I've watched enough highlight tape of Georgia Tech's two "scrimmages" this year to devise a game plan for the Fighting Irish to win a game that no one in the media will give us a chance to win this week.
First the facts:
- In Georgia Tech's two scrimmages -- they haven't faced a single player who will be drafted in the first five rounds of next May's NFL Draft -- or, the 2017 or 2018 NFL Draft. They will see MANY on Saturday.
- In Georgia Tech's two scrimmages -- they haven't faced a single player who was rated higher than a three-star recruit coming out of high school -- MOST WERE 2 star, 1 star and UNRANKED. They will see MANY on Saturday.
- In Georgia Tech's two scrimmages -- they haven't faced an offensive lineman or a defensive lineman with "big boy football" size and athletic ability. They will see MANY on Saturday.
- In Georgia Tech's two scrimmages -- they haven't faced a team that they had to fear on defense. They haven't seen a Prosise, Fuller, Hunter, Smythe, Brown, or a Stanley, Nelson, Martin, Elmer or McGlinchey -- they haven't played a "big-boy" team yet -- like they will on Saturday.
- And, in Georgia Tech's two scrimmages -- they haven't left the cozy confines of their field in downtown Atlanta -- where they averaged 50,000 fans... They will see 75,000 FIGHTING IRISH fans on Saturday!
Here's a look at the TALENT EVALUATION of the toughest team Georgia Tech has played in their two scrimmages this season.
"IF WE SEE THIS" -- VICTORY LIST (need FIVE OF SEVEN to happen):
- Do not turnover the football. Brian Kelly is 18-0 at Notre Dame when his team does not turn it over.
- We must score TD's -- on at least 87% of our trips to the Red Zone -- field goals will not win this one. We will need to score at least 39 points to win this game -- the three teams that beat GT last year averaged this point production.
- The Tight End position must become a target -- with five or more catches in this game.
- We must turn over GT at least two times.
- We must make at least five tackles for loss in this game.
- We can't be forced to punt more than three times in this game. In GT's three losses last year -- their opponents were only forced to punt 3 or fewer times.
- We must limit GT's big chunk plays -- of more than 20 yards -- to no more than 3 in this game.
Here's a look at Georgia Tech's last loss -- a game against Florida State in December...