Georgia Tech is trying to keep its season from sliding any further when Mercer comes to Atlanta on Saturday, and Brent Key is keeping the message simple.
“goal this week is to go 1-0”
That’s where the Yellow Jackets are after an 0-2 start that has already included home losses to Colorado and then-No. 18 Tennessee. Another defeat would push Georgia Tech to 0-3, a mark the program hasn’t hit since 1989.
The biggest fix needed right now is on defense. Tennessee ran for 299 yards in last Saturday’s 45-24 win, and Key pointed to the Volunteers’ six explosive runs as the key reason the number ballooned. He said the defensive front was better than it was in Week 1, but not nearly good enough when the game turned on individual plays.
"Three of the six of those came down to one person making the play," Key said. "And we weren't able to do that. ... Shame on us for not having more than one guy there, to rally to the football and get off a block."
Mercer arrives at 2-1 and ranked No. 22 in the FCS Coaches’ Poll, though the Bears are also coming off a frustrating finish. They fell 20-13 to Furman last Saturday after quarterback Jaylen King threw four interceptions, and Ben Croasdale’s 47-yard touchdown run with 47 seconds left delivered the game-winner for the Paladins.
Mercer coach Joel Taylor said the focus this week is on response, not replaying the loss.
"The message is to move on," Mercer coach Joel Taylor said about his approach this week.
"A loss kind of magnifies some things that you've got to fix. I think it also heightens the sense of urgency of getting better as well, but we have a great opponent that's coming up."
One Mercer player Georgia Tech will need to account for is Brayden Smith, the Bears’ wideout who was picked as the Southern Conference’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. He’s backed that up so far, leading the league with 284 receiving yards on 17 catches and a touchdown.
The only previous modern-era meeting between the teams came in 2016, when Georgia Tech won 35-10.
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Georgia Tech Needs More Than A Win To Quiet Early Concerns
Georgia Tech heads into its meeting with Mercer trying to do more than simply get into the win column. After opening the season with two losses against strong opponents, the Yellow Jackets are looking at this week as a chance to clean up a list of issues that have already shown up on both sides of the ball, even if the opponent on paper gives them some room to breathe.
Brent Key has already laid out the areas that matter most, from points per possession and red-zone touchdowns to third-down efficiency, turnovers and pressure on the quarterback. The bigger goal is to leave the game with a more convincing offensive rhythm and a better answer against the run defensively, because for Georgia Tech, beating Mercer would help only if it also starts to ease the early concerns hanging over the rest of the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Needs More Than A Win Against Mercer This Week
Georgia Tech heads into this weeks matchup with Mercer still searching for its first win after opening the season with two losses, and there is more at stake than just the record. The Yellow Jackets have revealed their uniform combination for the game, but the bigger focus remains on getting cleaner play up front and tightening things defensively before the schedule starts to get tougher.
Injuries along the offensive line have added another layer of concern, with no confirmed updates yet on the availability of key linemen. For a team trying to build momentum before conference play and a trip to Stanford later on, this game is about more than simply avoiding another setback. It is a chance to show the offensive line can stabilize and the run defense can hold up against what is ahead. [Read more 🡒]