):

VeeTee Recruiting Rankings on 247:

2o21 – 49th,
2o22 – 43rd,
2o23 – 44th,
2o24 – 47th,
2o25 so far – 50th.

Recruiting Rankings on 247:

2o21 – 43rd,
2o22 -44th,
2o23 – 64th,
2o24 -33rd,
2o25 so far – 17th!

the sportlight...

…here in the sportlight, we say: “congrats” to the GT Qb2 and ‘best wishes‘ to his gal. And on his 3 State Title blings. Zach Pyron must be a winner for that. What with AA then AAAAAA rings to his moving up George Jeffersonian credits.

Possesses a thick frame at 6-foot-3 and 215-pounds. Displays above-average athleticism and avoid-ability in the pocket. Z’ flashes adequate mobility as a runner. Shows the ability to get what’s there. This is what stood out to me in film study. Good at taking what is given unto him. Demonstrates a clean shoulder high motion. Zippy thrower; tho’ not a Saintly or canonized arm. Shows the ability to make a variety of short to medium throws; displaying the ability to throw with touch down the field. Excels with a moving pocket. Can get the ball out from a variety of arm angles. Will need to improve accuracy and ball placement as he continues to develop. Said to have some measure of: “gamer” qualities to him. Value his instincts within the pocket and ability to make plays on the run. Kinda ab-lib… lyte if you will.

’cause after that it is tuff to know what to say in Pivotal terms. here.

As in… Haynes is playing some kingly ball this season year-to-date. What with a northward ≅11% hike in completion percentage itself. What with six, that’s (6) big majors (TD’s, ‘eh’) tallied on the ground. And what with a 24 qt. gold-standard 8:1 passing ratio! wow. Can you say: A.c.c. Most Improved? As his low-h2o marker was a still kinda shiny 67% prior to getting dented @U.n.c. two weeks back. Thus enjoying a paystreak of a season with a keeper 82.6 RTG. (The stricter mo’ professional one). That and this Qb1 Haynes had been heyday running like a clock of late.

The Qb2 (Zach Pryon) and his carrot top and matching canelo flavored p0rnstache… are a nice feel-good story… Although, his QBR drops by over 25 points vis-à-vis Haynes’ for a reason(s). His passing drops by ≈12%. His toting the mail drops by ~6′ per carry. Therefore, ergo, to Whit… his Sunday RTG drops by a whopping 19-points!

i.e., you do not need my 36 hours of McBryde Hall calc’ and stats to know that that’s a lotta negatives. As this Qb1—->Qb2 swap-meet would be subtraction via subtraction if you are an other Tech fan. (NOT: additive via any subtractive mathematics known to Dr. Crittenden; or, to little ole me).

GT Projected S&P+: 75th.
GT Projected S&P wins: 7.2 W’s.

oOo-

C2’s ’24 Qb1 rule of, thumb(s)…

anything north of ~56% is in doubt; and anything beyond ≥65%=cooked.
Sparked. Ironed out.

…Qb1=71%… (if he goes)..
and 58% (if the Qb2, throws)…

…you do the maths.

    ♦ 

Margin of Error:

  • VeeTee is hovering jus’ above +1-full-play.
  • GeeTee is (also) hovering jus’ above +1 full play.
  • EDGE=push.

PLANDEMIC checklist:

