The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #19 – Georgia Tech

And the hits, they just keep on coming. A lot of people probably don’t consider this team, with a new QB, and no more Calvin “Spiderman? More like Superman with an Engineering Degree, Beyotch.” Johnson to help said new QB, to be a top 20 team. But let’s face it, any time you can get rid of a Reggie Ball, your team almost has to get better. It’s a law of physics or something.  It’s like suddenly getting rid of asthma.
Last year, with a Reggie Ball, the team still managed to go 9 and 5, and that’s WITH the lead weight attached to their ankles otherwise known as Head Coach Chan “It’s Hard Coaching the Smart Kids” Gailey. Just imagine if they got rid of Ball and Gailey this year.

Here’s the biggest reason we’ve got them at #19: Jon “Blitzkrieg” Tenuta, or, as I consider him, Charlie Weis’ doppleganger. (Look, Ma! 2 German terms in one sentence!) The guy’s a robot genius – an evil robot genius – an evil robot genius with a lot less charisma than Charlie Weis. And he’ll stop at nothing until he’s found a way to effectively zone-blitz all 11 of his defenders thru the A-gap. Like I said, Genius. So if nothing else, they’ve got that going for them, which is nice.

Offense: Forlorn GaTech fans, meet your new hope: Taylor “What the hell was I doing on the bench?” Bennet. A QB that showed, in last year’s Gator Bowl, what a real QB can do in a GaTech (I like to pronounce it “Gah! Tech.”) offense when the entire defense is worried about Calving Johnson. (And that entire defense plays for West Virginia, but I digress.) They’ve also got a running back named Tashard Choice who may, at press time, have the most un-developed amount of potential in the entire ACC.

Choice: If he were energy, he would not be kinetic. Hey-o! (That’s a little engineering humor is what that is.)

Defense: Attack! I don’t know any names on defense, and, frankly, I don’t care. They’re going to blitz on every down. They’re going to have their nose guard in pass protection 12 yards behind the LOS. And they’re going to make someone cry. Ok, here’s a name for you to remember, “Philip Wheeler, Sr.” Yep, that’s right. He’s a college kid and he’s a “Sr.” Anyway, you know that sound byte from star-wars games and movies, “I can’t shake him!” Expect to hear that from a few opposing QBs in reference to “Sr.” The guy’s an animal.

Special Teams: But for the fact that they forgot to tell their kickoff team that the guy with the ball needs to be tackled after he catches it, this unit is very good. Excellent kicking skill guys, and very fast kick and punt returners.

Facts:

• The Jackets return 15 starters this year, 7 on O and 8 on D, and not a single one of them is named Reggie Ball.
• GT has won it’s last 3 road openers – all against ranked opponents. This year’s road/season opener: Notre Dame at ND.
• GT has played in 10 straight bowl games. Lesson Learned: Even Chan Gailey can consistently get to a Bowl Game (I’m talking to you, Bob Davie and Ty Willingham).

HLS Top 25 Meta:

• Highest spot on a HLS Ballot: 6
• Lowest spot on a HLS Ballot: Not Ranked
• Average ranking on HLS Ballots: 18

Why Alex Trebek Loves Them:

• domer.mq once threw up all over the floor of the Georgia Tech bookstore when he was 11.

Around the Web:

• GT Sports Blog
• Ramblin Racket

HLS Tracker 10 Forecast Technology Says:

The ACC has gotten to be a really sticky scene. VaTech, BC, Miami, NC State, GaTech, etc… have all gotten just good enough to be able to beat each other on any given Saturday. Hell, look at Butch Davis at UNC and wonder how long it’ll be until they’ve got their first ACC “upset.” Still, this GaTech defense gets back some really key guys, and Tenuta prepares his squad awfully well. Add in the fact that it looks like Gailey may let his new OC call plays, and GaTech could, nay, should be a pretty good squad. So, after an initial loss to Notre Dame, look for them to rebound solidly and play very well right up to the point where they vie for an ACC championship, and then watch as Chan Gailey ruins everything.