What will it take for Tech again to beat Georgia? Better recruiting is usually the place to start, and the Bulldogs might be vulnerable. Three of their past four classes have been ranked outside Rivals’ top 10, and the famous closer Rodney Garner has taken his charms to Auburn. For his part, Johnson spoke Wednesday of casting a wider net, the in-house belief being that Tech, as both school and program, has a better reputation outside Georgia than within.
Better defense wouldn’t hurt, and toward that end Tech hired the alum Ted Roof, who has had a curious career but can’t fare worse than Al Groh. Having a big-time quarterback would also be a boost, and Vad Lee has the potential to become Nesbitt with more speed and a better arm. And a downpour on a given November Saturday wouldn’t be unwelcome to a ground-based underdog. (Should Georgia lose defensive coordinator Todd Grantham,
who will interview with the New Orleans Saints, that would also tweak the dynamics.)
Given that Georgia returns its entire offense and that Tech will be entering Year 1 with Lee as its starter, you wouldn’t think the Jackets could beat Georgia, with or without Grantham, this fall. Aaron Murray will be gone by 2014, but that game will be in Athens. If we’re hazarding a guess as to the Jackets’ next real chance against Georgia, we might earmark 2015. The game’s in Atlanta, and Lee will be a senior.
That said, there will be two more National Signing Days before then. As dominant as Georgia has been against Tech the last Saturday in November, it’s doubly dominant the first Wednesday in February. Unless/until that changes, not much else will.
