Tech came up short in its homecoming game against Virginia Tech last Saturday for its fifth loss of the season. The game started slow for the Jacket defense, with Virginia Tech quarterback Braxton Burmeister finding receiver Tre Turner for a 69-yard touchdown on their second drive.

Tech responded with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive of their own, ending with a 26-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Sims to Kyric McGowan on fourth down for what would be their only touchdown for the half.

A quick response from Virginia Tech made the game 14-7, which was followed a few drives later by a Virginia Tech field goal. Tech’s offense continued to struggle to gain yardage, they would end the day going just 3-12 for third down conversions. As the half made its way to a close, Sims found Adonicas Sanders for what seemed to be a 52-yard play, which was called back by an offensive pass interference penalty. The half ended after another field goal by the Hokies put Tech down 17-7.

The Tech looked to be gaining momentum on their first drive of the second half. Sims found Jack Coco in the endzone, but the touchdown play was called back by a holding penalty on the offense, which would have to settle for a field goal. The next drive for Tech ended any momentum they had, with pressure from the Virginia Tech defensive line causing a turnover from Sims, giving Virginia Tech the ball on the Tech 22-yard line. The defense was able to stop what looked to be an almost certain touchdown with help from a sack by Jared Ivey and the Hokies settled for a field goal.

A drive later Tech offense found themselves with the ball at their own 36-yard line after a missed field goal by Virginia Tech. Sims started the drive with a 20-yard pass to Sanders, followed by a 21-yard pass to Kyric McGowan, which was capped off a play later by a 23-yard touchdown pass to Sanders, bringing the Jackets to a 23-17 deficit. The whole drive took just 51 seconds.

As the momentum looked to be shifting, Virginia Tech’s next drive ended with a punt and Tech found themselves at the 12-yard line, but were unable to convert on fourth down. The Virginia Tech offense proceeded to march downfield, taking valuable time off the clock in a seven-minute, 12-play drive that ended with a field goal.

The drive left Tech with just 4:17 on the clock. As pressure from both the defensive line and moving clock started to mount, Sims heaved the ball downfield on fourth down out of desperation, which ended with an interception, his second turnover on the day. The game was sealed, ending with Virginia Tech running out the clock with a final drive.

As the season rolls on, Tech’s offensive line struggles continue to plague the offense, with Sims having just a moment to throw the ball before being forced out of the pocket by oncoming defenders. The loss puts Tech second to last in the ACC, followed only by Duke.

As the Jackets travel next week to face Miami, they will face a defense that has allowed 30.6 points per game in what could be an opportunity for the offense to correct itself as the end of the season approaches.

Tech ended the Virginia game with a close loss in a shootout. The game, held in Charlottesville, started out well for Tech, with Jeff Sims finding Kyric McGowan for a 36-yard touchdown pass on the first drive. Not to be outdone, the defense forced an elite Virginia offense to a quick three and out, giving Tech another opportunity to find the endzone, this time with a three-yard run by Dontae Smith.

It was at this point that the momentum, clearly in Tech’s favor, began to change. On the ensuing drive Cavalier quarterback phenom Brennan Armstrong began to find a rhythm, putting together a nine-play, 75-yard drive to find the endzone and cut Tech’s lead to 14-7.

Tech’s offense on the ensuing drive looked ready to respond, making it all the way to the Virginia nine-yard line before failing to reach the endzone and ending the drive with a field goal.

The Cavalier offense responded with a quick series of big plays, including a 45-yard run by Armstrong, followed by a 13-yard touchdown pass a few plays later.

Redshirt junior Jordan Mason found a groove on the following Tech drive, running for 37 yards in four plays before the drive was cut short by a Sims interception. The Cavaliers would convert on the opportunity, going 82 yards in three plays to take the lead 21-16. A quick three and out by Tech put the ball back in the Cavaliers’ hands, this time ending the half with a field goal.

The second half opened with a quick field goal by Virginia, followed with back-to-back runs by Tech freshman Jahmyr Gibbs that combined for 75 yards and a touchdown.

Virginia responded with a touchdown of their own, once again relying on Armstrong, who continued the day’s trend of finding open wide receivers in Tech’s secondary. A punt by Tech followed by a touchdown by Virginia made the 24-41 deficit look almost out of reach.

A pair of punts put Tech on their own thirty-five-yard line with 12:26 to go. After a few short runs by Mason, Sims ran 38 yards to the Virginia 17-yard line where Tech was able to get a field goal. Virginia hit back with a touchdown drive, making the score 27-48.

