Dear Younger Self,

I hope this letter finds you well. You look exuberant, inquisitive and petrified all at the same time, and I cannot blame you. College is a big step, but so was taking a gap year for hockey in Connecticut. I commend you for taking that leap and for trying to keep the dream alive. The good news is that club hockey in the South is alive, well and growing fast. I know you’re not thrilled to stay in-state, but you will come to love it here.

First of all, you should not take anyone you meet at college for granted. Being among 3,250 incoming students in a school of 15,000 is not as monumental as it sounds. I’ve lost count of the amount of small-world moments I’ve encountered here. You never know when you’ll run into someone again, and seeing how they grow alongside you or without you in college is fascinating.

Meet as many people as you possibly can through your involvements. The diverse perspectives from people with all different backgrounds facilitates growth in unprecedented ways. Sure, knowledge in the classroom is important, but nothing trumps open-mindedness, collaboration and competency in the real world.

That being said, college is nothing short of a reality check. Your honor student status will be slipping through your grasp the moment you step foot into the classroom. You will never be the smartest person in the room, but embrace that. Growth rarely comes without asking for help.

No matter how difficult school becomes, never let it consume your passions or your personality. You should not compromise the things that you love to do. You have worked hard to become a well-rounded student, so ensure you continue to prioritize other outlets away from school. Find something that gets you
out of bed every day.

Get involved in student organizations but be wary to avoid making yourself overwhelmed. You know how burnout feels so I caution you to save yourself, especially down the road when leadership roles enter the conversation. Also, do not succumb to the toxic organizational culture that may plague other students. Focus on bettering yourself while supporting those around you.

Patience is a virtue that I recommend learning. Avoid small aggravations as their small-but-mighty character can easily penetrate your skin. 

The few guarantees in life are Atlanta traffic, unrealistic expectations from professors and construction. These minor inconveniences are not worth your attention. 

Account for these factors and work on being more punctual when meeting with others, as it will make a huge difference in your relationships. 

When it comes to work, replace procrastination with doing and speaking with intentional thinking.

Admittedly, I’m writing this letter right after an exam that I started cramming for last night. My schedule says that I am in class for another 20 minutes, but my four hours of sleep said otherwise. I did not start writing this until after the deadline. None of these things sound cool nor are they productive, so do not make speaking of these situations a habit. Misery and misfortune should never be a competition or a brag.

Your four years here at Tech will be difficult, but your perseverance is rewarded. 

I know how outlandish leadership sounds for you at this moment, but as it turns out, you’re not too shabby. Also, do not be afraid to put yourself out there, even with the recent events in your life. It’s crazy to think that the only reason that I’m in this section editor position now is because you followed your heart eight years ago. I’m sorry to hear that things did not work out with her four years later, but keep your chin up — I promise you’ll find what you’re
looking for soon enough.

Look where journalism has taken you thus far. You had the opportunity to discover your passions and grow your creative mind, all while working alongside some of your best friends from high school. 

When this opportunity arises again, take it and make the most out of every moment. It will be one of your most trying yet fulfilling experiences at Tech. Speaking of fulfilling, find your adventurous side. Taking risks outside your comfort zone will teach you resilience and you may even discover newfound passions. 

Study abroad to travel more and gain exposure to different cultures. Make a sizable dent on the incredibly diverse food scene in Atlanta and try new cuisines. Take road trips to new places and explore nature’s beauty that surrounds you everywhere. Every day is another day in paradise.

Above all, it’s the little things that mean the most. Those moments that mean nothing to strangers when retold, but mean everything to you. Sure, you will have plenty of stories to tell years later, but there is nothing quite like being here. Make a lasting impact at Tech, just as it will have on you.

My final piece of advice to you is to eat your own words. 

Inspecting your last opinion piece before moving on from high school, where you quote Ferris Bueller, is ironic in that you have not stopped to look around even once since you’ve entered Tech. 

This is me stopping to look around for you. One day, you’ll wake up and look back on your time spent in grade school and college just to realize that it was all a blur.

I’m here to tell you that there exists such a thing as overinvolvement. Countless hours with print newspapers and 3D printing, hockey games and photographing games, undergraduate research and research journals, club meetings and meeting strangers and the plethora of friends made along the way — it all disappears. Do not take any of your experiences for granted and remember every role you played. In the blink of an eye, you will graduate from the Institute and never look back.