Lo.FM (Long-field Management©): GT is epic on 1st-down O inflicted and poor on 1st-down D allowed | whereas VT is suspect on 1st-down O inflicted and average in 1st-down D allowed. With GT average on 3rd down O inflicted and pretty sprite on 3rd down D allowed | whilst VT is diet solid on 3rd down O inflicted and yet user-friendly on 3rd down D allowed. push, maybe… tho’ not by much… GT nearly stole this one here.
TTT (Time To Throw©): the GT oLine is TIGHT as can be on sacks allowed and pretty dang tight on T.F.L. (tackles for a loss) allowed O | whereas VT is virtually equal on opposing Qb’s sacked and again nearly equal on T.F.L. inflicted. the VT oLine is middleocore on Pass-Pro’, tho’ inviting on T.F.L. allowed | whilst the GT is 7th from last in opposing Qb’s sacked and centrist on T.F.L. inflicted D. them, by jus’ enuff to count.
Fourm Guide: N/A... almost here…
∑ overall: this one favors GT by an FG plus a Safety, them.
3-game trends: this one favors GT by a Safety, them. (Tho’ GT has slipped a bit on rush-D, this could catalyst things in technical terms).
Home:Away: this one favors VT by three FG’s, us. (As in… nearly nothing moved here less the visiting GT D. Which is a bit user-friendly as airwaves go in your house… wild!)
Talent: push,
C2 Qb(1): ???,
Margin of Error: push,
βeta: GT O scores very sharply here. They are good or good+++. With downright greatness in efficiency and a lack of negative possession-based drives. VT is kinda close overall on O. Tho’ 96th passing beta F+++ retards all of that. VT did cover this with a near 35 spot halting beat overall win. GT was okay; tho’ got really hurt on passing, efficiency, and negative drives allowed. The VT D is only really lacking in individual play efficiency itself. Making this a strength-on-strength (GT O vs. VT D) crime. Tho’ that could be negated if their Qb1 is a no go. ??? here.

Total(s): 1-3-3 (with: 2 ???’s)… or a very slight (or, mayhaps a very shaky), GT edge.

the call…

…this one calls for… VT’s 5th-best zone D and the aforementioned GT zone O to cancel each other out.

That defaults things to the B-side or the 82nd GT zone D vs. the 7oth VT zone O. Meaning, someone who is seemingly a bit lesser needs to rise up and do/offer mo’ here.

Or, if only both Haynes were here you could pick this one along the contours of: Haynes Her Way. As King is listed as day-to-day… whereas last week he was: ‘doubtful’. That’s a big leap to skip: “questionable” itself. In particular for a throwing-shoulder scuffling Qb1 ding. (St.Christopher bless). Thus making this one, one of the following Coach Shakespearian ones…

"Qb or not to Qb..."

… that is not only the question here— that is thy fulcrum or outcome tipper here.huh?

As Eye have to consider taking the other Tech down in Georgia; nearly period. And Eye would surely take the our Tech in Commonwealth or when homesteading; if the opposing Tech’s Qb1 is not so peachy in stately terms.

IF, however, k.King feels princely and not so queeny? That pushes this one to not less than even; maybe even favoring the other Tech by an ‘ajar’ looking  ½-a-full-play. As in… they are nearly unavailable to beating themselves. (5th least fumbles and 14th fewest INT’s chucked say so).

📏🧮️📐

Or, try as we might… this oblong spheroid still ain’t rocket-surgery men.
Their Qb1’s health -or, lack thereof- is entirely and precisely how this one measures up.

Hence, I am hereby: gar-ron-damn-teeing that Coach Brent wins this one here!
(Cleaver, ain’t I?)

As this one sans the straw that stirs the drink (Haynes King) is one that harkens to one of my pet preview saying of: ‘two ships passing in the nite‘.

The one Tech seams to be pumping early-season H20 out a bit… the other Tech seams to be shipping some H20 of late a bit…

Water water everywhere and not a drop to, drink.”
—Coach Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Sea what Eye mean?

Ancient Mariner to Grand Cognac here we… their Qb2 cannot beat our Qb1, come.

🙏>>>🏈

upset Index=4o%

#JustSayKnow

#wimps!

Virginia Tech=34, Georgia Tech=2o

LETS GO!

Please support the VT F.C.A.!

HOKIES!

bourbonstreet**

 

 

2 Responses You are logged in as Test

  1. Last week Section 7 accurately predicted Tutens record performance this week we agree with Eye as the Yello Jakets QB part Dueux or Trois ain’t up to snuff. Look for mo Tuenovers for Touchdowns as the Hokies keep the truckin’ alive

    Let’s Go— Hokies!!!
    Stomp them Yello Jakets in Lane Grass

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