Yellow Jackets work on areas needing improvement
Through the first two spring practices in shorts and helmets, Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson says he’s keeping an eye on detail, attitude and effort.
“We’re trying to make sure we’re coaching all the little things,” Johnson said. “That’s how you win games — those little things make a difference most of the time.”
Johnson is talking about basics like lining up in the right spot and going on the right snap count. The Yellow Jackets had some big plays negated and faltered in other situations because of failure to execute the basics.
“If you’re supposed to be line up at 4 ½ (yards), be lined up at 4 ½,” he said. “If you’re supposed to be a 7, then be at 7. It’s all the things you can control yourself.”
The Yellow Jackets will practice again today with pads and add full pads for Saturday’s practice. None of the sessions are open to the public.
“We’ve got a lot of guys who haven’t played a lot,” Johnson said. “You’ve got to go back to ground zero.”
It’s been good so far for sophomore B-back Marcus Marshall, the team’s top returning rusher.
“Everybody is real excited,” Marshall said. “I haven’t talked to anybody with a negative attitude. Everybody here loves the game of football. And it’s better than waking up at 5:30 in the morning and running.”
Johnson said, “Every team is going to be a little different. Each team will develop its own identity. You try to emphasize the things you weren’t very good at a year ago and try to work on that.”
A-back update
The depth at A-back has gotten better with the return of Qua Searcy and the addition of J.J. Green, who sat out last year after transferring from the University of Georgia.
Searcy isn’t at full strength yet from the season-ending ankle injury that shut him down in the third game of the season. But he’s played every day and looking more like the guy who was starting to emerge a year ago.
Green adds experience and toughness, Johnson said. “Hopefully he can get in the rotation.”
A-backs Isiah Willis and Clinton Lynch made their presence known in practice on Wednesday. Both caught a nice pass from quarterback Justin Thomas during the passing period of practice. Lynch led A-backs with 457 yards rushing and Willis, a former walkon who earned a scholarship, started 10 games and rushed for 169 yards.
Rocky Mountain bound
Georgia Tech announced a home-and-home series with Colorado for 2025-26. The first game will be played in Boulder, the return game in Atlanta. It will be the first meeting between the two schools, who famously – or infamously – shared the 1990 national championship.
Mike MacIntyre, the current Colorado coach, is a Georgia Tech graduate who played for the Yellow Jackets in 1988-89.
This story was originally published March 31, 2016 at 5:36 PM with the headline "Yellow Jackets work on areas needing improvement."