Sims responded with a quick march downfield, connecting with Kalani Norris on the eighth play of the 96-yard drive for a touchdown. A successful onside kick gave Tech another chance, and Sims was able to connect with McGowan for a touchdown, making the score 40-48 with 22 seconds left on the clock.

After a failed two-point conversion Tech found themselves with a sliver of a chance, which was raised after yet another successful onside kick. Sims completed two passes to get Tech to the Virginia 31-yard line, where the Cavalier defense put a stop to Tech’s march and sealed the game.

The close game ended with Virginia totaling 636 yards of offense, with Tech’s defense giving up 396 passing yards. The loss adds to Tech’s defensive struggles throughout the year, specifically in the secondary, which left multiple receivers open at multiple points of the game.

As the season continues, Tech will face Virginia Tech for its homecoming game at 12 p.m. on Oct. 30, entering as favorites for the third time against an ACC opponent in the Collins era, the second such occurrence this season.

Tech volleyball extended its win-streak to four on Sunday with a win over Duke. The 16th ranked Jackets beat the Blue Devils without much trouble, sweeping them (25-16, 25-10, 25-16) for their fourth win in a row. The victory was led by senior Mariana Brambilla and junior Julia Bergmann, who each had ten kills throughout the day.

The win comes just a week after Tech had its highest ranked win in program history, defeating second-ranked Pittsburgh in five sets. A much closer match, Pittsburgh started off the first set with a five-point lead, though Tech continued to be a threat throughout the set, the Panthers eventually took the set 25-21.

Tech came back stronger in the second set, which quickly turned into a 23-23 deadlocked battle, only to be ended with kills from Bergmann and Brambilla which gave Tech a much-needed 25-23 victory.

A quick start from the Panthers in the third set put the Jackets in a 10-5 deficit, which quickly turned into a 19-12 deficit. Tech, which seemed to be struggling throughout the set, began clawing its way back, tying the set at 20-20 before sealing it with two kills from Bergmann, winning the set 25-23 and evening the match at 1-1.

Pittsburgh returned strong in the fourth set, going on a seven-point streak to go up 20-15, before sealing the set with a 25-18 win.

After four tightly contested sets, the fifth set first seemed destined for another fight, with the teams finding themselves at a 9-9 tie. From there, Tech caught fire, going on a 6-point streak to seal the win over the highest ranked team in program history, furthering an already historic season by beating a team that had come into the game undefeated.

Bergmann ended the game with 24 kills before following the performance with an 18-kill game in a win over Virginia. She ended the two matches with a combined total 42 kills, 15 digs and five blocks. The performances were enough to earn her ACC Player of the Week, her second time earning the award for the season. She currently holds the ACC season-high for most kills in a game with 30. Her average of 4.59 kills per set puts her at 12th in the nation, while her 5.36 points per set puts her at ninth in the nation, leading the ACC in both categories.

Tech’s recent wins put them at 47 wins of their last 56 games, while their win at home Sunday put them at 28 wins of their last 32 home games. The recent strength from the team extends back to last year. This most recent slate of wins pushed Tech to 13th in the most recent AVCA Coaches Poll.

Up next for the Jackets is an away game at Syracuse, followed by another away game at Boston College. Tech’s big wins solidify their standing as one of the contending forces in the ACC. Tech is currently in a three-way tie for fourth place between Notre Dame and Florida State, with games still to be played against both teams and another game against Pittsburgh slated for Nov. 19 at home. The team is chasing after their first ever conference win, which is determined by regular season in-conference play, after finishing fourth last season.

Tech took the field against Pittsburgh last Saturday in an electric Bobby Dodd stadium, facing a hot team that came into the weekend averaging 52.5 points per game. Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett started the game with a series of quick passes before being stopped by the Tech defense, helped by pressure from linebacker Charlie Thomas.

The Panthers defense would give Pickett another chance, with a tipped pass from Tech quarterback Jeff Sims turning into an interception. Pittsburgh capitalized on the mistake with a nine-yard touchdown run by running back Israel Abanikanda.

Sims started off his second drive with another interception, this time by John Petrishen, who returned it for a 26-yard Pittsburgh touchdown.

Tech found itself starting the third drive down 14-0. The lead was not set to last as Jeff Sims, looking unfazed, threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nate McCollum, bringing Tech to a 14-7 deficit.

