Aug. 16, 2014
Post-Scrimmage Audio: Coach Johnson | Coach Roof
Scrimmage Notebook
• Second live scrimmage of #GTCAMP14 was approximately 110 plays on a gorgeous Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
• Coach Paul Johnson: “There was a lot of good things with 110 plays and no turnovers, that’s really good for the offense. I don’t even think the ball was on the ground but maybe once.”
• “Defensive Coordinator Ted Roof: “It’s been a good camp, we’re certainly in a better place than where we started. But we’ve got to come back to work, get fresh and get better.”
• Following the scrimmage, the players were given the remainder of the day off, and have an off-day Sunday to break camp and move in to their campus housing. Classes begin on Monday.
Offense
• The first-team offense converted a pair of third downs and a fourth down to keep the opening drive alive, which resulted in an 11-yard touchdown pass from sophomore QB Justin Thomas (Prattville, Ala.) to senior BB Zach Laskey (Peachtree City/Starr’s Mill HS). With his legs, Laskey converted a third-and-short, while Thomas hit senior WR DeAndre Smelter (Macon/Tattnall Square Academy) for 13 on a third-and-long. Thomas picked up two yards on fourth-and-one to put the Jackets in the Red Zone.
• Freshman Matthew Jordan (Jackson, Ala,) was under center on the fifth possession and picked up 29 yards on the grounds before finding classmate C.J. Leggett (Suwanee/North Gwinnett HS) for 16 yards on third-and-nine. A sophomore Harrison Butker (Decatur/Westminster) 32-yard field goal capped the drive.
• Senior AB Deon Hill (Phenix City, Ala.) got the offense going on the ninth possession, getting a big block downfield from senior AB B.J. Bostic (Louisville/Jefferson County HS) and gaining 25 yards. Junior AB Broderick Snoddy (Carrollton/Carrolton HS) capped the drive with a seven-yard score on a pitch from Thomas.
• Leggett had an impressive day and picked up 24 yards on the 10th possession to get the offense going. Freshman QB Chase Martenson (Dunwoody/Marist School) finished it with a six-yard keeper for a touchdown.
• Thomas found Smelter and senior WR Darren Waller (Acworth/North Cobb HS) for back-to-back big gains on the ensuing drive, and senior Synjyn Days (Marrietta/Hillgrove HS) did the dirty work in the Red Zone to end the series with a two-yard TD plunge
• Smelter also enjoyed a big afternoon, and highlighted it with a 70-yard touchdown run on a reverse.
• Waller climbed the ladder for a 14-yard touchdown pass from Martenson to cap the scoring.
Defense
• Following the opening-drive touchdown, the defense allowed just two first downs by the offense over its next three possessions.
• Freshman LB Antonio Simmons (Jacksonville, Fla.) had a solid afternoon, dropping Isiah Willis with a thundering hit on fourth-and-five to stall a drive. He also played a reverse perfectly and registered a tackle for loss later in the scrimmage.
• Senior S Isaiah Johnson (Tyrone/Sandy Creek HS) was in on a solo sack in the Red Zone.
• Senior LB Kyle Travis (Cumming/South Forsyth HS) was in on tackles for loss on consecutive possessions which helped keep the offense off the board.
Special Teams
• There were no kickoffs or punting.
• Butker made his only field goal attempt, from 32 yards on the fifth possession.
Just finished off a very good fall camp and looking forward to kicking off the season in two weeks at Bobby Dodd!#gtfootball
— Paul Johnson (@GTPaulJohnson) August 16, 2014
