Georgia Tech Football: Bowl Bound?

Given Georgia Tech's ability to recruit and its status in the ACC, what is the ceiling for Paul Johnson and this Georgia Tech football program over the next five years?  Can they be a consistent ACC contender and maybe even a perennial top 10 team?

Georgia Tech has proven that it's an institution where ACC championships and national championships can be won.  I think that Coach Johnson's ceiling is no less than that.

I would expect growing pains in year one, and maybe in years two and three as well, while Coach Johnson gets more players in that fit his system.  Still, given the numbers he will be able to recruit, he should be able to make the transition more rapidly than some may expect.

The Georgia Tech defense also seems to be undergoing an overhaul, with the loss of defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta, as well as leading tacklers Phillip Wheeler and Gary Guyton.  How is the defensive scheme going to differ from last year?  Will the scheme maintain its aggressive nature that has made this defense successful in the past?

Coach Dave Wommack has indicated that the defense will not lose its aggressive nature, so you can still expect a lot of what has been seen in the past.  The difference will be more of an attempt to confuse the offense in what coverages to expect versus confusing them by disguising where the blitz is coming from.

Coach Wommack will expect more from his secondary in terms of differing coverages—particularly with regard to man coverage (something rarely seen under Coach Tenuta), and he will blitz less often than Coach Tenuta.

Defensive end Michael Johnson seems to be getting a lot of preseason publicity, and his name is constantly surfacing on draft websites.  With limited production and starts over the past two years, why are scouts so enamored by this player?

Michael Johnson has made a lot of very crucial plays at critical times.  He also has been unstoppable in one on one blocking in passing situations and has drawn a lot of double teams in those same situations.

His production is a lot higher than the numbers suggest simply because of the attention he draws from the offense—basically freeing up his teammates to make more plays.

He's a very unselfish player and a very coachable player.  Additionally, he has all the athleticism and tools that the pro scouts look for (and then some).

The only knock against him thus far has been how well he works against the run.  If he improves that aspect, then he will certainly warrant the attention given to him thus far in the preseason.

The defensive line certainly looks like the team's strongest area.  Defensive tackle Vance Walker returns after a monster year with 45 tackles and 8.5 sacks, along with Darryl Richard, who had 4.5 sacks and 30 tackles respectively.  With Johnson and Morgan coming off the edge, ACC offensive lines should be concerned.

How big of a role will this unit play in the defensive success, and how do they rank against the other defensive lines in the country?

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