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ATLANTA (AP) – Vad Lee ran and passed for touchdowns in his debut, Zach Laskey ran for 116 yards and a touchdown in his first start and Georgia Tech crushed overmatched Presbyterian 59-3 on Saturday night.
Six players ran for touchdowns as Georgia Tech (1-1) had 712 total yards, the second-highest total in school history, including 469 yards rushing. The Yellow Jackets had a school-record 768 yards in a 66-24 rout of Kansas in 2011.
Lee ran the offense for a series midway through the first quarter and grabbed the spotlight in the second half. He had a 1-yard scoring run, an 82-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Greene and then a 79-yard run to set up a score – all in the third quarter.
Presbyterian, a Division II team until 2007, had only 243 yards. The Blue Hose avoided the shutout when Aaron Mayes kicked a 30-yard field goal with 5 seconds remaining.
Lee, a redshirt freshman, and Synjyn Days shared time with starting quarterback Tevin Washington. Lee had eight carries for 101 yards. His only completion in three pass attempts was the 82-yarder.
Washington completed 7 of 11 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown, adding nine carries for 97 yards and a touchdown.
The win could have been even more lopsided. Washington, Days and Charles Perkins each lost fumbles for the Yellow Jackets.
Laskey had a 56-yard touchdown run, Washington had a 58-yard scoring run and Days scored from the 3 in the opening quarter. Washington threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Robert Godhigh in the third quarter, and Broderick Snoddy scored from the 2 on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Matt Connors’ 3-yard run with 3:52 remaining capped the scoring.
Washington’s 58-yarder was the longest of his career.
Presbyterian (1-1) was stopped on two runs from the Georgia Tech 1 in the second quarter. Lance Byrd, who ran for 80 yards, fumbled after crossing the Georgia Tech 10 in the third quarter.
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson was looking for improved production from his spread-option attack after the Yellow Jackets’ 20-17 overtime loss at No. 15 Virginia Tech on Monday night.
Laskey was one of three new starters on offense. The sophomore’s 56-yard run on the Yellow Jackets’ third play was his first career touchdown.
Lost fumbles by Washington and Days hurt Georgia Tech in the second quarter. Days lost the ball when trying to reach across the goal line with about 4 minutes remaining in the half.
Safety Brandon Leston returned the fumble 91 yards to the Georgia Tech 9, but the Blue Hose could not score. Georgia Tech’s defense held on two plays from the 1. After Presbyterian quarterback Tamyn Garrick was stopped on a third-down keeper, Byrd lost 2 yards on fourth down when hit by linebacker Anthony Harrell and a crowd of Yellow Jackets.
Presbyterian’s only other scoring chance of the half ended when linebacker Brandon Watts, who had a deflected pass at the line earlier in the series, blocked Aaron Mayes’ try for a 44-yard field goal.
Garrick completed 11 of 28 passes for 83 yards and one interception. Kaleb Griffin took over for Garrick in the fourth quarter and completed 2 of 6 passes for 15 yards. Chad Sanders was the quarterback for Presbyterian’s final possession, but did not attempt a pass.
Georgia Tech wore blue jerseys for the first time since Nov. 13, 2010 – a 35-10 home loss to Miami.
