Why GT’s deep experience on offense matters so much

‘When you play with the same guys, you just build a chemistry.’ Zach Laskey Former Georgia Tech B-back

It isn’t just that Georgia Tech has a wealth of experience returning on its offense. By measure of combined career starts, the Yellow Jackets offense has more of it than any offense coach Paul Johnson has had in 11 seasons at Tech. Tech opens its season today against Alcorn State at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

On the Tech offense, 11 players have amassed a combined 166 career starts, a total that represents experience gained over thousands of snaps. It is a store of knowledge that can’t be acquired any other way, and that stands to favor the Jackets this season.

“You can’t replace experience,” former B-back Zach Laskey said. “When you play with the same guys, you just build a chemistry that’s hard to replicate with first-year starters.”

Laskey would know, having been a part of a seniorloaded offense that smashed a slew of school records and led the Jackets to the 2014 Orange Bowl championship. Matching that standard is a hefty challenge for the 2018 team, but quarterback TaQuon Marshall isn’t cowering from it.

Marshall said this week that he had spoken recently with Justin Thomas, the dazzling quarterback of the 2014 team, “and I told him, I said, ‘Man, I think we’ve got the kind of group you guys had in the 2014 Orange Bowl year.’”

A tour of the Tech offense: On the offensive line, six players have started at least once, and five players have started nine games or more. Once center Kenny Cooper returns from a foot injury — he’s expected back for next Saturday’s game against South Florida — Johnson said that “we’re probably going to be as deep on the line as we’ve been in a long time.”

“There were times and instances last year in certain games where we were working really well as a unit, (but) we just couldn’t put the whole offense together,” All-ACC left guard Parker Braun said. “I think this year, we’re all going to be working together as one. Not just the line, but the B-backs and A-backs and receivers.”

At B-back, KirVonte Benson can build on his All-ACC season in 2017. He’s backed by Jerry Howard and Jordan Mason, the latter of whom will start in Benson’s place today, as Benson is being held out for the first quarter for violating a minor team rule. Johnson said the position is “probably the deepest it’s ever been.”

At wide receiver, Brad Stewart has the most career starts on the team, with 29. Jalen Camp is the rare member of the first string without a start, but Johnson raved about both players’ performance in preseason camp.

“I feel like they’re ready to make plays,” A-back Qua

Searcy said.

At A-back, Clinton Lynch and Searcy have started a combined 37 games, and Nathan Cottrell has three more under his belt. Lynch and Searcy’s playmaking gifts — a combined career per-reception average of 24.8 yards — are ready to be unleashed.

Marshall is back for his second season as a starter, eager to show his offseason progress as a passer.

“We’re planning on having a great season,” Searcy said of the offense. “We’ve got a lot of guys that can step up, especially ‘Quon’ (Marshall). I feel like Quon will do his thing, and it’ll open up everything for everyone else.”