</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> A.J. Suggs remains Georgia Tech's starting quarterback.
But Tech coach Chan Gailey has hinted that backup Damarius Bilbo might play more and could eventually supplant Suggs.
"We haven't really sat down and discussed start/not start yet," Gailey said. "But I think we'll continue to visit how much [Bilbo] plays and how much he can get done."
Asked if there was any chance Bilbo might start Tech's next game, Oct. 17 at Maryland, Gailey said: "No, not right now. Not today."
Improving the passing game is Tech's top priority for this bye week. Tech (4-2, 1-2 ACC) ranks sixth in the ACC in passing offense, but Suggs didn't sound overly concerned about his job security.
"I just go out and play my best every time," he said Tuesday. "I play hard and practice hard. That's all I can do. [The coaches] coach and I play."
Suggs, a Tennessee transfer and a former McEachern High School star, committed two critical errors late in the game: a fumbled exchange and an illegal forward pass. Statistically, he had one of his better games: 62.5 completion percentage, 178 yards, two touchdowns, one interception. But he ranks eighth in the league in passing efficiency. Clemson is the only ACC team that doesn't have a higher-rated passer.
Suggs said Tech can help its passing game by running more effectively. He was 3- for-3 for 52 yards and a touchdown on the opening drive against Wake Forest.
"I think we ran the ball on the first drive," Suggs said. "We didn't run the ball real well after that. The running game always opens the passing game."
[Out of the "yeah, but" file comes this: He looked just as bad, if not worse against BYU when Tony Hollings ran for 190 yards. If that ain't running the ball "real well," then I don't know what is. And, a poor running doesn't cause you to throw into triple coverage or run past the line of scrimmage before passing the ball.]
Bilbo, a redshirt freshman, has heard the fans boo Suggs but knows the quarterback job isn't a popularity contest.
"I see what's going on at Georgia," he said, referring to the debate Bulldogs fans were having early this season between David Greene and D.J. Shockley. "The fans want what the fans want. The fans aren't out there at practice every day."
Said Suggs: "We're 4-2. It's not like we're doing badly. I don't think it's any time to panic. We just have to pull it all together."
Over the last three games, Suggs has largely failed to come up with a big play when the Yellow Jackets needed one most. In his defense, however, the Yellow Jackets also have suffered from costly drops, penalties, poorly run routes and breakdowns in protection.
"It's going to get better," Suggs said. "It can only get better." </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">
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