Sincerely, 

An older, wiser You 

The post A letter to my old self: Thinking of college in post appeared first on Technique.

On Feb. 23, The Salty Donut opened its latest location in West Midtown. The Salty Donut has other locations in Florida, North Carolina, Texas and Georgia, with this being their third location in Atlanta.

The Salty Donut is famous for its specialty locally sourced coffee and doughnuts. While some of their locations are pop-ups, the permanent West Midtown location provides a casual bakery experience with welcoming seating areas and a contemporary confections display. A one-hour parking validation is available at this location, giving visitors plenty of time to enjoy the ambiance.

They have a wide variety of unique doughnuts and baked goods. The doughnuts range from traditional glazed and brown butter & salt to chocolate glazed chocolate brioche and whipped lemon ricotta bomboloni. They also have allergen-friendly options with a gluten-free blueberry crumb cake and a vegan ultimate Oreo cookie doughnut. Their baked goods options include cherry pie pop tarts, cinnamon crunch cookies and potato egg & cheese turnovers. The price per item ranges from $3.00 to $4.80.

As for coffee, they have traditional options like espresso and americano, in addition to specialty lattes and cold brews. The milk options are 2%, whole, almond and oat. The cinnamon cereal milk latte featured bits of cinnamon that balanced the latte very well, with a smooth body. A maple & brown sugar cold brew is a tasty option for the Blue Donkey loyalists with a sweet yet clean flavor. The Salty Donut also sells coffee grounds, cater-able travel carafes and personalized crowlers or growlers of cold brew that can be refilled for $28.

For those with a sweet tooth, many of these doughnuts will satisfy any craving. The maple cinnamon twist puts a sweet spin on a classic, with a maple glaze that compliments the cinnamon quite well. The chocolate glazed chocolate brioche was a rich doughnut that had balanced flavors with decadent chocolate that meshed well with the sweetness of the chocolate glaze yet still was not overly sweet. Last but certainly not least, the cinnamon pear crumble brioche doughnut features a delectable cinnamon pear pie filling with crunchy features in the frosting artfully topped with mascarpone whipped cream —over-the-top perfection.

Several other bakery items offer a more balanced palette. A cherry pie pop tart pairs a tart cherry frosting with a blissful cherry compote filling embraced in a flaky, buttery crust that melts in the mouth. The white chocolate chai that features a light and decadent frosting on a simple unglazed doughnut is addictive. Finally, the whipped lemon ricotta bamboloni is another brioche-style doughnut with a smooth and flavorful lemon ricotta filling,  rolled in granulated sugar that adds a crunch, which brings it all together. On opening weekend, they even collaborated with Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q to have a special pulled pork mac-n-cheese kolache. This featured a crispy outside with a doughy, creamy BBQ vibe inside. This will hopefully make a return to
Atlanta locations in the future.

“It’s very rare to find a place that has great coffee and delicious pastries,” one customer commented. The Salty Donut is a top-tier doughnut shop that is committed to buying local ingredients, adding to West Midtown’s creative culinary landscape.

The post The Salty Donut opens Midtown location appeared first on Technique.

If there is one thing that I definitely do not miss, it’s online school. Countless BlueJeans calls, Zoom meetings, muted professors, hot mics and Canvas quizzes; we were turned into iPad kids almost overnight.

However, looking back on that time has made me realize just how good we had it. 

Think about it: lack of intense time commitments left more time for exploring the city and online classes meant no walking to other classes, giving you time to watch that show you never had time for.

All of this added up to absurd amounts of free time. 

I used this time to meet new people and get involved in extracurriculars. I used this time to play “Among Us” until 5 in the morning with friends. I used this time to take on personal projects.

I used this time to attend study sessions and never study a single concept. I used this time to make memories that would last forever.

My freshman year felt like that awkward time where complete freedom and independence away from home clashed with COVID-19 restrictions and business closures. 

These factors allowed me to branch out and find a close-knit group of friends that would enjoy just about anything together. Now, it may just be that the stars aligned and my  freshman year during the pandemic somehow turned out to be as amazing as (if not better than) any other person’s freshman year. 

