Johnson has fans, former players, buzzing about Georgia Tech
After a 9-4 season that included a win over Georgia and a tie for the ACC Coastal Division championship, it’s a pretty safe bet to say that the Georgia Tech football program has been re-energized and is moving full speed ahead under second-year coach Paul Johnson.
But any doubters that remained should have been with me Wednesday night at the Marist School.
It is April 8, the Wednesday night before Easter. A lot of people are out of town on spring break. The first round in Augusta begins this morning. The American Idol results show starts at 9 p.m.
With all that going on in this town, several hundred people turned out at Marist to hear Johnson to speak to about leadership and character on behalf of the Northside Athletes Foundation. The NAF was founded in 1990 as a charitable organization to help children through sports activities. One of the ways this organization raises funds is through a speakers series on leadership and character. Georgia’s Mark Richt spoke last year. Georgia State coach Bill Curry will speak next year.
Johnson walked off the practice field, put on a coat and tie, and was there to speak Wednesday just after 7 p.m.
Here’s who else was there and this is the part that really impressed me. There to show their support of Johnson were some of the greatest players in Georgia Tech history: RB Leon Hardeman, one of six All-Americans on the 1952 national championship team; All-America OL John Davis who once, as emcee Wes Durham pointed out, pushed Clemson’s “Refrigerator” Perry around Bobby Dodd Stadium like he was on training wheels; Jim Woods, an outstanding player under Pepper Rodgers; Randy Rhino, the only three-time All-American in school history; Taz Anderson, a member of the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame and the State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame; Ryan Stewart, a former captain at Georgia Tech who has gone on to radio fame.
And as Johnson spoke I could see these former players and others in the room nod their heads in approval.
Johnson told a story of his early days at Georgia Tech. He had been in charge for only a few weeks and “was starting to feel pretty good about myself.” He ducked into a Waffle House to get a bite to eat wearing his Georgia Tech shirt. He tries to keep a low profile when the waitress comes up to him and says: “Do you go to a lot of the games (at Georgia Tech)?”
Johnson said: “I’m pretty sure I’ll get to most of the games this fall.”
Later on that same waitress told Johnson that she had heard that the new Georgia Tech head coach was in the restaurant.
“She pointed to a guy in the corner who looked like he was about 70,” said Johnson. “I figured and wasn’t as big a deal as I thought I was.”
Johnson said that a bunch of gut-check moments went into making last season successful: The comeback win at Boston College (19-16); the comeback that came up short at Virginia Tech (20-17); the comeback win over Georgia (45-42) where the Yellow Jackets trailed by double digits (28-12) on the road at halftime.
“And then for 42 days we got to listen to people tell us how good we were,” Johnson said. “Then we played LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl and found out that we weren’t that good (losing 38-3).”
But every one of those games, win or lose, said Johnson, was a building block in the process. When spring practice ends on April 18, Johnson will meet individually with every Georgia Tech player. A year ago, after his first spring, Johnson had no idea what those guys were going to tell him. Now he feels like the players and the fans have bought into what he’s selling.
“I feel good about our football team,” Johnson said. That is what the folks at Marist came to hear.
And the former players, for the first time in a while, are all on the same page.
“How can you not be confident when you’re listening to Coach Johnson?” Taz Anderson said. “He knows what he’s talking about.”
At the end of the evening Michael Flint, President of the NAF, presented Johnson with a sizeable check to show the appreciation of the group. They wanted to make it out to Johnson’s favorite charity. Johnson announced that tonight his favorite charity was the NAF and handed the check right back to Flint.
Georgia Tech is back. The rivalry with Georgia is back. This is going to be fun.
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194 comments Add your comment
Corrine Brown (D) FL
April 9th, 2009
8:19 am
Toni,
Did you saw Corch Meyers and Percy Harvey there at the waffle house too?
GO GATOR!
Bamafan
April 9th, 2009
8:22 am
Tech hired a good coach in Johnson and will give the dawgs problems for years to come. Coach Richt
will still out recruit Tech and will win most of the games against Tech!!
