Tech QB Jeff Sims Showed Strides Against a Lot of Adversity in Week One

Going against one of the best defenses in the country, many talking heads in college football gave Georgia Tech no shot in Mercedez-Benz Stadium Monday night. What proved those talking heads right had less to do with the ability of the team, and more with the ugly self-inflicted wounds that have been plaguing Tech all throughout the Geoff Collins era up to this point.

Luckily, these types of issues can be cleaned up, especially just after week one, and it must be a motivating point for this team to do so while also building on the positives. The score did not tell the tale of this game and it would be impossible to talk about the positives without mentioning a very stout effort from the Yellow Jackets’ defense.

Another one of these positives on full display was one that fans have been dying to see, and that is Jeff Sims’ growth and improved leadership in Tech’s new offense against even one of the toughest defenses he will face all year.

When asked about how he felt regarding the team’s performance in week one, Sims echoed sentiments of needing to keep from hurting themselves while also being pleased overall with what he saw.

“Yea of course, we definitely can't hurt ourselves. I feel like we hurt ourselves too much and that put us in bad positions,” Sims said. “I was definitely pleased with how the defense played. They came out there and played hard, and they did their thing. The offense when we were penalty free and not hurting ourselves, we were moving the ball, so that was definitely encouraging. We just gotta build on those things and clean up the things we messed up on.”

It is obvious that the Jacket’s biggest obstacle every week is to keep from beating themselves, and this was a big talking point for Sims when asked about what he learned from the loss.

“It’s not really much I learned, just things that confirmed what I already knew. When we don’t hurt ourselves we’re a pretty good offense, and we move the ball really good,” Sims said. “I feel like when we don’t hurt ourselves that’s when we're rolling so I think the biggest thing for us is to not hurt ourselves.”

Sims also attributes that progress and being able to move the ball against a tough opponent to a next-play mentality the offense has adapted.

“I just felt like we were going play by play, forgetting about the last play, and not thinking about the next play. Just taking it one play at a time, and I think that’s something that is big for us. Just staying focused on the play that were in, and I feel like we were moving the ball pretty good.” Sims said.

Another one of the reasons for moving the ball the way they did was due to offensive coordinator Chip Long’s game plan consisting of quick hitters to get the ball out, and this helped bring Sims’ comfort level in the new offense up a ton.

“I love the offense. I definitely like it because it’s a lot more responsibilities for me. It keeps me focused, and keeps me pursuing knowledge learning everything [and] learning every day.” Sims said.

Sims’ connection with slot Nate McCollum showcased his comfort within the offense, along with the touchdown throw he had to transfer receiver EJ Jenkins that kept the Yellow Jackets in the game shortly before it slipped away from them late in the third quarter.

“It’s definitely exciting, he ran a good route, I feel like he had great leverage on the DB, and I just threw it to a spot where only he could get it. It’s good when you have a big body like that so you can do things like that where he just goes up and grabs it.” Sims said.

Looking at the short week the Jackets have had in preparation for Western Carolina Saturday night, Coach Collins along with Sims talked about an emphasis on cleaning up their mistakes and keeping their focus high no matter the opponent.

“You really just treat every game the same. You prep the same, you do everything the same that you would do for any other game,” Sims said. “We really [have] just been practicing and cleaning up the things we missed on Monday and things that just kinda hurt us while focusing on details. It’s definitely faster because it’s a short week but your focus has to be higher during a short week because you have to get that preparation in.”

We will see whether this heightened level of focus can eliminate the threat of a trap game after a physical battle on Labor Day when the Catamounts come to Bobby Dodd Stadium Saturday night.