What may have felt like a waste of an academic year for some was an opportunity to grow independently for others. What may have seemed like numerous restrictions on life for some became opportunities for others to come out of their shell.

But alas, you will never fully appreciate something until it’s gone. This is how I feel about free time. 

Now that I’m more involved in clubs and getting deep into my major curriculum for classes, I have little time to myself, which does make me more appreciative of the free time I do have.

While I did take advantage of the online class days, a part of me still feels that I took it for granted. 

There are plenty of people that I grew close with then that I no longer see, many stories of mutual friends left untold and once frequented places now forgotten. 

To those people that are unwilling or unable to meet new people: putting yourself out there can make you vulnerable, but is keeping to yourself worth never knowing the answer to all those “what ifs?”

What if you found your true passion in life at a club meeting? What if you met your new best friend at a party? What if you made a new breakthrough doing undergraduate research? What if you met your future partner in a class? What if you’ve been holding onto the past for too long?

Reminiscing over the bonds you’ve had and the times you’ve enjoyed is all right but harping on what could have been is not worth your present time. 

Your present time is meant for making new and unforgettable memories with people that you enjoy being around — people that you might never see again in just a few short years.

To the freshmen: the importance of your freshman year cannot be overstated. 

The memories you make and the bonds you form with others may very well determine your next 4+ years at Tech and beyond. Always remember that friends may come and go, but memories are forever.

To everyone else, I leave you with this. One distinct scenario I recall told by a friend of mine years ago is the roundtable scenario: you only have six open seats around your table. 

Throughout your lifetime, close friends will come and go, relationships form but may break just as quickly, but you will always have six of your closest friends at the table.

The embodiment of Georgia Tech generally seems to revolve around academic and professional development. While these are important, time away from school cannot be discounted.

Finding balance with social, personal, and professional growth can really benefit your future, dare I say even more than just participating in clubs as resume boosters.

As a second-year student, the emphasis of academic and professional development, as well as the pressures that come along with that, has become increasingly prevalent.

Several of my peers have been churning out internship and job applications, finding themselves behind in coursework. On top of that, exams and homework loom over students’ heads regardless of externalities.

As a Tech student, I have been guilty of overlooking the stresses of school, hiding emotions until I am unable to contain them any longer. I understand how important academics may be for my future, but this way of life is not sustainable. The importance of physical and mental health cannot be overstated.

There are numerous solutions to balance out the pressures of school. Believe it or not, having a life outside of the classroom is possible!

Despite the challenge of meeting new people during my freshmen year, I still found a way to join several organizations.

These organizations have developed me into a very well-rounded student, requiring extensive time management skills.

But more importantly, they have been loads of fun, allowing me to take myself away from schoolwork and enjoy new experiences while meeting new people.

Unfortunately, I have witnessed students joining organizations solely to build their resume. This is not only unfair to others who take time out of their day to participate, but also defeats the entire purpose of joining.

Perhaps the best part of clubs is the sense of community. I have met many of my good friends through extracurriculars, all of whom understand and share similar experiences at Tech.

They are here for an education as well, and learning from others’ struggles might just save you in the future.

Taking your mind off of coursework can be very beneficial to your health in addition to personal growth. Finding activities and hobbies that you like, and gathering with people that share similar interests could be the difference between looking forward to an event that motivates you to get through the week, or burning out in a hell week.

It does not have to be so much as joining an organization either. All it takes to work towards a more balanced lifestyle is prioritizing yourself along with your studies.

Simple daily activities such as working out or reading a book or taking a walk can serve as a break from studying, allowing your mind time to recover. Find something that interests you; an activity that you can look forward to doing.

One piece of advice I will leave you with is to never take your opportunities for granted. Sure, academia is important, but school truly is not everything. College is supposed to be among the best experiences in life, so take every opportunity to make this a reality. As Ferris Bueller once said: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

This year’s NHL season has already been one like no other. The shortened 56-game season had the 31 teams split into four divisions, with every team playing eight games against each team in the same division. This layout reduced travel by categorizing teams by region, creating an all-Canadian North division for the first time in NHL history while adjusting to the border closure. Repetitive meetings between teams fueled new rivalries between otherwise non-divisional teams.

