Georgia Tech is 14th, dead last, in the ACC in pass defense efficiency, allowing QBs to throw for a 151.7 rating.
Brennan Armstrong just so happens to lead the nation in passing yards, averaging 403.4 yards per game.
Unstoppable force, meet movable object.
“He has great touch on the ball, great accuracy, but he also throws the deep ball really well, too. So, it’s a huge challenge for us,” Georgia Tech coach Geoff Collins said.
A key would be getting pressure up front, but the Yellow Jackets aren’t particularly adept at doing that, either, averaging a modest 12.7 QB pressures and 2.0 sacks per game.
The veteran Virginia offensive line, coincidentally, allows 12.7 pressures and 2.1 sacks per game, on an insane number of dropbacks – 55.4 per game.
This might seduce defensive coordinators into dialing up pressure with blitz packages, but, buyer beware there. Armstrong, according to Pro Football Focus, has a higher NFL passer rating (108.1) against the blitz than he does against standard pressure (98.7), completing 63.7 percent of his passes facing blitz packages, with eight TD passes.
That said, if you’re Georgia Tech DC Andrew Thacker, you’re going to want to do something to give your secondary some cover.
The best cover corner, on paper, is junior Tobias Oliver (PFF season grade: 56.9), who has an NFL passer rating against of 76.2, but Oliver had his two worst outings of the season the past two weeks, allowing four catches on five targets in the 52-21 loss to Pitt in Week 5, and a catch on his only target in 22 defensive snaps in the 31-27 win at Duke in Week 6.
Tre Swilling (PFF season grade: 56.5) has the most snaps among the Tech corners (408 of the 448 for the defensive unit in 2021), but Swilling, too, can be vulnerable – allowing 14 catches on 24 targets for 242 yards and a 106.6 NFL passer rating against, including a dreadful performance against Duke, in which he allowed five catches on six targets for 124 yards.
The best player on the Tech defense is junior linebacker Charlie Thomas (PFF season grade: 80.2), who leads the D in pressures (11) and interceptions (2), is tied for the lead in sacks (3), and is second in tackles (45).
But even Thomas can get exploited in the passing game. He’s allowed 17 catches on 22 targets for 131 yards, which sounds like fun for Virginia tight end Jelani Woods (PFF season grade: 74.9), who has 23 catches for 315 yards and five TDs taking advantage of matchup issues over the middle.
It could very well be that the best thing the Yellow Jackets can do is play keepaway, though, from a look at the stats, maybe not.
Georgia Tech is 10th in the ACC in time of possession (27:53 per game), while counterintuitively, Virginia, the team that throws the ball 50+ times a game, ranks fourth (31:32 per game).
Story by Chris Graham
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