Duke Blue Devils Zap Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 31-25

The one thing that did not come up in the game preview for the Duke Blue Devils match against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets was the potential for turnovers to be committed by an option team. This is particularly true in the passing game, where the quarterback is not throwing the ball that much. That pretty much sums up the day the Yellow Jackets had against Duke.

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Meanwhile Duke responded with a ball control offense that saw running back Josh Snead run for over a hundred yards. Duke had two other ball carriers at around the fifty yards rushing mark. That enabled Duke to move the ball when had to and rest its defense at the same time. Then Thomas Sirk would come in to punch the ball into the end zone.

With quarterback Justin Thomas having thrown 2 interceptions, Georgia Tech pulled him for Middle Tennessee transfer Tim Byerly. Byerly managed to take a 31-12 score and get it all the way to 31-25 and an onside kick try that failed.

The game was delayed at the half for lightning before they could go back out.

Play of the Game

Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas was trying to lead the comeback when he made an ill-advised heave of the ball into the waiting hands of Duke safety Jeremy Cash. Tech was turned back and never gained the momentum again until it was too late.

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Tim Byerly summoned up a Georgia Tech comeback out of the ether. Byerly was fascinating to watch as he ran the option offense, knowing that most every play was going to be a pass. He still managed to get two scores against a conservative Duke defense.

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I Want Him On My Team

Jeremy Cash S

Cash was key to the game plan against the Jackets. He was the last tackler on some option plays and he also had to watch out for the option pass. His interception against Thomas probably stopped the Jackets cold.

Final Thoughts

Duke got some turnovers, but they also did the one thing you must do against an option run team. From 7-3, they kept the lead. Controlling the ball on their own and featuring Snead allowed their defense the rest it needed when Georgia Tech emerged to mount another draining drive. This was a big win for Duke and once more puts the Coastal Division into a fair amount of chaos.

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