ATHENS, Ga. -- For all the eye-popping rushing totals Georgia Tech produces in its triple-option attack, the Yellow Jackets have some impressive passing numbers entering Saturday's game at Georgia.
Georgia Tech leads the Atlantic Coast Conference in passing efficiency (161.96), yards per completion (18.34) and fewest passes intercepted (four). Redshirt sophomore quarterback Justin Thomas has completed 75 of 145 passes (51.7 percent) for 1,396 yards with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions, which complement his 827 rushing yards and five scores.
"They have a better quarterback than they've had recently," Bulldogs senior defensive back Damian Swann said Tuesday. "He has enough arm talent to where he can make certain throws, and he can do all the other things he has to do. It does give them an edge, and it allows them to run multiple things now that they have a good quarterback who can sling it around a little bit."
Thomas was the backup last season to Vad Lee, who threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns in the 41-34 double-overtime loss to Georgia in Atlanta. Lee also had a four-touchdown game against Duke but completed just 45.6 percent of his passes and transferred to James Madison.
Georgia Tech has displayed big-play passing potential before, but Bulldogs coach Mark Richt believes this year's Yellow Jackets offer more variety.
"They will throw a lot of short and intermediate balls," Richt said. "It used to be where most of their shots were deep, but I see a lot more versatility in their passing game. Thomas has the ability to throw it, no doubt, and they've got some big, physical receivers with really strong hands and can run by you as well.
"They're much more versatile in the passing game from what I've seen in the past."
Senior sweeping
A win by Georgia on Saturday would be the 13th against the Yellow Jackets in Richt's 14 seasons. It also would allow the Bulldogs seniors to post a perfect record against their in-state rivals.
Georgia's last loss to Tech was in 2008.
"It would be pretty cool," nose tackle Mike Thornton said. "I wouldn't want to lose to those guys and let this team down and have to live the rest of my life with that on my heart. I wouldn't want to do that, and I'm not going to do that."
Said center David Andrews: "I grew up around Atlanta, so I've dealt with a lot of Tech fans. To be 4-0 against them would be a nice cherry on top."
More balance ahead
The Bulldogs ran the ball 41 times and threw it 26 in their season-opening win over Clemson, and they've been run-heavy ever since. Georgia has 463 rushing attempts to 270 pass attempts, but Richt does not expect that drastic of a difference moving forward.
"I think we'll end up getting closer to the balance we've had in the past as far as the run-pass ratio," he said. "We think we've got some good QBs coming in and moving up through the ranks, and I think we'll have the skill at receiver. Let's face it, in the last four years when (Aaron) Murray threw for over 3,000 yards each year for the first time in SEC history, it was with the same staff and the same system.
"We just emphasized the runners this year because of the strength of that group and because we had some injury issues with our receivers."
Odds and ends
Georgia players insist that their focus is on Georgia Tech and not Friday's Arkansas-Missouri game, but quarterback Hutson Mason said, "We'll definitely be watching it." An Arkansas win would result in the Bulldogs capturing the SEC East title for the third time in four years. ... Reserve offensive linemen Xzavier Ward and Zach DeBell have elected to go through senior day festivities Saturday despite having eligibility remaining. ... The Governor's Cup Trophy has been awarded to the Georgia-Georgia Tech winner since 1995, and the Bulldogs have won 15 of the last 19 meetings.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.