A new playoff format has led to a number of exciting series that have not and may never happen again, along with plenty of upsets. The North division has seen much of the drama, proving that pure offensive dominance does not win championships. Notable underdog Montreal Canadiens have made an unprecedented run in their quest for the Stanley Cup.

Entering the playoffs with the least amount of regular season points and 500-to-1 odds, the Canadiens have upset three impressive teams for their bid in the Stanley Cup Final. The Canadiens became the first Canadian team in the finals since Vancouver in 2011, and secured their first berth in the finals since winning the Stanley Cup 28 years ago.

Montreal’s stellar run for the cup begins on the brink of elimination, down 3-1 in their best of seven series against Toronto. A heavily favored Toronto Maple Leafs managed to fall to Montreal in seven games, continuing their cursed playoff drought, having not won a series in 17 years, and falling short of the Stanley Cup for a record-tying 54 consecutive years.

In the second round, the Canadiens handily swept a favored Winnipeg Jets team that had just swept the Edmonton Oilers in round one. After taking care of the Vegas Golden Knights in six games, the Canadiens have gone 11-2 since game five against Toronto in round one. The win over Vegas occurred after the Knights knocked off Stanley Cup favorite Colorado Avalanche in round two, securing their West division victory.

The Canadiens enter the Cup Final with a couple new faces. At just 20 years of age, breakout rookie Cole Caufield has contributed heavily to his team with four goals and five assists despite being among the smallest on the ice at 5’7”. On the coaching side, interim head coach Dominique Ducharme took the helm following the firing of Claude Julien mid-season. Unfortunately, Ducharme will not be present until game 3 of the series after testing positive for COVID, after already missing four games against Vegas.

On the other side of the Stanley Cup Final is the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning. Their playoff story began as the third seed in the Central division. They faced the Florida Panthers in round one, gaining a key player back in their roster in the process. Nikita Kucherov missed the entire regular season following hip surgery after winning the Stanley Cup in 2020. His contributions to the team have propelled the Lightning, with Kucherov leading all players in playoff points and assists, with seven goals and 23 assists through game one of the finals. The Lightning boast the top five point leaders in the 2021 playoffs thus far, translating their offensive dominance into playoff success.

The Lightning knocked off the Florida Panthers in six games to advance to the second round. The Carolina Hurricanes finished off the Nashville Predators after four of six games in that series required overtime. Tampa Bay took care of the Hurricanes in five games, facing the East division winning New York Islanders in the third round. This thrilling series ended in seven games, with the Lightning coming out on top to advance to the Stanley Cup Final once again.

The best of seven Cup Final matchup between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning promises to be an exciting matchup. This is the first battle between two traditionally Eastern Conference teams since 1980, as the rule changes have made this possible for this unorthodox season. The Lightning entered this series heavily favored over Montreal, but the Canadiens have proved resilient time and time again throughout the playoffs.

Notable statistics in this series involve the phenomenal goaltending on both teams. Montreal goaltender Carey Price has impressively held his own, allowing just 35 goals in 17 playoff games and holding Vegas to two goals or fewer in the last five games of round three. Meanwhile, Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has given up 36 goals in 18 playoff games, with shutouts in all three series-clinching wins thus far.

Another key matchup in this series stems from special teams. Montreal’s solid defensive play has led to them killing 93.5% of their penalties, with 32 consecutive penalty kills in a 14-game span. However, Tampa Bay’ powerhouse offense looks to break through, scoring on a whopping 37.7% of their power plays.

Impressive numbers on both sides make for a competitive series that could very well come down to rewarding the better goaltender. The Lightning continued their goal-scoring success, putting up five goals in their game one win, Kucherov contributing two of them along with an assist. The physicality was ever-present in the first game, with a combined 115 hits between the two teams. The Canadiens look to bounce back and generate more offensive chances throughout the series, while the Lightning fight to extend their 1-0 series lead.

GT Tennis finishes out 2021 season at NCAA Championships.

Following a strong season, Tech’s tennis teams looked for more at the NCAA Championships in Orlando, Florida. Both the women’s and men’s teams qualified for this year’s tournament, but neither moved past the round of 16.

The 11th-ranked women’s tennis team secured their spot in the NCAA round of 16 after regional victories against Georgia Southern and North Florida earlier this month. The team fell to fourth-ranked UCLA, ending their season with an impressive 20-11 record overall.

