Yellow Jackets dazzling on offense in 2-OT defeat
ATLANTA — No Justin Thomas. No Dedrick Mills. No problem for Georgia Tech’s triple-option offense.
Despite losing their top two rushers from last season’s TaxSlayer Bowl championship team, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets still have triple-option guru Paul Johnson, and that was a whole lot for Tennessee’s defense to handle Monday night. With former A-back TaQuon Marshall at quarterback, the Jackets blistered the Volunteers for 535 rushing yards and 655 total yards in Tennessee’s thrilling 42-41 double-overtime triumph in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game inside the new $1.6 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Marshall rushed a staggering 44 times for 249 yards and five touchdowns, setting program records for rushing yards by a quarterback and touchdowns in a single game. Given Georgia Tech’s rich tradition that includes a 222-0 win over Cumberland 101 years ago, that’s quite an accomplishment.
“We did some things offensively that we can build on from this game,” Johnson said. “TaQuon played his tail off. I thought he played tremendously. He can actually throw the ball in addition to running it, too.
“I thought he played well.” With a 44-yard completion to Ricky Jeune and a 42-yarder to Qua Searcy, Marshall compiled an astronomical passer rating of 167.6. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound junior from Hamilton, Ga., made his first career start after winning a competition to replace Thomas, who graduated in May.
Mills was dismissed last month for violating athletic department rules. The starting B-back last season, Mills rushed for 771 yards and averaged 5.1 yards per carry.
KirVonte Benson was the starting B-back Monday night and complemented Marshall by rushing 26 times for 124 yards and a score.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been in a game where we’ve run 96 plays for 655 yards and got beat,” Johnson said. “We had the ball for 41 minutes, and they had it for 18.”
Marshall and Benson led the Yellow Jackets to 12- and 16-play touchdown drives in the first half, with those two possessions combining to consume 13 minutes and 51 seconds and providing Tech a 14-7 lead at the break. The Jackets were shortening the game, but they couldn’t overcome a costly fumble by J.J. Green, who began his career at Georgia, with 4:50 remaining in regulation.
Green’s fumble occurred with Tech leading 28-21 and driving deep into Tennessee territory, but Rashaan Gaulden made the strip and Michah Abernathy the recovery at the 7-yard line of the Vols to keep the game in doubt.
“The last fumble killed us,” Johnson said.
Georgia Tech’s final play of the night was a counter option in double overtime that went awry when Marshall got stuffed at the line of scrimmage and threw in desperation to Benson.
“That should have been a walk-in but we screwed it up,” Johnson said. “We didn’t deserve to win.”
Yellow Jackets freshman kicker Shawn Davis missed two field-goal triess, including a 36-yarder that was partially blocked as time expired in regulation. When asked what could be done to remedy that situation, Johnson said, “Try a different kicker, I guess.”
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.