The Panthers offense struggled to gain yardage the next drive, with Pickett feeling pressure from the Tech defensive line, particularly from Tre Swilling, whose sack helped put a first down out of reach. One drive later, after a punt by Tech, the Panthers offense returned with a 47-yard pass from Pickett to Jordan Addison, before returning to Addison for an 11-yard touchdown pass, which sealed the first quarter with a 21-7 Tech deficit.

After a few back-and-forth drives, the Panthers offense started off at midfield after a miscue from the Tech punting team resulted in an accidental collision with the punt returner. Once again, the offense took advantage of Tech’s mistake, with a 55-yard touchdown pass from Pickett to Taysir Mack building the Panthers lead to 21.

Tech responded the next drive, first with a 34-yard return by Jahmyr Gibbs, followed by a 13-yard pass from Sims to Malachi Carter, and finally a 24-yard run by Sims. Tech found itself in the endzone a few plays later with a 3-yard run by Dontae Smith.

Pittsburgh responded with a drive of their own, culminating with a 6-yard touchdown run by Israel Abanikanda, his second of the day.

After a turnover on downs by Tech, the Panthers responded with a two play, 45-yard touchdown drive, the first being a 29-yard pass, followed by a 16 yard pass, both to receiver Lucas Krull.

Down 14-42, Tech started its next drive with a 71-yard pass from Sims to Jahmyr Gibbs, bringing the offense to the Panthers 4 yard-line. Tech found themselves at third and goal on the one-yard line, where they would fail to score a touchdown after two incomplete passes.

After electing to defer to the second, Tech’s offense came out in a hurry, with multiple passes from Sims to Malachi Carter and Malik Rutherford bringing Tech to the Pittsburgh 7 yard-line. Tech was once again unable to convert, with a holding penalty pushing back what would have been a touchdown, followed a few plays later by a missed field goal.

Pittsburgh, by this point in complete control of the game, found the end zone yet again, this time on a 2-yard pass to Daniel Carter, putting the Panthers up 49-14. Tech responded with a drive of their own, putting together an 11 play, 75-yard drive which ended with a 4-yard pass from Sims to Andonicas Sanders for a touchdown.

The Panthers first drive of the fourth quarter ended with 12 plays and a 46-yard field goal, putting them up a comfortable 52-21 over the Jackets.

Tech ended the game having never figured out how to slow the Pittsburgh offense, while having given up two touchdowns after interceptions. Tech will enter its next few games without the momentum it had hoped to carry as they continues one of the toughest schedules in the ACC. The Jackets travel to Durham for a game against Duke on Oct. 9, hoping for a win to get back on track.

The Atlanta Braves, currently first in the National League East division, are looking to improve their chances for a fourth straight division title as the end of the MLB season draws near. The Braves hold a lead more tentative than those of the previous three seasons. The Braves won the league with a margin of eight games in 2018, four games in 2019 and four games in 2020. The lead this year is closer because the Philadelphia Phillies team the Braves are vying with could very well steal the title from them.

The Braves are rolling into this week’s final homestand against the Phillies on a three-game win streak and will face the Phillies, who are 34-41 on the road with a 37-37 home game record. A series sweep would seal the deal for the Braves, putting an end to the race for the title. However, the reason Atlanta’s lead is smaller than the previous seasons is that anything less than a sweep leaves the opportunity for a shared title or loss.

A three-game loss to Philly would have put the Braves back .5 games, which would then make the Braves dependent on not only winning on their end, but an unexpected loss from Philly to regain the division lead. If play were to end with Atlanta behind just 0.5 games, then a make-up game would have to be placed, in this case being the game the Braves missed against Colorado. If at the end of the make-up game the Braves were still tied with Philadelphia, then there would have to be a tiebreaker game held in Philadelphia to decide who would win the division, a one-game playoff to crown a division champ.

If the Braves were to lose the conference, they would miss the playoffs, as they would finish a couple games out of the Wild Card race.

On the opposite end, a three-game sweep of Philly would mean the Braves would be division champions. There is no case of any team being able to catch up in this scenario, which would make for a fourth straight year of the Braves winning the division title.

If the Braves were to lose two out of three games against Philly then they would be guaranteed conference champions, though there would still be potential for Philadelphia to tie. If the Braves were to follow this with a two out of three win series with the Mets, then the teams could face off with a tiebreaker. A sweep of the Mets would crown the Braves division champions.

Finally, if the Braves were to win two of three games, then a Braves series win or Philly series loss would guarantee the division to the Braves.

