1. Georgia Tech freshman linebacker Brant Mitchell has earned more playing time after his play in recent weeks as a backup and in the Yellow Jackets' 4-3 defense.
“Hard to keep him off the field,” linebackers coach Andy McCollum said Tuesday. “He’ll play.”
That will include time in the Jackets’ base 4-2-5 alignment, which has primarily featured P.J. Davis and Tyler Marcordes as the two linebackers. Mitchell played 58 snaps last Saturday, McCollum said, as the Jackets frequently used Mitchell in the 4-3 against Pittsburgh’s tight end- and running back-heavy alignments. He had a career-high five tackles, after he had four and an interception against Clemson.
“He’ll have a misfit here or there right now, just in a learning curve,” McCollum said, “but you like the way he plays. I think he’s got to be a good football player.”
2. Football Outsiders ranks Tech 59th, between Louisiana Tech and Missouri. By the website's Fremeau Efficiency Index, which measures drive efficiency and is adjusted by opponent, the offense is ranked 21st, the defense 96th and special teams 49th.
It further estimates that a team with Tech’s FEI would be expected to win 3.8 games against its schedule and projected two more wins (Virginia and Virginia Tech, it would appear). It also ranked Tech’s schedule eighth strongest.
By FEI, Clemson is ranked first, Notre Dame sixth, Florida State 21st, North Carolina 23rd and Pittsburgh 27th.
3. Demand for Saturday's Georgia Tech-Florida State game has held strong, despite the Yellow Jackets' five-game losing streak.
The average ticket price sold on Stubhub, the online ticket re-sale market, was $155 on Monday, down $159 from the week prior. The sale price was, not surprisingly, the highest-selling for Tech home game this season. About 1,000 tickets were available on Monday, which a Stubhub spokesman said was in line for most Tech home games this season.
Increasing demand from Florida State fans, eager to see their undefeated team, has likely helped keep ticket prices high. For the North Carolina game, though, also, average sale price held relatively stable from before and after the loss to Duke.
Attendance for the North Carolina game was 50,585. It was 46,208 for the Pittsburgh game.
Tickets for the Florida State game are sold out.
One extra - Tech landed its 10th commit of the 2016 signing class: Steve Dolphus, a wide receiver from Westside High in Macon. Among other things, Westside is the alma mater of former Tech star Julian Burnett.
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