North Carolina State University Athletics
Trick or Treat: Pack Must Deal with Tech Disguises
10/3/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 3, 2003
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C.-Although Halloween is still nearly a month away, the Georgia Tech defense will be wearing all kinds of different disguises Saturday when it tries to match wits with wily quarterback Philip Rivers and NC State's high-scoring offense, which is ranked No. 1 in the ACC and third in the nation. The Yellow Jackets will give Rivers and his offensive line a variety of different looks, including a series of zone blitz schemes that are sometimes difficult to detect and decipher.
While most conventional blitzes are played with man-to-man coverage, Tech (2-3) often plays zone behind its blitzes. But the real action is up front before the snap when linebackers walk up to the line of scrimmage and give the impression that they're coming after the quarterback. Sometimes they blitz and sometimes they don't. In some cases, one or two linebackers will rush, while a defensive tackle or end will drop back into an underneath zone coverage.
The bluffing and pre-snap movement can be very difficult for both quarterbacks and offensive lines to contend with.
"It appears that they're bringing a bunch of guys and then yet, they're not bringing but five, really," said Rivers, who leads the ACC in passing yards (349.6), total offense (346.2) and passing efficiency. "In your protections, you've got to be smart and be ready to adjust. And then you have to get rid of the ball quick. They do a good job of disguising it and bringing it from a bunch of different looks. Last year, they brought a bunch of zone blitzes and we didn't respond to it real well."
In their 24-17 victory over the Wolfpack last year, the Yellow Jackets did a good job of keeping Rivers off balance most of the day. And while he did hit 21-of-41 passes for 277 yards and an interception, Rivers was harassed for much of the afternoon by Tech's dizzying array of blitzes.
This time, around, the senior quarterback expects things to be different.
"I think offensively at this point, we're probably better than we were last year," Rivers said. "Even though that was late in the year and we were undefeated, I think with what we're doing and kind of the way things are coming around, I think we're probably better."
NC State (3-2) has managed to put up big numbers offensively in spite of missing some key parts. Starting offensive tackles Chris Colmer hasn't yet played a game and star running back T.A. McLendon has been slowed by knee and hamstring injuries. The Pack is also without starting wide receiver Sterling Hicks, who is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.
Still, there are plenty of weapons to which Rivers can turn. Receiver Jerricho Cotchery leads the ACC in average receiving yards per game (110.4), while Tramain Hall, Brian Clark and tight end T.J. Williams have also been productive. Also back this week will be speedy receiver Richard Washington, who'll return from a one game suspension for breaking team rules.
Of all the impressive numbers Rivers is putting up through five games, nothing is more stunning than his completion percentage, which stands at 77 percent.
"That's amazing," said Georgia Tech head coach Chan Gailey. "He's had less than 10 incompletions per game and they throw it a lot. To me, he is the class of the league right now and maybe the class of the nation. He is really a special football player. We'll be glad to see him gone after this year."
Gailey's Jackets have put together some impressive defensive performances this season, none better than what they did at Florida State, where they held the explosive Seminoles without a single point until the fourth quarter. This week, however, Tech will have to pull out all the stops and disguises it can muster against an offense Gailey says is the best his team has faced up to this point.
"It is the best," he said. "They do what has hurt us in the past; they spread the field out, and use lots of formations and personnel groupings. The throw the ball all over the field. We struggled a little bit with BYU and Clemson in trying to defend that. We've got to really be on our toes knowing exactly the formations and personnel groupings. We've got to blitz, change that up and give him a lot of looks coverage wise. Then the biggest key is to be able to tackle after they catch it. We can't let them run out of there for 40 and 50 yards."
NC State Injury Report (updated 10/3)
Probable - Free safety Troy Graham (Broken toe)
Questionable - Running Back T.A. McLendon (Hamstring strain)
Out -- Tackle Chris Colmer (Parsonage Turner Syndrome) and WR Sterling Hicks (Torn ACL)
