Georgia Tech fans have affixed many labels to Tevin Washington since a freak injury to his superstar predecessor, Joshua Nesbitt, made Washington the starting quarterback midway through the 2010 season.
Most of the labels are some variation on “stand-in,” “caretaker,” “game manager” and “bridge to the future.”
The one moniker he has never been graced with is now the most appropriate — veteran leader.
Washington will open the season against ACC rival Virginia Tech as a third-year starting quarterback. He’s held off challenges from two much-ballyhooed youngsters and, more importantly, assumed the role of leader.
Washington coordinates all Georgia Tech’s offseason workouts, which NCAA rules prohibit coaches from supervising. He’s vocal, arguably the team’s hardest worker and a good student. He’s tough and durable.
On the field, he’s solid if not spectacular. He has averaged better than 250 yards total offense per game as a starter, accounted for 31 touchdowns and holds the record for most yards rushing by a quarterback in a game with 176 against Clemson last fall.
Washington excels at “making the most of his abilities,” quarterbacks coach Brian Bohannon said.
Washington’s most valuable attribute, at least in the eyes of coach Paul Johnson, is his ability to operate the option offense and take care of the football.
Georgia Tech ranked second nationally in rushing and among the top 25 teams in total and scoring offense in 2011. And the Jackets lost just 11 fumbles in 13 games, an impressively low total considering the halfbacks, who receive the ball via pitch most of the time, had more than 200 carries.
“He has the most experience and the best understanding of the offense,” Johnson said of Washington.
If only Washington could be more of a playmaker. He has shown flashes of brilliance, including in the passing game. He threw seven touchdown passes of 50 yards or more in Georgia Tech’s 6-0 start last year. He also led the nation in passing efficiency during the span, and he doesn’t shrink under pressure.
But he has missed wide-open receivers in key situations in his 17 games as a starter and hasn’t shown the breakaway running ability of Nesbitt and other fleet-footed Georgia Tech quarterbacks of the past.
Those shortcomings have had fans clamoring for one of the younger quarterbacks, redshirt sophomore Synjyn Days or redshirt Vad Lee, to take the starting job.
But as Johnson said at a fan outing in April, Washington is “light years” ahead of the other two.
Time to change the labels.