AJC columnist projects Georgia Tech for eight wins

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets haven’t received a great deal of preseason love from pundits across the country, and there are real issues for Paul Johnson to address from a roster standpoint. However, Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has weighed in with a projection for the Jackets, and he is quite optimistic in pegging Georgia Tech for an 8-4 overall record.

Here is what Schultz had to say about Tech’s outlook:

"If the Jackets don’t win their first three games (Wofford, at Tulane, Georgia Southern), something will be wrong. The real test comes after that: at Virginia Tech, Miami, Duke, at North Carolina, at Pittsburgh. It says here Tech goes no better than 3-2 in that stretch, maybe 2-3. A lot of folks made a big deal about once celebrated quarterback recruit Vad Lee’s decision to transfer but the reality is that he just wasn’t very good. Justin Thomas is a better fit for the option. Defensively, I suspect Tech will be better than people think and the offense won’t sputter as much. Early projection: 8-4. Go over."

There isn’t a great deal of in-depth analysis here (granted, there wasn’t a need for it given the context), but the thoughts concerning Lee’s departure and the infusion of Thomas are spot-on. From an option perspective, there is no reason to think that Justin Thomas won’t be an upgrade as a ball-carrier, and as such, Georgia Tech should be more explosive on the ground.

Defensively, there are areas of concern (namely, the lack of high-end talent), but in the ACC, the Jackets could possess a middle-of-the-pack defense, and that may be enough to preserve a .500 record in conference play. It will be interesting to follow the team throughout the campaign, but for now, what do you think of Schultz’s thoughts?

Tell us the comments, and stay tuned.