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Tech Offense Batters Noles D

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By COREY CLARK

The Tallahassee Democrat

Published: November 2, 2008

ATLANTA - It had been more than a dozen years since an offense did this to Mickey Andrews. In the 1996 Orange Bowl, his FSU defense allowed 297 yards rushing in a win vs. Notre Dame.

Saturday, against the triple-option attack of Georgia Tech, his defense allowed 286 yards on 40 rushes.

"The thing is they've been running that offense since last spring," the FSU defensive coordinator said. "We've been working on it for a week. And they executed their plan a little bit better than we did."

Until starting quarterback Josh Nesbitt went out with an ankle injury midway through the third quarter, nothing the FSU defense tried was working. The fullback dive got huge yards. The quarterback keeper got huge yards. The pitches to the wingbacks got huge yards.

In a little more than a half, Georgia Tech's offense had piled up 334 yards and 31 points.

"Two guys were maybe taking the pitch man and no one would have the fullback and the fullback would run up the middle," defensive end Everette Brown said. "Those things will happen if you're not disciplined."

The FSU defense, which was allowing 80 yards rushing per game, gave up 145 in the first half. Tech scored three rushing TDs in the first half, including a 39-yard sprint up the middle by fullback Jonathan Dwyer.

Though the Seminoles went into halftime and made adjustments to their defensive scheme, it definitely didn't affect Dwyer and Co. early on.

The sophomore sprinted through the line of scrimmage on the third play of the second half for a 66-yard TD run. "One of the biggest holes I've ever run through," Dwyer said.

It was the last TD of the game for the Jackets, who managed a grand total of 9 yards on their final four drives - although all four of those possessions had freshman Jaybo Shaw at quarterback.

"We came out and did much better in the second half," said senior linebacker Toddrick Verdell, who had six tackles.

The Seminoles did force two turnovers in the second half - on a Patrick Robinson interception and a monster hit by Brown on Shaw.

"We never quit battling," Andrews said.

When Nesbitt was in the game, the Tech offense was basically unstoppable - averaging almost 9 yards per play.

Dwyer finished with 145 yards and two TDs on 13 carries and Nesbitt finished with 61 yards on 14 tries. All told, Georgia Tech's triple-option attack more than tripled the rushing yards FSU was allowing coming into the game.

"We did a pretty good job of preparation for this game, for this type of offense," Verdell said. "There were just a couple of busts."

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