Georgia Tech Football: What playmakers return in 2011?

by BirdGT on Jan 21, 2011 8:00 AM EST in Georgia Tech Football

I started keeping track of every player's turnover rate and scoring rate in 2008. I've compiled lists of each rate and broken it down for you all to peruse (Chan Gailey Era-present). The list I'm presenting is limited to players with at least 100 touches (returns, passes, rushes, and receptions). With respects to scoring a TD per play, Calvin Johnson is #1. He scored a TD every 6 plays that he got the ball in his hands at Tech. Conversely, Rashaun Grant scored a TD every 105 touches.

Roddy Jones has the second best rate of any RB on the list and hopefully will be a vocal leader on the squad next season. The Paul Johnson QB's are a mixed bag amongst the Chan Gailey recruits. Tevin scores every 30 plays making him the second-worst QB TD rate per play since 2001. Anyone that would like to juxtapose Paul Johnson versus Pat Nix offenses will find a good comparison here. Pat Nix primary QB's took 40% more plays to score a touchdown than Paul Johnson's primary QB's have.

Turnovers are another interesting part of this equation. Demaryius Thomas, Jamaal Evans, and Rashaun Grant never lost fumbles and all had over 100 touches at Georgia Tech. That's pretty impressive. The worst turnover rate would be Jaybo Shaw. He fumbled or threw a pick every 14 plays. Sadly, Tevin Washington is just above Jaybo at coughing up a turnover every 22 plays. Roddy and Orwin are the 9th and 10th best RB fumble rates since 2001.

If we were to insert Jerrard Tarrant into the TD rate chart, he'd still be second to Calvin despite picking up 6 touchdowns on punt and interception returns. Stephen Hill would actually be #1 on the TD rate chart but he only has 29 touches and is well below the prerequisite coursework.

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I love this stuff,

am fascinated by it and can’t get enough of it. I wish more people would comment on this stuff.

You are such a geek.

by Atlanta's original team on Jan 21, 2011 8:41 AM EST reply actions

I agree

Bird is a geek.

I’m not sure what this information really tells us though. This is just an overview of what people have done in the past, without any real correlation as to what they’ll do in the future. Also, including quarterbacks in there don’t make sense.

by acedarney on Jan 21, 2011 11:02 AM EST up reply actions

Well at least it confirms what I thought about Jaybo

Every time he came in, I said to myself “Well, here comes a fumble.”

by a5ehren on Jan 21, 2011 10:21 AM EST reply actions

QB vs WR and RB

I think it’s a bit of an apples to oranges comparison when comparing the QB to the WR and RB with respect to turnovers because, except for the rare half-back option play (I think Tech ran only one last year), a WR and RB will never throw the ball and thus never have an opportunity to throw an interception.

A similar critique applies to the TD rate as well. The QB, and to a lesser extent the RB, have most of their touches intended only to gain yards. A WR might see the ball only once or twice on drive down the field whereas the WB may have thrown the ball 6 times and the RB might have run with it four times. Also, a WR has a better chance to break free from the defense and score a TD as passing plays naturally take the WR away from the bulk of the defense such that a WR only has to deal with a CB and S whereas the RB and QB have to contend with the the entire defense.

I wouldn’t worry too much about Tevin Washington’s turnover rate as his equivalent playing time to date can’t amount to more than 5 or 6 games, 4.5 of which came in latter part of last year. If by midseason next season, assuming he remains the starting QB, that rate hasn’t started to improve then you might want to be concerned.

by Dive Keep and Pitch on Jan 21, 2011 10:24 AM EST reply actions

I agree

by acedarney on Jan 21, 2011 10:58 AM EST up reply actions

I think some of you may be missing the point

It is not comparing apples and oranges to demonstrate which players have high liabilities and which players are highly efficient. For instance it is quite amazing to see that some players not only scored on a high percentage of touches but also never had a turnover.

Even though in general quarterbacks would be more likely to turn the ball over more than other positions if the ratio between turnovers and scoring is relatively small then that too tell you a lot about whether or not you can have confidence with this player when he is in the game.

by Atlanta's original team on Jan 21, 2011 2:53 PM EST reply actions