Georgia Tech is having a dream run of games. They are 8-0 up after their recent pounding of Syracuse. Their offense, led by Haynes King, has been on a roll, decimating defenses one game at a time. While their defense has been average, not making any silly mistakes, but hardly forcing any. Calling for skepticism from analysts and former players alike. David Pollack, the Georgia Bulldog legend, expressed his doubts as he discussed the Georgia Tech Syracuse game in detail.

On his show, See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack, while talking to Brent Rollins, Pollack said,” Georgia Tech just continuing to be workmanlike, and I think you know the defense is the question mark that we’ve always had questions with Georgia Tech”. His assessment fits perfectly with the performance of the Georgia Tech defense. It might sound harsh given that they have been decent defensively, but the numbers back his claims.

Georgia Tech’s defense ranks 72 nationally while allowing 370.1 yds per game. Their pass defense is significantly better than their rush defense. They allow 20.6 points a game, placing them in the top half nationally. But the pass rush has been underperforming with just 16 sacks in 8 games.

Defensive linemen Jordan van den Berg and Amontrae Bradford are leading a front that struggles to generate consistent pressure. The secondary has managed just 2 interceptions this season. Despite being pretty well in third down defense and maintaining a decent record in defending the red zone. There’s a tale of inconsistency and a lack of explosive plays.

Pollack pointed out their good performance in third-down defense and their ability to get turnovers. “They were really good on the things that mattered. Really, really good on third down. They’ve scored, we’ve seen them consistently, you know, score too in the past. But create turnovers because their offense doesn’t create turnovers, and then when they continue to create turnovers, guess what happens? Now you let that offense come and pound you. And that offense will just keep coming and keep coming and keep coming.”

It’s yet to be seen how they perform down the road. But their defense seems to be on the rise, as evident from their performances against Duke and Syracuse. They are improving but have a long way to go. A fact acknowledged by Brent Key himself after their convincing win against Syracuse. While he praised his defense for their performance against Syracuse but he expects more from them. They are yet to reach the level required of a unit challenging for the biggest of honors in College Football.

Let’s take a look at what the future holds for the Yellow Jackets and the challenges they face.

Georgia Tech’s Treacherous Final Stretch

Georgia enters the final weeks of the regular season with an unbeaten record, but they face offensive units they have not faced till now. After a relatively easy putting against Syracuse, they face NC State, Boston College, Pittsburgh, and a final rivalry showdown against No. 5 Georgia. Each of these opponents poses different challenges offensively and will look to exploit the vulnerabilities pointed out by Pollack in his show. Brent Key would hope his defense learns and grows in character as they tackle these challenges.

NC State is the first challenge in GT’s path, as their rushing defense can force mistakes from Georgia Tech’s defensive front. Although they have struggled for consistency, shown by their 4-4 record. If Georgia manages to overcome their issues, it might brush aside the Wolpacks easily. While NC State tests its run defense, Pittsburgh will pose a challenge for its secondary. With an explosive passing attack, the Panthers would look forward to exploiting the inconsistent Yellow Jackets’ secondary. Their performances against Boston College and Florida State suggest their ability to take down anyone on their day.

Their final game against the Georgia Bulldogs would decide if their defense had truly evolved or remained stagnant. The #6 Bulldogs are contenders for a playoff berth and pose an elite SEC challenge. The Bulldogs’ defense ranks very high nationally and won’t let King and o. have their way. This would finally put the onus on the Yellow Jackets’ defense to win the game. Only time will tell if the hype around them is justified, though their recent performances suggest they might just do it.