Jackets face tough test vs. Virginia Tech

ATLANTA -- Georgia Tech has struggled to put two solid halves together in the same game and Sunday's ACC opener at Virginia Tech doesn't look like a great place for the Yellow Jackets to try and get it done.<br /> <br /> The Yellow Jackets are one of 23 Division I teams that are 3-0, but the Hokies (2-1) have beaten them four straight times. Last year Virginia Tech's 17-10 win in Atlanta over 3-0 Georgia Tech started the Yellow Jackets on a three-game losing streak.<br /> <br /> As much as any team in the ACC, the Hokies and defensive coordinator Bud Foster appear to have solved Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson's option offense. The Yellow Jackets mustered a regular-season low 129 rushing yards against Virginia Tech last season - well below the Jackets' 299.3-yard average.<br /> <br /> "We've got a huge challenge going into Blacksburg, (Virginia)," Johnson said. "They're always good on defense; this is no exception .... We're really anxious to have another shot at them. They've had our number the last couple of years."<br /> <br /> At least the Yellow Jackets are coming off a last-minute win rather than a last-minute loss, like the Hokies. One week after winning at Ohio State, they lost 28-21 last Saturday at home to East Carolina.<br /> <br /> Plus, the Yellow Jackets and Hokies have traded Thomases at quarterback.<br /> <br /> Sophomore Justin Thomas has been dazzling at times for Georgia Tech already, and the Yellow Jackets won't miss Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas.<br /> <br /> Texas Tech transfer Michael Brewer runs the Virginia Tech offense now.<br /> <br /> Last season, Logan Thomas completed 19-of-25 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown and rushed 16 times for 58 yards and a score in the Hokies' win.<br /> <br /> "Logan Thomas was a tremendous athlete, and he probably through the years hurt us as much running as he did throwing," Johnson said. "He was a big, physical guy. Brewer is more of a typical, pro-style quarterback . . . they won't have a lot of designed runs for him.<br /> <br /> Brewer set a Virginia Tech record for pass attempts (56) against ECU, completing 30 for 298 yards and three touchdowns as the Hokies rallied from a 21-0 deficit to tie before falling.<br /> <br /> Georgia Tech will have plenty of runs for Justin Thomas.<br /> <br /> He rushed for a career-high 137 yards last week against Georgia Southern, and passed for 188. His 13-yard pass to Deon Hill with 23 seconds left in the game provided the winning points.<br /> <br /> The cat-quick third-year sophomore leads the Yellow Jackets with 278 rushing yards and a 6.5-yard average. He's also completed 53.2 percent of his passes for 485 yards and six touchdowns with just one interception.<br /> <br /> Thomas is averaging 19.4 yards per completion, and 10.3 yards per attempt. Senior wide receiver DeAndre Smelter is averaging 26.4 yards on a team-high nine receptions with three scores, and has two 100-plus-yard receiving games.<br /> <br /> Georgia Tech has abandoned some odd formations and plays that Johnson tried last season with quarterback Vad Lee, who has transferred to James Madison.<br /> <br /> The Yellow Jackets' quarterback is "the leading rusher . . . fast guy," said Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer, who is 19-3 in conference home openers. "They . . . get you sucked up playing the run and all of a sudden (their wide receivers are) running by you. Georgia Tech is just different from anyone else."<br /> <br /> Georgia Tech will seek to do things differently.<br /> <br /> In wins over Wofford and Tulane, the Yellow Jackets struggled in the first halves before storming to victory. Last week, they lead GSU 35-10 at halftime, fell behind 38-35 in the fourth quarter, and won on the late Thomas-to-Hill pass.<br /> <br /> Players and coaches have said focus shouldn't be an issue against Virginia Tech.<br /> <br /> "Now that we've got Virginia Tech in our future, I think we're comfortable (with) where we're at in terms of game planning," said reserve quarterback Tim Byerly who has rushed for three touchdowns in short-yardage situations.<br /> <br /> "I think that's the biggest thing, getting the guys confident enough to go in a place like Blacksburg and play with some confidence."

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