Well, that was.....

Before I delve into my opinions and analysis of the game against NCSU, I am going to offer a couple of observations:

1. The "White-Out" really only looks good at a night game. People seem to forget that we are in Georgia and that 95 degrees is not uncommon at the end of September, so wearing white while sitting in the sun is considered smart. So instead of looking like a stadium of Tech supporters, we just looked like people trying not to pass out due to heat exhaustion.

2. A noon game is just not fun. I know games are scheduled based on rankings, popularity, etc. but to have a game where you can get, maybe, 2-3 decent hours of tailgating is hardly worth the effort. Add in the normal traffic delays and other Atlanta events, you got a half-full stadium at kickoff.

3. Tailgating spot claims are just not respected any more. The MOTG team has had the same spot for four years and there is always some group that keeps inching its way into our space. I know we don't own the spot nor do we have a legal claim but, come on, this spot was chosen for a reason. Just respect the space people.

4. Dear Event Staff,

I know that you are following rules but we wanted to make sure that you are aware that some things are fine the way they were. Case in point, let people lean on the walkway facing the field. They aren't blocking anyone and the same people have been there as long as we have had our seats. Getting a representative to yell at them and make them move and then not follow us sends a bad message. Also, after the initial distribution, don't just walk away and forget about the other part of your job in keeping people from leaning over railings and blocking paths to seats. In other words, you did the reverse of what you needed to do. Just work on that, Ok?

Thanks!

Now onto the game.

By now, if you have read the recaps and watched the highlights of the game, there isn't much I can tell you. You saw what we saw. However, if you are totally in the dark outside of the box score, let me help you out.

First, the offense was completely inept except for one or two drives. It seems like the systematic marching down the field of the past two years is gone. This team lives and dies by the big play. they seem to be waiting for Nesbit or Allen to make a huge play to save the game. The strategy seemed to be: run, run, deep pass, run. Yet, the most successful play of the game was a short pass to Allen that he turned into a huge gain. I could see why most of the pass plays failed, they want to go the deep route (which takes time) and the offensive line cannot protect that long. The remedy? A couple of more short passes.

The backs didn't make that option too workable because of dropped passes and lack of focus. The team seemed to do its best to remove two of the three options each play. We are now simple "The Option".

The defense did come out on fire, getting a fumble recovery and two sacks. You had the feeling that they would be the catalyst for a win, if they didn't start to stink halfway through the game. Like the offense, there is no sense of urgency or aggression that makes a defense scary. In many of the passing plays, the defensive backs would almost stop to wait for the receiver to catch the ball and turn before they attempted to stop them. The defensive line, which put some good pressure on the quarterback, just stalled and got pushed around. The linebackers seemed to be out of place or just plain confused on a lot of their assignments.

Some fans will tell you that Tech had the same 1-1 record last year and then went on a winning streak that secured them an ACC Championship berth. Could any of us say that we expect the same thing this year?