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Monday, Nov. 02, 2009

Jones breaks loose for Tech

The previous week, Anthony Allen was the star — statistically speaking — at A-back.

Churning out a 103-yard, two-touchdown performance in Georgia Tech’s win over Virginia, Allen enjoyed one of his best outings of the season.

But seven days later, thanks in part to a change in defensive pressure and defensive game-planning, another slot back was able to relish in his own strong outing; one that would be his best of the season.

Roddy Jones — the sophomore A-back many still remember for his 214-yard outburst in a win over rival Georgia last year — walked away Saturday with a season-high 80 rushing yards in the Yellow Jackets’ 56-31 road win over Vanderbilt. His previous high this year was 29 yards, and it came on just five carries in another Georgia Tech win.

Head coach Paul Johnson has said that he has not tried to keep the ball out of Jones’ hands. But based on what defenses show his offense, it just happens to have worked out that Jones’ carries have been limited.

“It was good to finally get Roddy in the end zone; he’s been a good consistent blocker,” Johnson said.

Jones’ nine carries were not handed out on purpose, Johnson went on to add. Although the sophomore has been plugging away all year as a key blocker in the offense’s pitch game and may deserve to be rewarded for those efforts, Saturday night’s opportunities were not given “intentionally.” They “just happened,” Johnson said.

Since many of the Yellow Jackets’ offensive plays are decided at the line of scrimmage based upon what defensive schemes are being shown, Jones has long recognized the importance of constantly being prepared. An A-back never knows when it will be his time to run, catch or block, he said.

“In this offense you’ve got to be ready to get the ball, and if you don’t get the ball, then you’ve just got to be ready to do your job. You’ve got to be ready to go out and block,” Jones said. “I was fortunate enough to have a big day (Saturday).”

He went on to praise his offensive linemen and fellow A-backs for their blocking efforts, but he singled out Allen. According to Jones, the junior transfer made key blocks that sprung some of his biggest runs.

One week after picking up his second 100-yard rushing game of the season, Allen — who statistically has been Georgia Tech’s No. 3 rusher behind B-back Jonathan Dwyer and quarterback Josh Nesbitt — touched the ball just once for zero yards.

While opportunities may not have opened up for him to break plays, Allen was also battling a bout of dehydration, Johnson said. The back felt extremely ill at halftime, but elected to finish the game anyway.

Jones’ 80 rushing yards helped contribute to Georgia Tech’s 597 yards of total offense. While it marked the seventh time the Yellow Jackets have racked up more than 400 yards in a single game this year, the A-back knows it likely will not be the final time.

“We feel like we have the potential to put up that many yards every week,” he said. “We come out and feel like if we execute, defenses are going to have a tough time stopping us. So if we come out and do our jobs, then we could put up those kind of yards every week.”

EXTRA POINTS: Several Georgia Tech players were banged up or fell ill before and during the Vanderbilt game, but they all should be OK in time for Saturday’s game against Wake Forest, Johnson said Sunday on his teleconference. At one point, the Yellow Jackets learned of injuries to linebacker Steven Sylvester, cornerback Jerrard Tarrant (back), A-back Anthony Allen (dehydration) and safety Dominique Reese (shoulder). Receiver Stephen Hill did not even travel because of illness. This deep into the season, each injury was just the result of the nonstop grind the team has been a part of since Sept. 5’s opening game, Johnson said. None are too serious, he added. ... For only the 15th time in school history, the Yellow Jackets enter a week ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll. On Sunday, Georgia Tech learned it was ranked No. 10, climbing from 11th last week. It is the highest the program has been since ranking ninth the week of Sept. 29, 2001. After also coming in at 11 in last week’s USA Today coaches’ poll and BCS standings, the Yellow Jackets remained in that spot in the coaches’ poll. In the BCS, they moved to 10th.