As for the individual tournament, Tech’s women’s team had two singles players and two doubles teams receive bids for the NCAA Championship. This included the third-ranked doubles team of Kenya Jones and Victoria Flores, as well as 16th-ranked Gia Cohen and Ava Hrastar.

Jones and Flores, receiving All-ACC honors at the end of April for their stellar seasons, also competed in the singles bracket. Jones led the Jackets this season with an overall record of 17-8 in singles play, climbing as high as a number two ranking. Both Jones and Flores fell in the round of 64 in straight set decisions to Selin Ovunc of Auburn and Kari Miller of Michigan, respectively.

Tech’s women’s doubles teams suffered similar fates on the opening day of doubles, with both doubles’ teams falling in the round of 32. Tech’s team of Cohen and Hrastar dropped their match against fourth-ranked Makenna Jones and Elizabeth Scotty of UNC. After Tech edged them in the first set, the UNC pair took the match into a tiebreak and barely took away the victory in a hard-fought 14-12 win. This Jones and Scotty pair would eventually win the 2021 women’s doubles championship.

Jackets doubles pair Jones and Flores faced 23rd-ranked Carmen and Ivana Corley of Oklahoma. After Tech grabbed the early lead in the first set, the Sooners pair rallied and took the first set on a tiebreak, then won the second set 6-3 to move on. This marked the end of the season for Tech’s women’s tennis.

Tech’s men’s tennis team faced the University of Memphis in their first-round tilt of the NCAA tournament. This marks the 13th time that Byers Men’s Tennis head coach Kenny Thorne has led the Jackets to the NCAA tournament. Tech fell to Memphis 4-2 in the first round, finishing the season with a 13-10 record overall.

The individual tournament featured Tech redshirt freshmen Marcus McDaniel and Andres Martin, both of whom received All-ACC honors for their contributions this season. McDaniel and Martin earned bids to NCAA singles and doubles championships.

In the singles round of 64, McDaniel dropped his match to South Florida’s Jacob Wojcik, finishing with an 8-4 record overall against ranked opponents this season. Martin defeated Alabama’s Edson Ortiz in a close, three-set battle moving on to the round of 32.

After taking the first set against sixth-ranked Sam Riffice of Florida, Martin dropped the second and third sets, ending his singles bout. Martin ended the season with an 18-9 overall singles record, while Riffice went on to win the 2021 men’s singles championship.

The 19th-ranked doubles pair McDaniel and Martin knocked off 13th-ranked Daniel Rodrigues and Connor Thomson of South Carolina in a swift straight set win. The Jackets moved on to the round of 16 to face Tennessee’s Adam Walton and Pat Harper. The Tech duo narrowly lost the first set on a tiebreak, then lost the second set to end their 2021 season 6-4 as a pairing. The Tennessee pair went on to win the 2021 men’s doubles championship.

Tech’s tennis program saw impressive seasons for both teams, with strong pushes at the end to earn NCAA championship bids. Many of the Jackets’ stars will return for next season, and hope to continue their successes with familiar faces.

This hockey season will be a season like no other. Amidst the ongoing pandemic, players from the 31 teams in the National Hockey League take the ice in hopes of taking home the prized Stanley Cup.

This year’s shortened season comes with various changes in response to player safety. The revamped four divisions renew long-standing rivalries, and the teams in each division will play 56 divisional games shortly followed by the Stanley Cup playoffs. This cuts the normal 82-game season by 26.

During the offseason, the NHL Board of Directors devised a new plan to safely return to play, while also making this season a bit more exciting than usual. For the first time in the league’s 104-year history, the seven Canadian teams will face off in an all-Canadian division. This decision is mainly in light of Canada’s border restrictions preventing non-essential travel, but now these teams will face off against each other nine or ten times this season. Last year, when finishing the 2019-2020 season, the NHL used a bubble format that took place exclusively in Canada because of their restrictions.

Apart from the excitement up North, the 24 American teams have found themselves split into three divisions of eight teams apiece. These teams will face each team in their division eight times, highlighting some intense rivalries this season while inciting some new ones.

Perhaps the most exciting division this season is the East, already proving so with consistently close games that come down to the wire each night. This division packs rivalry games such as Pittsburgh-Washington, Boston-Philadelphia, and the New York teams that now meet again and again this season. With a season as short as it is, every point and every win are crucial. Within the first eleven days of the season, 21 games have already come to a deciding overtime or shootout.

