Georgia Tech is four games into the season, and the snap counts are starting to tell a pretty clear story. Some of the Yellow Jackets’ most reliable players are soaking up heavy workloads, while a few productive pieces are stuck waiting for more chances.
Up front, Kevin Peay has logged the most snaps on offense with 274, and he’s been one of the steadier offensive linemen for Georgia Tech this season. Alberto Mendoza follows with 265, while Malachi Carney sits third at 255.
Justice Haynes is another name that jumps out, even though he wasn’t among the first three listed. He ranks fifth in snaps with 274 and has been a real find for Brent Key and the Yellow Jackets this offseason.
Given how much the offensive line has struggled, Haynes standing as the team’s highest-graded player at 80.6, per PFF, on the fifth-most snaps says plenty. He’s been doing the most with what’s in front of him.
The rest of the line has had a tougher time. Joseph Ionata has played 173 snaps, Markell Samuel 164, and Jordan Floyd 157, but the production hasn’t matched the workload.
Injuries have also forced Georgia Tech to lean on that group more than it probably wanted. Ionata owns a 54.1 PFF grade, Samuel is at 41.0, and Floyd comes in at 56.7 on offense.
At receiver, Isaiah Fuhrmann is third on the team in snaps with 146, though the production has lagged behind the playing time. Kevin Roche Jr. has only 138 snaps and ranks 13th, but there’s a strong case for him to get more run because of how consistently he’s produced.
There are a few more offensive players who have done enough to earn a larger role. Trelain Maddox has 87 snaps and, outside of Haynes, can make a case as Georgia Tech’s most productive offensive player this season.
Jaiven Plummer has just 48 snaps, but back-to-back strong weeks and a receiving touchdown make him hard to ignore. Debron Gatling has only 37 snaps, yet he’s been effective whenever he’s been on the field.
If Georgia Tech gets healthier, there’s also a case to be made for getting more young playmakers involved. Darnell Collins, Coi Jean-Noel, and Kentrell Davis are the freshmen who could help create more explosive plays. At the same time, Samuel, Floyd, and Ionata could all see their snap totals come down.
Defensively, Tae Harris leads the way with 272 snaps. E.J. Lightsey follows at 217, then Daiquan White at 209, Tawfiq Thomas at 206, Kelvin Hill at 202, Savion Riley at 199, Vincent Carroll-Jackson at 174, Taje McCoy at 160, Cayman Spaulding at 143, and Kyle Efford at 129.
Harris has been one of the defense’s most productive players, and the same goes for Thomas, McCoy, Lightsey, Riley, Efford, and Spaulding, all of whom are near the top of the team in tackles. White has been one of the bigger surprises on the roster.
He’s settled in well at cornerback and turned in one of his best performances against Stanford before leaving with an injury. His sticky coverage was on full display.
Hill has also been a force against the run and in tackling. With 202 snaps, he’s among the team’s most-used defenders for good reason. His 85.5 tackling grade and 80.1 run defense grade, per PFF, back up what shows up on film.
Noah Carter is another defender who looks underused. He has only 91 snaps, but his 84.2 pass rush grade is the best on the team, per PFF.
He’s shown he can wreck a game and be an efficient rusher off the edge. CJ Gamble, with 18 snaps, and Braylon Outlaw, with 41, have also flashed as difference-makers.
Both had their best outings against Mercer in Georgia Tech’s first win of the season, and while they don’t need to start, they’ve earned more chances.
Cornerback Trae Stevenson Jr. is another player who should see more time once healthy. He’s only played 36 snaps because of injuries, but his impact has already shown up. He has a punt block that was returned for a touchdown this season, and he’s clearly capable of giving this defense more.
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Has A Bigger Alberto Mendoza Problem Than Fans Expected
Alberto Mendoza has given Georgia Tech a steadier presence at quarterback than the program had in recent seasons, and the numbers back up the early optimism. Through four games, the Indiana transfer has completed 68% of his passes for 975 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions, all while operating behind a struggling offensive line and a run game that has not offered much relief.
Even so, the overall picture around him is complicated by Georgia Techs 1-3 start and the reality that Mendozas performance has still not fully separated him from the rest of the leagues middle class. ESPN analyst Bill Connelly ranked him 53rd among 68 Power Five quarterbacks, a reminder that the Yellow Jackets may have found a useful starter, but not yet the kind of answer that solves everything around him. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Techs 1-3 Start Comes Down To One Frustrating Reality
Georgia Techs 1-3 start looks a little stranger when you dig past the record. The Yellow Jackets have actually done enough on offense to stay competitive on the numbers, averaging slightly more points per game than their opponents and holding a small edge in total offense. Their passing game has been productive enough to outgain what they have allowed through the air, which helps explain why the overall profile is not as lopsided as the standings suggest.
Still, the frustrating parts keep showing up in the places that decide games. Georgia Tech has struggled to move the chains on third and fourth down, has been beaten on the ground, and has not separated itself in the red zone. The bigger issue may be what happens after halftime, where the Yellow Jackets have been outscored in the second half, leaving them with a record that feels more harsh than the underlying totals but no less real. [Read more 🡒]
Buster Faulkner Is Building A Florida Offense Georgia Tech Fans Know
Buster Faulkners Florida offense has started to look a lot like the kind Georgia Tech fans remember from his time in Atlanta: physical, balanced and built to make defenses chase the game. In Floridas 52-28 win over Ole Miss, the Gators leaned hard on the run, with Jadan Baugh and Duke Clark helping carry the load and keep the offense on schedule. Baugh has surged to the top of the SEC in rushing yards and touchdowns, while Clark has given Florida another reliable option in the backfield.
Faulkner said the key has been the units ability to adapt and keep imposing its will no matter the matchup, a trait that showed up against Ole Miss and will matter again this week against Missouri. For Georgia Tech fans still familiar with the way Faulkner likes to build an offense, it is a reminder of how much he values control at the line of scrimmage and a ground game that can dictate terms. The bigger question now is how long Florida can keep wearing defenses down this way. [Read more 🡒]