Fred Holton Injury: Yellow Jackets' safety has season ending surgery

Fred Holton, safety for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, will miss the remainder of the season after having surgery to repair a partially torn posterior tibial tendon in his left leg. The injury was originally sustained in the preseason, and Holton was unable to completely recover.

Johnson tore the Achilles tendon in the same leg in the 2011 preseason, causing him to miss that season. That should leave the current redshirt sophomore open to additional years of eligibility beyond 2014.

Recruited out of Thomasville High School in Georgia, Holton played in all 13 games of his true freshman season,recording 11 tackles and one forced fumble. He's drawn praise for both his strength and athleticism as well as how quickly he picked up Tech's 3-4 system as a freshman.

The Yellow Jackets are 3-5 as they reach the closing stretch of their schedule, and have particularly struggled on defense. Defensive coordinator Al Groh was fired midway through the season, replaced on an interim basis by secondary coach Charles Kelly.