— Quarterback Justin Thomas was surrounded by inexperienced players last season, and Georgia Tech went 3-9.
The year before was the exact opposite. Thomas, a sophomore, was a full-time starter for the first time, and the Yellow Jackets’ spread option attack was flush with veterans at B-back, A-back and receiver.
Georgia Tech beat Georgia, advanced to the ACC title game, won the Orange Bowl and finished 11-5.
Thomas was a driving force in the team’s success two years ago, but he grew despondent as the bottom fell out last season.
“I think he got frustrated real easily,” coach Paul Johnson said Saturday at the Jackets’ media day. “I think any time you’ve played at a high level like he had the year before — and he had a plethora of weapons around him. I’m not sure people realize that some of those kids were pretty good.
“He could kind of sit back and he didn’t really have to be a leader.”
Now three days into the start of fall camp, Thomas is focused on what he can control. Regardless of the personnel or situations around him, Thomas is concentrating hardest on ball security.
The Jackets fumbled 36 times last year, losing possession 14 times. They lost four of Thomas’ 10 fumbles. Thomas threw eight interceptions.
“I made a lot of, I guess, boneheaded plays, throwing picks that I don’t (normally) do, even fumbling the ball,” Thomas said. “I need to make sure I’m being more careful with the ball.”
Johnson saw firsthand how Thomas’ frustration affected everyone around him. As the Jackets lost nine of their last 10 games, Thomas was hard to console.
“It’s easy to go back and sit on the bench and go, ‘Man, what am I playing with?’ “Johnson said. “At quarterback you can’t do that and especially where you’re called on as a leader. I think he grew up a lot and learned a lot. Then he got dinged up and wasn’t healthy. People don’t realize all the time that he played a good part of last year not healthy, not 100 percent.”
The year before Thomas had DeAndre Smelter, Synjyn Days, Zach Laskey and Darren Waller to make plays. He had an experienced offensive line led by Shaquille Mason.
“They knew where to go and what to do and how to adjust,” Johnson said. “Then all of a sudden, after about three games (last year), you’re surrounded at every position with guys who’ve never played. They’re trying to feel their way through it.”
Thomas has benefited this offseason from working alongside Marcus Marshall, Clinton Lynch, Dedrick Mills, Marcus Allen, Qua Searcy and Ricky Jeune. They all went through growing pains, too.
Thomas has five offensive linemen Freddie Burden, Eason Fromayan, Will Bryan, Shamire Devine and Trey Klock to provide the space and protection he needs to succeed.
“Getting all those reps in the spring, summer and now we’re into camp, it’s the same guys,” Thomas said. “?Not somebody new you haven’t played with. You get to know the person, how they play the game and what they can and can’t do. Just having that comfort level is a lot better.”
In other preseason news from Georgia Tech:
Roof gives update on defensive position battles
Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Ted Roof provided updates on a few position battles on recently for his group, which allowed averages of 25.8 points and 368 yards per game last season.
Coach Paul Johnson said he would like to see the defense reduce its yards allowed per play (5.8; Tech’s was 5.9) and to create more defenses. He said better execution by the offense will help the defense.
Roof said the defense is moving fast in camp in learning the schemes, but that’s by design. They are aggressively installing the defense and then will go back and refine.
“They’ve responded well and are working hard,” he said.
Here are some of the position battles Roof talked about:
Outside linebacker
Redshirt freshman David Curry, who played at Buford High School, and junior Terrell Lewis are working with the first team in the 4-3 defense.
“It’s an ongoing battle and making both of them better,” Roof said.
Lewis played in 12 games last year, making 12 tackles. He played in 11 games as a freshman.
Middle linebacker
Roof said there’s a good battle between sophomore Brant Mitchell, who had three starts in 12 games last season, and senior Chase Alford, who played in 12 games last season. Roof said both players became more lean in the offseason and moving better than last year. Alford is listed at 222 pounds in the media guide after being 227 last year; Mitchell is listed at 236 pounds after being 235 last year.
“When you have those battle and are rotating reps – hey what I do matters today – that’s a good position,” Roof said.
Cornerback
Juniors Lance and Lawrence Austin are having good camps, according to Roof. Redshirt sophomore Lamont Simmons, who sat out last year as a transfer from USC, is battling junior Step Durham. Redshirt freshman Dorian Walker is trying to find a position in the secondary after playing several spots in high school.
Free safety
Sophomore A.J. Gray has improved his ability to recognize offenses and communicate what he is seeing, according to Roof. Gray played in 10 games last year, making 21 tackles. With Gray’s instincts, athletic ability and drive, Johnson has said that Gray “could be one of the alltime great players at Georgia Tech.”
“Gray was a guy we knew had a lot of ability last year,” Roof said. “Then he got hurt. He’s playing better right now, too. Another year in the defense, hearing the same terms, the same words, same techniques, you should get better.”
Roof said last year was fast for Gray and was a lot of “see ball, hit ball; see receiver, cover receiver. Now, he’s learning he has to play within framework of what we are doing.”
Johnson says three freshman could play on offensive line
Georgia Tech football coach Paul Johnson said there’s a possibility that three freshmen could play on the offensive line this season.
The three freshmen are Jahaziel Lee, who is working at tackle, Kenny Cooper, who is working at guard, and Parker Braun, who is also working at guard.
“It doesn’t mean they are going to start, but if they can get into the two deep they will play,” Johnson said.
Will Bryan was the last freshman to start for the Yellow Jackets, and that happened last year. Bryan was the third true freshmen to play on the line for Johnson since he took over before the 2008 season.
Johnson said Cooper and Braun are strong and physical, and that Lee is a good athlete who is fluid.
Johnson agreed that it was very unusual for him to say that he thinks freshmen could play on the line.
“All three of them can play,” he said.
Johnson said he was pleased with how most of the players on the line were doing in camp, saying getting center Freddie Burden back has solidified the group.
The play of the line was frequently criticized by Johnson during last year’s 39 campaign.
B-backs impressing coaches
Three of the youngest Bbacks on Georgia Tech’s football team are impressing the coaches.
Coach Paul Johnson praised sophomore Marcus Marshall, as well as redshirt freshman KirVonte Benson and freshman Dedrick Mills on Monday.
“He’s really caught my eye this camp,” Johnson said of Benson, who played at Marietta. “Light’s starting to come on. He’s got a ton of ability. If he can keep going, he’s a guy that can help us.”
Johnson and position coach Bryan Cook noted that Marshall seems more mature this year. Cook said it’s evi- dent in the film room and workouts.
“His chest is out more,” Cook said. “That kind of thing carries over to the field from a confidence level, especially at that position. There’s no time to react there. You have to make a decision and you have to commit to it.”
Marshall started three games, played in 11, and led the Yellow Jackets with 654 rushing yards last season. Cook said that Marshall is gaining a better understanding of what he needs to do within the offense, particularly when watching film.
“I think he’ll have a good year,” Johnson said.
Johnson said if the team had to play today, Mills would probably be No. 2 on the depth chart.
“Dedrick is a really physical guy who has a knack for football,” Cook said.
Not to be forgotten is Quaide Weimerskirch, a redshirt freshman who sat out last year after suffering a foot injury in the spring of 2015. Cook said that Weimerskirch was further along in his knowledge of the offense than Benson or Mills, and the coaches are working with him on seeing things better in practice and getting him to “run like a running back.” — Doug Roberson of the AJC contributed to this report.