Georgia Tech: Thunder and Lighting Abound at T-Day Game

One half of dynamic football was played this morning down on the Flats at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field. On a cool, dark, cloud covered morning, Georgia Tech played its annual spring T-Day scrimmage. Clouds, rain, lighting, and thunder shortened the game to only one half, but Tech fans can be excited about what they did get to see in the 30 minutes of football played.

The teams were split, White vs. Gold teams; White represented by the first team offense and second team defense and the Gold team fielding the first team D and the second team O.

The weather shortened affair was dominated by the White team, winning the abbreviated game 27-7... scoring their 4th touchdown just as the clock came to 0:00. As if planned, the rain started falling, thunder rang out, and it forced the game to being called (no extra point was attempted).

RS So. Tevin Washinton led the first team offense in place of injured Joshua Nesbitt (recovering from ankle surgery) and scored 3 rushing touchdowns of 6, 5 & 4 yards. Add a 70 yard passing touchdown to a streaking Steven Hill who out ran his coverage and the White squad gave the Jacket fans there something to be excited about.

Washington appeared to have a good understanding of the offense and his option reads. It would seem that he has solidified his spot as Nesbitt's backup for the fall. Anthony Allen, the teams new starting B-Back, also had some bruising runs sending sonic shock-waves into the stands prior to the thunderstorms that halted play. A 40 yard burst through the defensive line brought the crowd to its feet and led to the team's first points.

On the next possession WR Steven Hill had the play of the day, ripping the ball from the intercepting clutches of RS Sr. CB Dominique Reese on a 45 yard pass from Washington setting up the teams second score.

The Gold team starting QB Jordan Luallen, RS Fr., seemed to struggle during the intra-squad scrimmage. A dropped pass on his first snap seemed to foreshadow his play. Luallen never appeared to be in rhythm and the 2nd team offense only produced two stalled drives under his guidance.

Luallen was replaced by fellow RS Fr. David Sims on the third series for the Gold squad and the offense then started to click the moment he was under center. Running for a 24 yard sprint on his first snap, Sims instantly seemed to bring a spark to the Gold's lineup. Sims ran for several more drive sustaining gains and brought the Gold squad to their only score on his second series.

While impressive at times the Gold team's (1st team) defense appears to have some work to do. Despite some booming hits by RS Sr. Anthony Eguniwe and Fr. Isaiah Johnson, the defense had a difficult time containing the attack of Washington, Allen, Hill, and company. Defensive coordinator Al Groh got in the facemask's of his young defenders giving them some "personal critiquing" after giving up the long TD pass to Hill.

While the Gold team's defense was ripped for four scores they did show promise on a drive where they held the White team deep in their own territory. The second team defense lead by massive nose guard RS So. TJ Barnes seemed to stuff the second team offense outside of its only scoring drive.

All in all the game showed promise and potential for the 2010 Yellow Jackets, who's offense looks like it will able to score on almost anyone in the nation. Their defense showed glimpses of both its promise and its inexperience. All together they will be striving for a repeat as ACC Champs.

The thunderous hits and lighting quick strikes were merely a preview of football seen in one rain-shortened half today. But, the drenched fans leaving smiled knowing that what they saw was a forecast of the storm to come this fall.