Miami vs. Georgia Tech: Canes preparing for multiple defensive schemes
Georgia Tech decided to change its coaching staff ahead of its game against Miami. The Yellow Jackets demoted Andrew Thacker from defensive coordinator to safeties coach and elevated Kevin Sherrer from linebackers backs coach.
Georgia Tech was embarrassed by Bowling Green 38-27 last week, resulting in the sudden movement of the coaching staff.
"It definitely changes things, because there's elements of unknown," Offensive Coordinator Shannon Dawson said in Monday's press conference. "I don't know much about the guy they just hired, other than just researching him over the past couple days. I'm sure they're not doing that to keep everything exactly the same. That's just my thought process, you know. So I'm sure there's going to be some changes. How much they can change in a week? I don't know. I would doubt that it would be wholesale change. It'll probably be little changes here and there, I would guess. But, yeah, it definitely changes our approach, because there's just elements of unknown. Got to go into the game, and you got to have a plan, but you have to have a plan to change if things are just completely different."
Sherrer also served as co-defensive coordinator before assuming the job in full over the weekend. This season is Sherrer's first at the school as Head Coach Brent Key (who was hired last year mid-season as an interim head coach) hired him away from the New York Giants, where he served as the linebackers coach for three years.
Prior to the Giants, Sherrer coached at the power five level at Georgia and Tennessee from 2014 to 2019. The 2018 season in Tennessee was the only other season he was the sole defensive coordinator. The Volunteers ranked 50th in total defense that year allowing 377.4 yards per game.
"At the end of the day, football is football," Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke said in a zoom press conference Tuesday. "Maybe the presentation will be a little bit different, what they do fronts-wise. Little stuff like that. I don't know if they can switch the whole thing up. I mean they have one week to prepare so, maybe they'll do little bit of stuff different, be more aggressive, less aggressive, who knows. But it's just football at the end of the day, and we just got to just execute our plays at a high level."
Dawson's offense allows Van Dyke to change plays at the line of scrimmage, which could pay dividends in a game where Miami may see schemes on the field that are not seen on film. According to Pro Football Focus, Miami ranks 5th in passing while Georgia Tech ranks 45th in coverage.
"Definitely have answers for everything, just got to see what they're playing in, and change it up there at the line. Keep the play on or go to my best option in that coverage. Just little stuff like that. I feel very confident. The coaches are putting together a great game plan together for us, all we have to do as players is go out there and execute."
Van Dyke's uniform has been kept relatively clean this season. The Hurricanes have allowed four total sacks (19th in the nation), with its starter only brought down twice behind the line this year. The offensive line will look to continue that success against GT's new DC. Georgia Tech ranks 63rd in creating pressure on the quarterback.
"We've been watching film from back when he was a coordinator back in Tennessee," Offensive Tackle Jalen Rivers said in a Zoom press conference Wednesday. "We've been looking at different types of blitzes they like to bring these past four games that they've been playing. So we're being prepared. We're preparing each day. Of course, we have the next two days to prepare even more. So, yes, they changed coordinators, but that just means just digging in deeper, doing our research, and just blitz that they bring and like to bring."
Miami will also look to continue its success running the football. According to PFF, Miami ranks third in rushing while Georgia Tech ranks 73rd in stopping the run.
"We need to be ready for anything when we get out there on Saturday," Tight End Cam McCormick said in Wednesday's Zoom press conference. "We're game-planning them, they're game-planning us. So, obviously, we have to be ready for everything when we get out there, and prepare to the best we can."
Miami hosts Georgia Tech for its first conference game of the season at 8 PM Eastern on Saturday. The game will be televised on the ACC Network.
Talk with Miami fans on Canes Talk, Inside Canes Hoops, and Canes on the Diamond
• Subscribe to the Storm Tracker Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, SoundCloud, and Spotify
• Subscribe to the Canes County YouTube Channel
• Follow us on Twitter: @Canes_County, @BenjaminRivals, @TheCribSouthFLA, @AnthonyYero1, and @MichaelYero
• Follow us on Instagram: @Canes.County
Follow us on Facebook