The Clemson Insider recently spoke with Ken Sugiura to get some insight on Georgia Tech ahead of Clemson’s game against the Yellow Jackets. Sugiura covers Georgia Tech football for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Sugiura hit on a number of topics during the following question-and-answer session, including a new yet familiar starting quarterback for the Yellow Jackets, what Tech looks like in the trenches and more heading into Monday’s game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Note: This interview was edited and condensed for clarity
TCI: Jeff Sims steps back in as Tech’s quarterback after an injury cost him much of last season. How is Sims’ skill set different from the quarterback Clemson saw last season (Jordan Yates), and how does that change Tech’s offense?
Ken Sugiura: They’re pretty different in just their size alone. Sims is taller and bigger. Yates, he was kind of a scrambler, I’d say, and could make plays with his feet, thought he probably isn’t going to be someone who makes big gains. But Sims is a dual-threat guy. He can reel off a 20-yard run and also throw home runs. So that’s how I differentiate them. Sims was the starter the last two years. Yates only played because Sims got hurt, so I’m sure they will play to his strengths. Giving him chances to run with the ball, RPO (run-pass options) and that sort of thing. And give him chances to throw the ball deep.
TCI: Tech implemented an interesting defensive game plan against Clemson last season by often dropping eight into coverage and trying to keep everything in front. Do you expect the Yellow Jackets to repeat that kind of approach this time around?
KS: It’s interesting. They’ve been a 4-2-5 (base defense) team, and they switched to a 3-3-5 in that game. My guess is that shift probably threw Clemson off because I’m not sure they were ready for it or expecting it. But ultimately I’m not sure in the long-term if that was the right play for them. They got beat up on the run and then their secondary was kind of a mess. My guess is they’ll play a 4-2-5.
TCI: Are there any players flying under the radar at Tech that you think could be X-factors in this game?
KS: One that gets talked about a lot is a transfer from South Carolina. His name is E.J. Jenkins. He’s a wide receiver. He’s 6-foot-7 and 240, 245 (pounds), and I think he’s someone that they’re hoping can be a mismatch they can go to in the red zone and that sort of thing.
Keion White is another guy that didn’t play last year against Clemson. He transferred from Old Dominion prior to last season but was hurt. He’s a defensive end. He had 19 tackles for loss in 2019 at Old Dominion and came to Tech after Old Dominion didn’t play (in 2020). He only played four games last year and wasn’t very effective but was I think still recovering from what we’ve been told. But I think he’s someone they’re counting on to be a pass-rush threat and someone that can cause more problems than what they’ve had previously.
TCI: What does Tech’s offensive line situation look like going into the season? And what kind of matchup do you think it is against Clemson’s defensive front?
KS: I’d say, on paper at least, they don’t match up well at all. They have one returning full-time starter, right tackle Jordan Williams. They have a guard, Paula Vaipulu, who I think started five or six games last year. And then everyone else hasn’t started, and some of them haven’t even played a snap in college. Actually, Paul Tchio, who was at Clemson last year, he’s going to be in the guard rotation I think. They’ve got a kid who transferred from Alabama, Pierce Quick, who’s also going to play.
Then they have a walk-on, Joe Fusile, who’s never played. And the right tackle is either going to be Corey Robinson or Jakiah Leftwich. They’re both redshirt freshmen. So they’re lining up potentially against Myles Murphy the very first snap of their careers, which obviously doesn’t bode well. So I’m sure you’ll see six-man and seven-man fronts a lot and keeping both tight ends (in) or using a running back to try to even things out a little bit.
TCI: What about the running back situation with Jahmyr Gibbs now at Alabama?
KS: It’s a little unclear. They lost two other running backs, their No. 2 and No. 4 guys. One transferred and one went to the NFL. So Dontae Smith is the leading returner, so he should see playing time. And then they have two transfers. Hassan Hall, who came from Louisville, and Dylan McDuffie, who came from Buffalo. Both played a good bit at their old schools, so I think those three will probably play in a rotation.
TCI: What would you say are the biggest questions for Tech heading into the season opener?
KS: Offensive line for sure. And actually even the defensive line, too. That’s another area where they lost a lot of guys, which hurts with experience. Clemson, I think they have four starters back (on the offensive line) and I’m sure they are better. I can see them just controlling the ball with the run and Tech not being able to do a whole lot. But those would probably be two things I’d wonder about.
TCI: So if Tech is going to turn this into a four-quarter game again this year, how do the Yellow Jackets do that?
KS: I think you hope that maybe (Clemson quarterback) D.J. (Uiagalelei) hasn’t made the progress he’s said to have made. And then I just think they need help. Turnovers probably if they can win that and then get some short fields and that sort of thing. I think that’s what they’re going to need either from special teams off a return or something like hat. Obviously you never know what’s going to happen in the game, but it just doesn’t seem like a very good matchup.
Photo credit: Brett Davis/USA TODAY Sports
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