Coming off a 7-6 campaign that included a loss in the Music City Bowl, Georgia Tech must face a difficult regular-season schedule with a roster that returns just 11 of last year's starters.
The Yellow Jackets lost 20 lettermen from last season's team and enter the 2014 slate with only 51 percent of last season's defensive production. They will need to rely on their offense—which returns 74 percent of last year's production—to carry them through what will likely be some high-scoring contests.
Head coach Paul Johnson's option-heavy flexbone offense, which averaged an ACC-best 299.3 rushing yards per game last season, will benefit from the return of three starting offensive linemen. Redshirt sophomore Justin Thomas will take over under center following Vad Lee's transfer to James Madison in January.
Defensively, Georgia Tech will enter the season using a 4-2-5 defensive scheme, the same one utilized by Duke, for the first time—previous teams used the more traditional 4-3 scheme. With only one defensive lineman returning, the Yellow Jackets must hope that the focus on shutting down opposing passing attacks will not come at the expense of their run defense.
After three non-ACC opponents to start the season, Georgia Tech will face seven teams that qualified for bowls in 2013 and just two opponents that finished last year with losing records. The Yellow Jackets will need a strong start and some quality wins later in the season to earn an 18th straight bowl bid this December.
Georgia Tech will host Duke in Atlanta Oct. 11th.
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