Georgia Tech freshman Terrell Lewis is healthy after shoulder surgery, writes the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and he’s ready to provide some versatility for the Yellow Jackets.
Lewis was one of the jewels of Tech’s recruiting class, and while he’s slotted as a linebacker, he said he’s capable of lining up at end or safety, too.
That versatility makes Lewis an intriguing presence this fall. The Jackets have some strength at linebacker with Quayshawn Nealy and Tyler Marcordes, but they lack depth at defensive end and lost some talent in the secondary from a year ago.
And finding some young defenders to step up might be the biggest key for Georgia Tech’s success in 2014. Paul Johnson’s offense gets its share of attention (and criticism), but the option has been pretty consistent over the years. It’s the D that has burned Tech too often.
While the unit certainly made strides in Year 1 under coordinator Ted Roof, when things went sour, they went really sour. Check out these defensive splits for Tech last year:
Those numbers speak to a need for consistency on the defensive side of the ball for Tech. Among ACC teams in 2013, only UNC had a wider split in rushing defense between its wins and losses, while only Syracuse and Virginia had a more significant split in its passing D.
In other words, there’s plenty of work to be done on that side of the ball for Roof & Co., but if Tech can come closer to the good half of those splits more often, it should be in the thick of things in the Coastal once again.
More links:
Louisville is getting prepped for its official transition into the ACC, with a new logo hitting the turf at Papa John’s Stadium, writes The Courier-Journal.
And speaking of stadium changes, check out Jake Trotter’s piece for ESPN.com on how schools are trying to lure fans back from their couches and TVs on game day.
Larry Fedora is still using his days at Oklahoma State as a guide at UNC, writes The Oklahoman.
Duke athletics director Kevin White isn’t lowering his expectations for this season. He expects the Blue Devils to improve upon last year’s 10-win campaign, writes The Daily Reporter.
Syracuse DT Eric Crume underwent a minor knee surgery and will miss three to four weeks, writes Syracuse.com.
June has been very fruitful for Pitt on the recruiting trail, writes the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