This season’s roster situation looks a bit different this year. In order to minimize outside interaction, the NHL allows only 23 skaters and three goalies. This includes a 20-man roster for games and a six-man “taxi squad” that travel with the team and fill in for any COVID-19 positive players.

As any sports league operating in the pandemic, the NHL has already had their share of outbreaks. Just days before the season started, the Dallas Stars had 17 players and staff test positive for COVID-19. While this has been the largest incident so far, similar situations have come about resulting in a few postponed games.

The playoff bubble previously used in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs asked too much of the players and was not cost effective, so reducing travel to two-game stints and regional play while implementing COVID-19 protocols was deemed the best option for all parties. Another NHL first comes in the form of adding advertisements to player helmets on ice to try and make up for lost revenue last season.

Because of the new four-division playing structure, the format of the Stanley Cup Playoffs required changed. Revised divisions eliminate the usual Eastern and Western conferences and the wild-card teams hunting down a playoff spot from the latest playoff structure realignment. Instead, the top four teams from each division will be seeded, where the first-seed plays the fourth-seed team and the second-seed hosts the third-seed team in the first round, then winners play out the second round.

Following the divisional playoff rounds, the winners will be re-seeded by the highest ranking teams left, and play in the third round. The winners of the third round will play in the Stanley Cup Final. This new system means the cup final may host teams that could never have previously faced off against each other for the Stanley Cup due to the conference separation, giving the 2021 season a possible Stanley Cup matchup fully unique to just this year.

During the early part of the pandemic, the NHL announced a 32nd franchise to begin play in the 2022-2023 season, the Seattle Kraken. They will have activity this season though. On July 21t, Seattle will make one draft selection in an expansion draft from each of the 31 current teams that release a limited selection of players. This will give the Kraken a set of NHL experienced players to ensure they do not only build their roster from inexperienced players out of the normal NHL Draft. No matter the outcome, 2021 is shaping up to be quite the year in the world of hockey.

Georgia Tech hosted Pittsburgh for a Thursday night showdown at Bobby Dodd Stadium. This was no ordinary night, as 22 graduating seniors were celebrated from the Jackets for senior night. This pregame celebration had the limited capacity of 11,000 fans on their feet, wishing them all the best in their future endeavors.

With the Panthers favored by 11 points, the Jackets looked to outperform Pitt’s top-ranked defense. After a Jackets kickoff, Pitt came out of the gates flying with a 74-yard run up the middle on their first play, deep in Tech territory. Tech’s red zone defense managed to hold them to just a field goal.

On Tech’s first play, freshman quarterback Jeff Sims threw an interception, giving Pitt the ball at mid-field. A promising drive for Pitt left them scoreless, as Tech’s defense forced a turnover on downs at their own two-yard-line. Tech made sure Pitt paid for their missed opportunity, marching out of their endzone and down the field, with Sims’ 46-yard dime to senior receiver Jalen Camp putting them in scoring position. Pitt’s defensive efforts on their one-yard-line fell short, as a persistent Sims managed to break the plane for the score on fourth down.

The next drives by each team resulted in their respective three-and-outs, ending the first quarter with Pitt at mid-field down by four points. A wild first play of the second quarter saw a Tech interception shortly followed by a fumble, allowing the Panthers to recover the football for a 17-yard net gain. Tech’s defense held Pitt to just a field goal in the red zone, retaining their dwindling lead.

            Tech’s quick three-and-out led to a 58-yard punt by senior Presley Harvin III, who averaged 51 yards on 5 punts throughout the game. On Pitt’s drive, two passes for huge gains gave Pitt a touchdown and their first lead of the game. After another Jackets punt, the Panthers quickly made their way downfield with a couple big plays, but fell short as the Jackets red zone defense held them to another field goal. Tech’s next drive resulted in another Panther interception at mid-field, but the Jackets defense sacked Pitt twice for huge losses to end the first half down 16-7.

            Turnovers continued to haunt Sims and the offensive line in the first half, limiting opportunities to score while wearing down the defensive unit. The defense handled pressure well, forcing three field goals and one turnover deep in their own territory. This trend, however, would not continue in the second half.

