Aug. 14, 2010
ATLANTA – Joshua Nesbitt’s first rushing attempt in Saturday’s intra-squad scrimmage at Bobby Dodd Stadium – a 30-yard gain that ended with a jarring hit and his helmet flying off – set the tone for the morning and shook off any rust Nesbitt may have gathered from missing spring practice to recover from ankle surgery.
The senior quarterback, who ran and threw for touchdowns in the two-hour scrimmage, heard the applause from an estimated 2,000 fans that came out early Saturday morning under overcast skies.
“It was good to hear the support of the fans,” Nesbitt said. “I just want to thank the fans for coming out.”
Nesbitt had a two-yard touchdown run and a six-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Stephen Hill. He engineered a 70-yard touchdown drive to open the scrimmage.
“I guess it’s a positive when you take the first possession and go 70 yards for a score,” head coach Paul Johnson said. “It’s a scrimmage though and you are playing against yourself. So when the offense does well, you worry about the defense and when the defense is shutting down your offense, you worry about that.”
Other scoring plays included a 32-yard touchdown pass from redshirt freshman Jordan Luallen to Kevin Cone, a 1-yard run by sophomore Orwin Smith, a 10-yard TD run by sophomore Richard Watson and a 45-yard field goal by true freshman Justin Moore.
The defense had its moments as well.
True freshman Louis Young and sophomore linebacker Julian Burnett had interceptions.
“When you are playing three groups you are bound to have some mismatches, but the freshmen defensive backs going up against some of the veterans made some nice plays.”
Saturday’s scrimmage was Tech’s 11th practice of the preseason.
“It felt good to be out there for the first time in a scrimmage,” Nesbitt said. “I definitely got the rust off in the first series, getting hit hard on the first couple of plays.”
The Yellow Jackets open the 2010 season Sept. 4 against South Carolina State.
