Georgia Tech Overcomes Sloppy Play to Beat Inept Chris Crane and BC

Chris Crane looked more like the inexperienced starting quarterback some expected than last week’s efficient game manager in the 19-16 loss.  Tropical Storm Hanna had yet to roll into Chestnut Hill as it was sunny for most of the game, so there was very little of the elements to deal with.

Crane, however, had his hands full with the Tech defense as he lost a fumble on a sack where he had rolled out of the pocket, failing to protect the ball against defenders he never saw.  He threw two interceptions where he missed his target and the Jackets got the turnover.  He also showed poor touch on a few throws and, on what must have been a miscommunication, blatantly missed his receiver in the first on a throw down the sideline.

Crane looked nervous and fans were calling for Dominique Davis in the third quarter.  He was the victim of a drop by Lars Anderson on a wide open pass over the middle and possibly a potential Brandon Robinson touchdown that went through his hands in coverage.  Overall, he was 18-35 for 143 yards with his first passing touchdown and his first two picks.  He was also sacked twice, one of them for a safety.

Josh Haden (8 carries for 35 yards) missed much of the game with an injured ankle, so Jeff Smith got the bulk of the carries, rushing for 24 yards on 10 carries, however, he got 19 of them on one carry.  He also caught three balls for 31 yards.  James McCluskey was only five for 21 yards, but as a fullback his job is mainly to move the chains and provide change of pace and he did his job more effectively than the other backs.

Ifeanyi Momah caught Crane’s first passing TD and Ryan Purvis accounted for a team high 38 yards receiving.  Steve Aponivicius was three for four on field goal attempts, missing a 30-yard attempt to close the second half after he was iced by Tech Coach Paul Johnson (who Aponivicius beat in the Meineke Car Care Bowl against Navy).

Despite the three turnovers, BC was still in the game primarily because Georgia Tech made plenty of their own mistakes.  The BC defense recovered three fumbles, some of which did not even appear to be caused by the Eagles and were assisted by three (correctly called) bad penalties against the Yellow Jackets: two for pass interference and one for roughing the passer.  The Eagles committed their first two penalties of the season as well.

The defense played well for the most part, considering the position they were put in.  The offense left the ball on BC’s side of the field four times, including twice inside the 30 yard line.  Miraculously, those drives ended in a fumble and one field goal in three attempts.  The Eagle defense allowed 239 yards (166 rushing and 73 passing), had two sacks, and did pressure Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt quite a bit.

However, he scrambled for a number of big gains, including a run all the way left, back across the right and downfield for 29 yards in the fourth quarter.  He also had a 26-yard scamper among his 15 carries for 51 yards (aside from the two big carries, he was 13 for -4, though he did rush for a one yard score).  Nesbitt’s biggest play may have been his scrambling to buy time and complete a first down pass to a wide open Demaryius Thomas.  Jonathan Dwyer had 108 yards on 18 carries, including the game winning 43-yard touchdown run in the fourth.

This affirmed that BC needs to be a defense first team since the skill and experience lie on that side of the ball and offense should be secondary, at least in the early season while Crane matures and learns the offense.  This was BC’s earliest loss since they lost the 2003 season opener at home to Wake Forest.

Outlook

I had BC going 7-5 entering the season and I was one for one so far, but I had the Eagles beating Georgia Tech.  I am not sure I see a make up win, but I was on the fence with Notre Dame and seeing the Irish struggle today, I will flip that game and hold the 7-5 line.  After a week off, BC will host Central Florida in a game the Eagles should win based on their defense.

UCF, who came back from 14 down in the fourth before bowing to South Florida in overtime, is a plucky team and coached by George O’Leary, who was nearly Notre Dame’s head coach a few years ago until his resume flap blew up.  If Coach Jeff Jagodzinski reins in the offense a bit and lets Chris Crane fill a role of game manager and build some confidence for him, they can unleash the offense a bit more later.  If BC does not win this game, the season could really begin to unwind after the Rhode Island game.

ACC Rewind

BC-GT was the first and only conference game of the season thus far, so Tech is first in the Coastal and BC takes the basement in the Atlantic.  #20 Wake Forest, the ACC’s only ranked team, needed a Sam Swank field goal with :03 left to beat Mississippi and bring some respect to the conference.  #5 Florida beat Miami to earn their first victory in the last seven tries in the series and Duke reverted to their losing ways, falling to Northwestern.  Five other ACC teams beat FCS teams, but Maryland lost to low FBS Middle Tennessee.

ACC Fast Forward

Georgia Tech will play another conference game, at divisional opponent Virginia Tech and Clemson visits NC State and former BC coach Tom O’Brien.  I like both of the tarnished favorites in these games: Virginia Tech and Clemson.  The ACC will have a couple other chances to earn respect with out of conference victories as North Carolina hosts Rutgers and Maryland brings in California.  I think the ACC will get the split with UNC winning and Maryland getting beat up by Cal.

Top 10

1. USC: idle ahead of Ohio State tilt
2. Georgia: convincing win over Central Michigan an exclamation point to pollsters
3. Oklahoma: pollsters should move them to three based on their drop of Georgia last week
4. Florida: prime time victory a mover for the Gators
5. Ohio State: Beanie Wells will need someone to step up against USC
6. Missouri: dominated FSC SE Missouri State as FBS teams are supposed to
7. LSU: Hurricane Gustav’s thrashing of area postponed date with Troy
8. Wisconsin: looking like the best Big Ten team right now and could end Buckeyes hold on league
9. Texas: struggled early against UTEP
10. Auburn: third SEC team looked pedestrian in win over Southern Mississippi

UMass Watch

#5 (FCS) UMass outgunned Holy Cross 45-42 today to go to 2-0.  They will face #8 (FCS) James Madison (who hung tough with Virginia) next week, followed by their play-up when they visit Texas Tech.  Quarterback Liam Coen was an astounding 25-36 (69%) with four TDs (three passing, 1 rushing) and no interceptions.  Running back Tony Nelson was 22-82 and scored two touchdowns.  Jeremy Hornecaught 10 balls for 172 yards, one of five Minuteman receivers with at least 15 yards per catch.  UMass averaged 7.5 yards per play in the victory.

Tags: Boston College, Chris Crane, UMass

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