>Former Tech B-back Anthony Allen is discovering the cruel reality of being a “featured” runner in Paul Johnson’s service academy offense.
Like Jonathan Dwyer before him, Allen now faces a variety of questions from pro scouts as to whether he can adapt to an NFL style of play. In Johnson’s bland, single-formation offense, Allen lines up only three yards behind the QB in an unorthodox three-point stance and receives little experience in pass protecting or catching the football. This altogether makes him an unpolished, “incomplete” back and a risk for teams drafting in the early rounds.
Allen’s plight only retraces the pattern of his predecessor Jonathan Dwyer, who was once a premier NFL prospect, but likewise saw his draft stock plummet after two seasons of reprogramming at the hands of Johnson. He was eventually drafted in the sixth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers and saw minimal action in his rookie campaign. Dwyer has since exhibited the public bitterness towards Georgia Tech befitting of a player who had his once-promising career stifled by a gimmick offense he never asked to play in.
Meanwhile, outgoing QB Josh Nesbitt is trying to do some convincing as well, but his task is even more daunting. Once a brilliant passer in high school, Nesbitt saw his quarterbacking skills erode precipitously under Johnson’s tutelage. As a result he has been forced to retool himself as a running back amidst fading hopes that he will be welcomed into the professional ranks.
Nesbitt was once considered one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country coming out of high school and started three years under Johnson. His senior season marked career lows in both yards per attempt(6.42) and completion percentage(37.1%), the latter of which was a full 10% behind the lowest-ranked FBS player with enough attempts(14 per team’s games played) to be listed in the official NCAA rankings(Vanderbilt’s Larry Smith at 47.4%).
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