One key component of the series could very well be a single player — Bryce Harper. Harper, currently in contention for MVP of the National League, as had three home runs in 70 appearances at the plate against the Braves and has repeatedly helped clinch games late for the Phillies, while contributing to the Braves’ 7-9 record against the Phillies this season before this final series in Atlanta.

As the season begins to close, the Braves are headed towards the playoffs and in a spot to clinch the league. Though not in as dominant of a position as years past, the Braves have the opportunity to control their own destiny and enter the playoffs with the momentum that comes with a division championship, setting the stage for a potential run.

Atlanta United furthered their playoff push after a 3-0 win over second place Orlando two weeks ago, in head coach Gonzalo Pineda’s first win as United’s manager. United came into the game missing two of their star players Josef Martinez and Miles Robinson, who could not play after returning from playing for their national teams during World Cup Qualifying.

Their combined absence did not seem to faze the team, who started off the game playing aggressively and recent acquisition Luiz Araujo nearly scoring from outside Orlando’s penalty box.

The aggressiveness would continue throughout the entire evening, with George Cambell getting his first MLS goal in the 25th minute, only to be followed by Marcelino Moreno with a goal of his own just 13 minutes later. Between these and the third goal were multiple close calls, with Ezequiel Barco and Moreno coming close with missed shots. Barco’s goal finally came a little over 70 minutes in, after maneuvering around multiple defenders on his way to the game’s final score.

If anything, the Orlando match not only showed how much depth United has going into the homestretch, but that they can get by quality opponents without playing at full strength.

Four days later, last-place Cincinnati came to town, and the Five Stripes took care of business as championship-hopeful level teams should.

Following near miss after near miss in recent matches, Araujo finally put one in goal on a screaming run down the right side as if someone was holding the sprint button playing FIFA, finishing with a beautiful left foot curler in the fifth minute.

Martinez’s goals in the 40th and 55th minute all but put away the game at 3-0. Barco plugged a free kick past Tyton in the 86th for the 4-0 win.

This past Saturday saw Atlanta take on their next opponent- D.C. United. The 3-2 win moved the team into fourth for playoff contention. The first goal of the game came from Barco, who notched his seventh goal of the season in the 18th minute on another free kick. After he hit that free kick, the game opened up much more.

Josef Martinez also secured a goal, followed by Moreno, who drove down the field himself, maneuvering around multiple defenders in the play of the day.

The win gives the momentum-gaining United a small advantage in the very competitive Eastern Conference. United has won their last three games with a 10-2 total margin, a string of performances that has pushed them into the number four spot in the Eastern Conference, which would guarantee them one home playoff match. The same team which lost two 2-0 leads this season, one to Philadelphia and the other to Nashville, both at home, has completely turned into a team that can keep up pressure all game.

One of the main stories of the turnaround lies in a change of performance by Barco since the Tokyo Olympics. After scoring a goal of his own in the 18th minute, he set up Martinez’s 99th United goal with an assist. After struggling his first few seasons on United behaviorally, his transformation into a key asset this year has been a sight welcomed by fans and other players alike. His performance against D.C. was enough to earn him the Man of the Match award, earning him recognition for his recent strong play.

Head coach Gonzalo Pineda has received much acclaim for the success of the team after his takeover. The training is not as rigorous as Heinze’s program. He has made sure players on international duty get their rest before playing for United. What is clear is that he trusts this squad, which can be the kind of confidence boost Atlanta needs.

There is a lot on the line as United approaches the last month of regular season play. It is entirely possible for United to end the season having secured a playoff berth, though it is also possible for the season to end with a disappointing playoff miss. Either way, the arrival of Araujo and success of Gonzalo Pineda hint at a bright future for the young team.

12 dumbbells. That’s exactly what the best 64 women’s basketball teams in all of college were given in the March Madness bubble. The discrepancy between the men’s facilities and women’s did not stop there. Food differences, facility differences, and even differences in the accuracy of coronavirus tests all helped show what everyone already knew, the NCAA could not care less about women’s sports.

The words “March Madness” were nowhere to be found in Tech’s first game against SFA. It was almost a joke, the fourth-largest comeback in tournament history took place on a court that looked more like a high school gym than host to some of the greatest basketball teams in the country. Coach Fortner rightly pointed this out in the blistering public letter she sent to the NCAA, going on to say “these are just a snapshot of larger, more pervasive issues when it comes to women’s sports and the NCAA.”

