Georgia Tech still looking for improvement after disappointing opener with Clemson

Geoff Collins spent the offseason saying this year’s Georgia Tech football team was different.

The Yellow Jackets had a “chip on their shoulder,” he said.

“They’ve got an edge,” he insisted. “We are all tired of losing.”

But as the clock wound down at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Georgia Tech’s season-opening 41-10 hammering by No. 4 Clemson, there was no escaping it: four seasons into Collins’ tenure on The Flats and nothing has changed.

In fact, if the Yellow Jackets’ putrid performance against the Tigers at the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game was any indication, things have gone worse for a team that was on top of the Atlantic Coast Conference less than a decade ago under coach Paul Johnson.

Here are Georgia Tech’s first six possessions: interception on the first play, four punts and a missed field goal.

After Georgia Tech pulled to within 14-10 with 9:47 left in the third quarter, Clemson followed with a field goal and a touchdown to go up 24-10 heading into the fourth quarter. After Georgia Tech’s defense forced Clemson to punt, the Tigers found the end zone on each of their final two drives to turn a close game into a blowout.

“We were confident all the way through the game,” Georgia Tech linebacker Ayinde Eley said. “We had faith in our plan and we were confident. We just got the short end of the stick tonight. We just have to correct what needs to be corrected.”

And don’t forget about special teams: Georgia Tech had two punts blocked, which led to Clemson touchdowns.

“One of the key things I think, even though it’s a very disappointing loss and we’re very upset about it, and it hurt, is there were things to build on,” Collins said. “We’ve just got to find that balance of making sure we fix the things that have to be fixed but also build on the things that we do good in the game.”

Like what, exactly? The Yellow Jackets were outgained 386-237, went 2-for-16 on third down, averaged 4.6 yards per pass on 23 of 36 attempts, averaged 2.4 rushing yards on 30 attempts and committed a whopping 10 penalties for 86 yards.

“Obviously, we’ve got to do a better job and I’ve got to do a better job as the head football coach,” Collins said. “We continue to learn from those things.”

Georgia Tech has lost its past seven games since beating Duke on Oct. 9, with the last three losses among the worst stretches in school history. The Yellow Jackets have been collectively outscored 141-10 in a 55-0 loss to then-No. 8 Notre Dame and 45-0 in a walloping by top-ranked Georgia before Monday night’s debacle.

Georgia Tech, which has dropped eight straight meetings against Clemson, has lost 12 straight against top-five opponents and 13 in a row to top-10 teams.

The Yellow Jackets have posted three straight three-win seasons. If improvements aren’t made, beginning with Saturday’s home game against Football Championship Subdivision school Western Carolina (1-0), Georgia Tech could be on its way to one of the least successful three-year stretches in school history.

The Yellow Jackets had a combined eight wins from 1980-1982, seven from 1929-1931 and six from 1979-1981.

“We have a five-day week to put this game to bed and start on the next opponent,” Collins said. We have a lot of work to do to get those things cleaned up. We just have to consistently put together drives and not hurt ourselves. It’s going to be a challenge and we just have to rise to that challenge.”

Jamie Spaar