            After a short-lived second half opening drive for Tech, Pitt’s offense carried the ball down the field, resulting in quarterback Kenny Pickett and company finding the endzone for a touchdown to make it 23-7. Pitt’s 20 unanswered points by the midway point of the third quarter removed all traces of Tech’s early lead.

            Punts on both sides followed, leaving the Jackets starting their attack at mid-field. Tech broke through the Panthers defense for the aerial score brought in by Camp, adding a touchdown to his 97-yard night. The 2-point conversion was called back for a questionable pass interference call, with an unsuccessful follow-up attempt. Rising tensions between the teams warranted a slew of flags, mostly against Tech. The Jackets had eight penalties on the night for 86 yards. This loss of focus and discipline led to a Pitt field goal, eating away the rest of the quarter and nearly seven minutes of the fourth quarter. 

Down but not out, the Jackets offense stormed down the field with a 7 play, 75-yard drive capped by a Sims touchdown pass. With Tech only down by one score, Pitt’s 75-yard ground attack added to the tally, finding the endzone and a 2-point conversion.

With two minutes to play, the Jackets responded, as Sims’ passing plays put them deep in Pitt territory. Sims was taken out after taking a couple big hits on this drive, putting freshman Jordan Yates at the reigns with 42 seconds to play. Despite their best efforts, Tech’s offense failed to reach the endzone on fourth-and-goal, marking the end of the game with a final score of 34-20.

The Jackets’ frustrations were not only resonating with the players, as head coach Geoff Collins made a quick exit, barely acknowledging Pitt’s head coach Pat Narduzzi as he and the team headed to the tunnel. Collins’ obvious displeasure with the officials left him heated, but Tech had more than just bad calls to blame for their loss. Sims’ 237-yard performance was not enough to break through Pitt’s defense, paired with Tech’s lack of rushing yards and penalties hindering their advancements downfield. On the other side, Pitt’s nearly last-ranked struggling offense dominated Tech’s defense, with running back Vincent Davis racking up a staggering 247 of Pitt’s 513 total yards. Moreover, a 3-1 turnover deficit left them with a disheartening seventh loss of the season.

Next Saturday’s game scheduled against 9^th-ranked Miami has been cancelled due to various injuries and COVID-related protocols. The Jackets finished their second season under Collins with a 3-7 record ranked 11^th in the ACC. Although better than their projected last-place finish, the team has work to do in the offseason, but has a promising outlook with gifted underclassmen ready for their starting roles

Tech traveled north to face the Boston College (BC) Eagles on Saturday hoping to return with a .500 record. Both teams looked for bounce-back wins coming off their respective crushing losses the week before. Tech’s offense, led by true freshman quarterback Jeff Sims, looked to regain their rhythm and bounce back from last week’s performance.

Tech’s initial drive to start the game came up just short, where a turnover on downs gave Boston College the ball. The Eagles’ rushing offense took Tech’s defense by force, finishing their drive with a touchdown.

On Tech’s following drive, the Eagles strip-sacked Sims, leading to a fumble recovery and a touchdown on the ensuing drive. Tech’s 3-and-out on the next drive did not help their early deficit, trailing by two touchdowns after the first quarter.

Turnovers continued to plague Tech’s offense, with an Eagles fumble recovery run in for a touchdown early in the second quarter. Down by 24 points but not out, the Jackets answered with four quick plays ending with Sims finding sophomore Ahmarean Brown in the end zone to make it 24-7.

The Eagles capitalized on Tech’s failed onside kick attempt with a short touchdown drive to go back on top by 24 points. A failed fake punt attempt later in the quarter also highlighted the Jackets’ special teams struggle as of late. On the other hand, the return team starring freshman Jahmyr Gibbs and sophomore Dontae Smith racked up 102 total yards on five kick returns, as well as Gibbs’ impressive 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that was unfortunately called back for a holding penalty.

Tech’s offense though had a response on this drive, with a 6 play, 91-yard drive capped by Sims’ beautiful 31-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Peje Harris in-stride. An Eagles field goal on the next drive left Tech down by 20 points with the score 34-14 at halftime.

