Georgia Tech has plenty of A-backs to rotate
ATLANTA -- It's hard to get a real gauge for Georgia Tech's A-back rotation. Perhaps more will be revealed this week when the Yellow Jackets play Tulane.
"They played about how we thought they would play," coach Paul Johnson said when asked to assess the A-back performers after the Alcorn State game. "They did some things well.
Georgia Tech used seven different A-backs. Johnson said none of them got more than 15-20 snaps, since the game with Alcorn State got out of hand in such a hurry.
The leader remains senior Broderick Snoddy, who carried three times for 51 yards, including a long run of 23 yards.
The others got a chance to take their turns, too.
Qua Searcy, a redshirt freshman from Lamar County, had one carry for 31 yards and caught an 11-yard pass.
TaQuon Marshall, a freshman from Harris County, had one carry for 18 yards and caught one pass for 24 yards.
Clinton Lynch, a redshirt freshman from Norcross, had two carries for 17 yards, with a long run of 10 yards.
Isiah Willis, a junior from Marietta's Lassiter High who earned the other starting spot, ran one time for a 1-yard touchdown.
Matthew Jordan, a redshirt freshman from Jackson, Ala., carried three times for 18 yards, including an 11-yard gain.
Jordan is the former third-string quarterback.
"Sometimes we can get some better leverage of blocks and get closer to the guy and do better," Johnson said.
Byerly out
Backup quarterback Tim Byerly hurt his knee in practice on Monday, but the extent of the injury is not known. Johnson was non-committal on Wednesday but didn't rule out a return for the redshirt senior.
Byerly played two quarters in the opener. He carried seven times for 42 yards and one touchdown. He completed his only pass attempt for 23 yards.
Byerly also takes away an option on the goal line. He was often called upon during short-yard situations to pile in for the score. Last year he ran for seven touchdowns.
The injury means Matthew Jordan, will move back to quarterback and serve as backup to Justin Thomas. Brady Swilling is likely the other option at quarterback.
Superlatives
Center Freddie Burden was named the team's offensive player of the week, with linebacker P.J. Davis getting the nod for defense and Terrell Lewis being honored for special teams. Burden anchored a line that helped accumulated 476 yards rushing, a 9.2-yard average.
Injury report
B-back Marcus Allen is expected to play on Saturday. Allen injured his right ankle against Alcorn and was limited to three carries. Freshman B-back Quaide Weimerskirch is back at practice. He needed surgery to repair the foot he injured in the spring.
This story was originally published September 10, 2015 at 9:45 PM with the headline "Georgia Tech has plenty of A-backs to rotate ."