In a press conference today, Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson revealed that Yellow Jackets starting center Jay Finch will not play against Clemson this weekend. Finch injured his lower leg in the first offensive play of the game against Miami last weekend, and was replaced by junior back-up Nick McRae.
The loss of the 6'3 280 sophomore is particularly damaging this week, with Georgia Tech looking to rebound from a two-week losing streak when they host the undefeated Tigers in a nationally-televised game.
The Yellow Jackets will need to control the ball with their ground game to keep Clemson's explosive offense off the field, which will be more challenging without their starting center.
Finch would have matched up with Clemson's standout defensive tackle Brandon Thompson. Thompson, a 6'2 310 senior, is highly regarded by NFL scouts, and McRae will need to control him at the line of scrimmage if Paul Johnson's triple-option attack is going to be effective.