The idea that the NCAA, a multi-billion dollar “non-profit” organization whose sole mission is to protect and develop college sports treats women’s basketball with open ambivalence speaks to the arrogance of the entire organization. This is their job. They do not pay taxes because it might hinder their ability to provide athletic opportunities, though it turns out they’re doing a great job wrecking sports themselves.

Women’s basketball, as coach Fortner rightly pointed out, has a half-billion-dollar TV contract. There are many college sports that could only dream to attract such a large audience. In fact, out of the 90 NCAA championships, only five break even. Yet women’s basketball is hit with hysterical excuses for mediocrity by the NCAA, as shown in the weight room case as they cited space differences between the tournaments. Rutgers director of player development Will Abrams quickly disproved that assertion, tweeting pictures of large empty spaces already rented by the NCAA. Of course, the following day after the story went viral, the NCAA immediately found space.

To add insult to injury, the NCAA even found a way to show their indifference in the swag packs they gave players, with men’s players receiving significantly more shirts, bottles, and other gear.

The differences reflect themselves in the overall budgets for the tournaments. In 2018, the Division I men’s tournament had a budget of $28 million while the Division I women’s tournament had a budget of $14.5 million. Though there are differences in overall costs, as the men’s tournament typically holds much larger crowds in packed stadiums, the provision of basic training equipment, equal food, and equal testing should most definitely be the expectation from a non-profit organization that has been given the responsibility of managing these events, especially in a worldwide pandemic. Giving men’s players more accurate PCR tests while giving women’s players the less accurate antigen tests is yet another sign of how the NCAA views its student athletes: in terms of profitability.

Whether the organization even has the potential to change is really the question here. Years and years of mediocrity have culminated into an outright showing of total and complete apathy towards women’s basketball. Yet it seems next year there will be more stories, more outrage, and more empty promises of change.

Tech secured the fourth seed in the ACC tournament after ending the season with a six-game win streak. This season, which got off to a tumultuous start after losses to Mercer and Georgia State prompted calls for coach Josh Pastner’s resignation, has been by far the most successful season of his tenure. Tech will begin the ACC tournament with a double-bye, playing either Clemson, Pittsburgh or Miami in the quarterfinals.

Pastner, who came to Tech with high expectations for recruiting, has found success relying on a pair of stars who were not highly recruited coming out of high school. Moses Wright, who won ACC player of the year, came out of high school a zero-star recruit. Wright is the second player ever from Tech to win the honor and the first in 30 years. Wright averaged 18 points, 2.3 assists and 8.1 rebounds per game. The standout was also named first-team all-ACC. Joining Wright in the award ceremony was Alvarado, the second player from Tech to win ACC defensive player of the year. Alvarado had a defensive rating of 99.5 throughout the year, averaging 2.9 steals per game, his second consecutive year leading the conference in steals.

Alvarado and Wright will lead Tech into the ACC tournament with an almost guaranteed bid to March Madness. Winning the ACC tournament would yield a large boost to Tech’s possible seed, making it easier to make it further into March Madness.

Tech’s season started to take form in a game against Kentucky. Tech came into the game struggling on both sides of the ball but found rhythm and momentum to win by 17 points. The beginning of the season also featured challenges with COVID-19, as Tech only stopped holding distanced practices after the surprise losses to Mercer and Georgia State.

After the Kentucky game, Tech found its momentum, snapping a 14-game losing streak to Duke in addition to beating Clemson and Virginia Tech later in the year. The Duke game came after a particularly gritty overtime period, with a 29 point, 14 rebound double-double by Wright helping to seal the game. Virginia Tech, another Jacket win, also has a free trip to the quarterfinals and could very well face Tech if both teams win their first two games.

The end of the season saw Tech winning six straight games, their first such streak since 1995-1996, when Tech also closed out the season with six straight wins. March Madness could look very different this year, with usual title contenders having weak seasons. In particular, Duke and Kentucky have both been struggling, likely leaving the blue bloods out of the picture.

Looking forward, this season might be the last of low-level recruits playing at Tech, as the team has secured the number 17 class overall for next season. With new talent on the horizon, coach Pastner could have an even more dangerous team as Tech enters next season, though whether it will be off of a triumphant NCAA showing or a disappointing finish is yet to be seen. This could be Tech’s best opportunity yet under Pastner to make a splash.

Last week saw Tech baseball securing a win against Mercer and sweeping a three-game stint against NC State, their first sweep on the road since 2011. The rout, which puts Tech at 3-0 in conference play on the season, was led by freshman sensation Kevin Prada, who went 10-16 at the plate over the past week.

