It is not much of a stretch to say that Georgia Tech has played inconsistently this season.
After falling to Wake Forest in the ACC Championship a season ago, the Yellow Jackets were picked to finish second in the Coastal Division of the ACC.
But Georgia Tech has not been able to build any momentum this season, frequently following a great performance with a poor one.
The Yellow Jackets' expectations rose considerably following their 33-3 dismantling of Notre Dame in the season-opener at South Bend. They held the Fighting Irish to 122 net yards of offense, including negative-eight yards rushing.
Georgia Tech has been unable to replicate that kind of performance with any consistency since, slipping to a 5-4 record and going just 2-4 in the ACC.
When the Yellow Jackets are at their best, their defense has stifled opponents like the Fighting Irish and Clemson. In a 13-3 victory over the then-No. 13 Tigers in late September, Georgia Tech's front seven held Clemson's vaunted running duo of James Davis and C.J. Spiller to just 34 net yards on the ground.
During the team's worst moments, however, the offense has struggled to overcome the departures of star wide receiver Calvin Johnson and four-year quarterback Reggie Ball. The Yellow Jackets have especially had trouble in the air. In last week's 27-3 loss to No. 11 Virginia Tech, junior quarterback Taylor Bennett completed just 11-of-26 passes for 157 yards while tossing four interceptions.
"If you're any kind of competitor you get over things quickly," head coach Chan Gailey said. "You've got to handle the good times, and you've got to handle the bad times."
Georgia Tech has seen the full spectrum of good and bad in the past four weeks, having lost by two, won by three, won by 24 and then lost by 24.
Gailey, however, expects some of the unsteady play to resolve itself with the return of senior running back Tashard Choice. Oct. 20 against Army, Choice injured his right knee and had surgery three days later. Choice missed only the game against the Hokies, but not coincidentally, it was the Yellow Jackets' worst offensive performance of the season.
Even having missed that contest, Choice still leads the ACC in rushing by 66 yards and is fourth in the conference with seven touchdowns on the ground.
The senior's greatest impact, however, comes from the morale boost he gives the team.
"He's an emotional leader, and he's a part of everything we do," Gailey said. "Anytime you have the leading rusher in the conference back on the field, it helps the psyche of your team."
Although the situation at running back appears to be settled, a quarterback quandary may be brewing in Atlanta. With Bennett's ineffective game against Virginia Tech, backup Josh Nesbitt came into the game with 9:10 remaining. Although the freshman was equally ineffective in the air, completing just one pass and throwing an interception, he showed off his scrambling ability, gaining 32 yards on four carries.
Gailey has already promised that Nesbitt will see some action Saturday.
"It'll be a change-of-pace deal," Gailey said. "You can't push him too fast. It's not fair to him or the team. But at the same time, you don't want to take him too slow."
Nine games into the year and flirting with bowl eligibility, Georgia Tech cannot afford to take anything slowly at this point. There is still the possibility of playing late in December, and Gailey has done all he can to make sure the team forgets about its erratic play.
"We talk about a 24-hour rule," Gailey said. "You've got to get over it or else it will affect you and your preparation for the next week. It's hard to get over it, but you must."
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