Technical Tidbits 9/10

If Georgia Tech hopes to hang with the Georgia Southern Eagles this Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium, they will have to bring their best run-stopping efforts along with them. The Eagles will run a variation of the triple option which, if you watched the Wofford game, is not good news for the Tech team which (ironically) struggles mightily in stopping effective run games. The defensive line has played terribly so far in 2014, failing to pressure quarterbacks on passing downs and oftentimes appearing porous and flat out ineffective in run-stopping situations. This coming game could be a massive trap for the Jackets, especially if the hometown fans don't show up -- a stadium full of GSU fans would be both embarrassing and discouraging for the team and the program.

Former Georgia Tech DE/OLB Jeremiah Attaochu had a ridiculous game to start his Chargers career on Monday, recording a sack of Carson Palmer, a blocked punt, a forced fumble, and four total tackles in what would turn into a disappointing loss for San Diego. Attaochu's performance was so good that he is even being considered for Rookie of the Week honors -- he is one of five finalists for the award. It is actually really cool to think of how big an impact Sneezy actually had on the game for the Chargers; his blocked punt would lead to a touchdown drive and his first forced fumble ended with a field goal. That's a prime example of a rookie making a difference, and hopefully Attaochu will be able to make a big one in weeks to come.

If you are one of the few people who knows that Atlanta has an NBA franchise, then you are probably wishing you didn't know that right now. And that you were a fan of any other team. Anywhere. Why? Because Hawks GM Danny Ferry has come under serious scrutiny following racial remarks made about SF Luol Deng. This snafu comes at the same time that co-owner Bruce Levenson decided to sell off his interests in the team following the discovery of a bigoted email he sent in 2012 regarding the racial makeup of Philips Arena crowds. While what Ferry read wasn't technically in his words, it was still poor judgement that could cost the GM his position.

I'll leave you today with a link to two of Jeremiah Attaochu's best plays of the night: his forced fumble and his punt block. If you listen to that video of the blocked punt carefully, you will even hear some very valuable insight that you may not have known (mostly because it isn't true). The announcer goes into great detail about how Attaochu had a knack for blocking punts in college, which even I didn't know despite watching him play every Saturday! How great are made up facts, am I right? Seriously, that is the equivalent of when an ESPN announcer talked about how Andrelton Simmons had a massive strikeout problem at a time when literally NO ONE struck out less than Simmons. It makes me wonder what goes on in their minds...

What is Jeremiah Attaochu's ceiling in the NFL? Can you think of any current or former player with whom you think he will have a comparable career?

Have a great Wednesday!