The catcher has found himself leading freshmen nationally with at least 20 at-bats in hitting, with his most recent performances earning him ACC Player of the Week.

Prada started off the week going 4-4 for four RBIs in Tech’s game against Mercer and Stephen Reid added a home run.

Tech pitchers tossed five no-hit innings as Cord Roedig started off the game with three shutout innings before Joseph Mannelly pitched the next two.

The performance was enough to give the team a 7-3 victory, improving their record to 3-1 as they headed into the series with NC State.

The series began with a strong performance by pitcher Bryan Hunter, starting off the first six innings with no walks and two hits. Kevin Prada went 4-4 at plate, beginning his week having gone 8-8.

Also contributing was Justyn-Henry Malloy, who had a three RBI game. The trio’s performance helped to push Tech over the top, securing a 9-2 win for the Jackets.

Game 2 of the series started off closer but was sealed in the seventh inning with a three-run home run hit by Luke Waddell, another home run hit by Justyn-Henry Malloy, and a third hit by freshman Kevin Prada.

Pitchers Andy Archer and Jackson Finley combined for 16 strikeouts, helping put Tech over the top with an 8-3 victory.

The final game of the series saw Tech end the first inning with a four-run lead, a margin they were able to hold for the rest of the game.

Drew Compton, at bat with two outs, secured a two run RBI and was brought home himself by Colin Hall.

With the lead having shrunk to three in the previous inning, Justin-Henry-Malloy drove in another run, giving Tech the comfortable four run lead back.

With a four-game winning streak, Tech looks to build momentum with a competitive and young team as they begin the season.

The ACC start was the best for Tech since 2011, when they went 3-0 against Miami. The wins put Tech at number 12 nationally, moving up from 15 the previous week and improving their overall record to 6-1.

Tech will face off this weekend with top-ten ranked Louisville in what could be their toughest opponent of the season. The Cardinals are widely believed to be contenders for the top spot in the ACC this season. The series offers Tech the opportunity to showcase its new talent and returning experience in a three game tilt that will be at Russ Chandler, the home stadium for Tech.

The 2021 recruiting season officially concluded this month, as second-year head coach Geoff Collins looks to improve the team’s prospects going into a new season. Having taken over a roster totally designed for the triple-option, Collins’ first partial class had just one four-star recruit. Last season brought notoriety as Collins was able to sign an impressive class, landing quarterback Jeff Sims and freshman sensation Jahmyr Gibbs. While the 2021 recruiting class fell to 43rd from 27th in 2020, Collins was able to add a few missing players that could be difference makers in 2021.

He was the second-highest recruit behind BlackStrain. The 6’4, 308lb lineman could help provide Sims time he hasn’t had to make decisions while passing while providing much needed size to the line.

Four star wide receiver James BlackStrain had a rather busy recruiting season, receiving offers from 23 Power 5 schools including LSU, Florida and Georgia. The ESPN top 300 receiver stands tall at 6’2 and is known for his ability to make quick decisions when contesting a pass. In just nine games, he recorded 1,015 yards, averaging 18.8 yards per reception. BlackStrain shut down his recruiting process early after committing to Tech last year. Another Tech four-star recruit, Weston Franklin, stands out as Tech’s top offensive lineman recruit of 2021. Rated as one of the highest linemen in Georgia, he currently stands at third for guards in the state and 24th for guards in the nation.

Standing near him on the offensive line will be tight end Ben Postma. Ranked as a top 70 tight end in the country, Postma is known for his route running ability, with a lot of plays in his senior season ending with him finding a way to be open. The commit will probably redshirt his first-year, as he looks to add more weight and get used to the Tech system.

Four-time state champion Grey Carroll is no stranger to winning. Being named Mr. Football for AAA in Tennessee, Carroll will look to make an impact on the defensive side of the ball. An explosive player, Carroll was ranked as a top 20 player in his home state and received offers from Princeton, Yale, and Wake Forest. The 6’3, 260-pound defensive end is impressively quick off the ball, an advantage that could cause opposing offenses headaches in the future.

Replacing the best punter in Tech history, Pressley Harvin III, is no small feat and will be a challenge for Tech recruit David Shanahan. Having spent last year training at one of the top kicking schools in Australia, Shanahan will likely start for Tech this upcoming season. Look for Shanahan to be Tech’s punter for the foreseeable future.

The class will look to improve off of Tech’s two reconstruction seasons, starting off this fall in what every fan hopes will be a “normal” season, or something like it.