Tech’s seven penalties for 41 yards in the first half hindered their offense a number of times, while the defense found themselves unable to prevent the Eagles from scoring on all five of their drives. The Jackets slow start was compounded with errors and miscommunication, with both fumbles leading to touchdowns for the Eagles. This trend continued through the second half.

To start the second half, Boston College’s rushing offense continued to batter Tech’s defense, rushing for 60 of their 75-yards,

quickly putting up another touchdown on the board. The Jackets’ defense would allow a whopping 264 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns for the game.

Sims took a couple big hits on Tech’s next drive resulting in two sacks, but the persistent offense eventually found themselves in the endzone with Sims running it in for the score.

Tech’s defense pulled through and stopped the Eagles on the next drive, leading to a punt deep into Georgia Tech’s territory. On the next play, a Sims’ interception put the Eagles in the red zone, setting them up for a short touchdown.

The end of the third quarter marked the end of the game for Sims, who appeared to be shaken up after the previous drive. Sims completed 12 passes on 18 attempts for 171 yards, and led the team with 47 rushing yards.

Down 48-21, Tech’s fourth quarter started on a positive note with the defense forcing the Eagles to punt. The Jackets offense, now with sophomore quarterback James Graham at the reins, made their way to the end zone from mid-field. The drive culminated with Brown’s second touchdown of the game, this time on the ground.

Tech’s successful onside kick that followed put them at mid-field again, but they failed to score as the Eagles defense was able to stop them in the red zone and force a turnover on downs. Both teams punted to finish the game, ending with a final score of 48- 27 BC win. Tech’s defense was unable to contain the Eagles offense, giving up big plays and five touchdowns in total. On the offensive side, the Jackets’ 362 total yards was not enough as missed opportunities and a losing turnover battle overtook their best efforts.

With a disappointing winless start to the season, the Atlanta Falcons look to overcome adversity in the coming weeks. Their 0-5 record (for the first time since 1997) stems from injuries and a struggling coaching situation. The Falcons are one of only three winless teams this season, but a change in the coaching staff may turn things around for the team.

This week, the Atlanta Falcons announced the removal of head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff from the organization.

Quinn had been head coach in Atlanta for six seasons, with a 43-42 record overall and the infamous Super Bowl LI loss. Dimitroff’s thirteen seasons in Atlanta yielded the drafting of Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, but he has also had his fair share of draft failures.

Upon this announcement, the Falcons have named defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as interim head coach.

Morris has coached for 17 years, including head coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two years. Morris also played a key role in the Falcons 6-2 second half of the 2019 season.

With the Falcons three wins out of contending in the NFC South, Morris has his work cut out for him. The Falcons have been plagued with injuries early on, losing their starting safety Damontae Kazee and star receiver Julio Jones. Kazee’s season-ending injury harms Atlanta’s already struggling defense, now missing a key player that lead the team in tackles.

Meanwhile, Jones’ injury and questionable reurn leaves the offense without their top receiver, calling on less-experienced guys to step up.

Despite the poor start to the season, the Falcons offense, led by quarterback Matt Ryan, continues to average almost 400 yards per game.

With Jones temporarily out of the picture, receivers Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage have started stepping up. Calvin Ridley is ranked 4th among receivers in the league in receiving yards so far this season, contributing to the Falcons offensive success.

However, the offense has struggled to score as of late with only 16 points to show for in weeks 3 and 4.

As for the defense, the Falcon’s 31st ranked defensive line is among the worst in the NFL.

Giving up nearly 450 yards and 32 points per game on average, the defense has done little to help their offensive counterpart. The defense has forced very little turnovers, and has yet to score any points for the Falcons.

After blowing two 15-point fourth quarter leads in weeks 2 and 3, the Falcons became the only team in NFL history to do so in one season.

Falcons former head coach Dan Quinn has been in question for the past two seasons, where the Falcons struggled early on and failed to reach the playoffs.

Their 1-7 start in 2019 warranted Quinn to be removed from defensive play-calling duties, which then lead to a 6-2 record for the remainder of the season.

For the 2020 season, Quinn resumed his involvement in defensive play-calling.

The results speak for themselves.

The Falcons travel to Minnesota to face the 1-4 Vikings this upcoming Sunday and with new coaching they look to turn their season around.
The Vikings have struggled on both sides of the ball this season, creating a hopeful outlook for the Falcons as Raheem Morris takes the reigns.