LSWho?
April 9th, 2009
8:42 am
Great story, especially the the Waffle House bit. Coach Johnson has really done a good job at Tech, a great hire. Rhino still driving that 911 cabriolet?
m
April 9th, 2009
8:46 am
What a contrast….the worst coach in the history of the world replaced by one of the very best coaches on earth. Paul Johnson is the real deal…anyone that underestimates him does so at their own peril. You idiot dawgies need to understand that beating chan gailey is not the same as beating Paul Johnson. You should have understood that last November, but i repeat it because you are such slow learners. As TECH fans, we should THANK GOD AND GREYHOUND AND DRAD every day for firing Chan Gailey and hiring the best coach in America. We must NEVER allow another nightmare like the 6 years under Gailey. NEVER. By the way, you dawgies are the only ones that are going to miss him.
Percy Harvey
April 9th, 2009
8:54 am
Yes, I was at the waffle house with Coarch Meyers- I had the munchies big time!
Eric
April 9th, 2009
8:54 am
The one win out of the last seven was a deceptive aberration.Every blind hog finds a an acorn every now and then!
Atlanta Gator
April 9th, 2009
9:03 am
m—-Carthago delenda est.
War’s over, son. Give it a rest.
Mac
April 9th, 2009
9:09 am
I was at Ga. Southern when coach Johnson was there working under Erk. When he later returned as head coach, it was obvious he was something special. I’m just glad D-Rad was smarter than the folks at Nebraska and other programs, who maybe didn’t give him a proper look. Tech will be strong as long as he’s there.
Saint Nick
April 9th, 2009
9:10 am
M,
Please get some new material. Wow, it must be a slow sports day when you have a WHOLE column about GT!!!!! I would rather lay in the yard and watch my grass grow!!! CPJ needs to stay away from waffle house!! He needs to get in touch with George Castanza’s Dad and get fitted for a manzire!!!!!!RTR
Voice of Reason
April 9th, 2009
9:10 am
The best coach in America runs the triple option?? Really?? And his defense gives up 131 points in the final 4 games of the year averaging over 32 points a game?? And he gives out rings for beating a mediocre UGA team by 3?? And loses to a Virginia team that USC beat 52-7?? And Virginia Tech that got beat by ECU?? Wow, don’t tell Meyer, Saban, or Pete Carroll and a slew of others…. they may think they are overachieveing.
Bill
April 9th, 2009
9:12 am
Hey UGA rednecks.Last I saw of Percy Harvin he was all alone in the end zone with a TD pass over the befuddled poodle secondary.
49-10
Voice of Reason
April 9th, 2009
9:12 am
Saint Nick, I think it should be called the bro, not the manziere
Voice of Reason
April 9th, 2009
9:15 am
actually Bill, I believe he ran past and around the UGA secondary, the pass was not over the secondary. Not that it makes thing any better for the secondary, but at least say it right if you’re going to say it.
Voice of Reason
April 9th, 2009
9:16 am
but you know what they say…. you can’t catch a crackhead.
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 9th, 2009
9:25 am
Here come the fleabags.
Hmmm, what’s CPJ’s record against UGAg at GT?
John Davis should be very happy. He couldn’t let go how important it was beating the mutts at last years Kick-off Dinner.
It’s pretty amazing when you think about how fast GT has lapped UGAg. I can see the fleabags getting on their knees and praying each night how they hope CPJ gets struck by lighting or has a heart attack or something like that…that’s just the way they are.
I really don’t see UGA beating GT again as long as CPJ is coach.
45-42, Roddy Jones just ran another 16.9 yards.
Thanks for throwing us a bone Tony and writing something about the best team in Georgia.
Brad in Jasper
April 9th, 2009
9:36 am
Ramble, I appreciate your optimism, though it may be a bit delusional. As Doc Holliday says “I’ll remembuh ya said that”. We’ll check back in 3-4 years. In the meantime as a Dawg fan, I think PJ has the Jackets on the right course. Can’t help but like the guy. I do hope he loses that game in late November, though.
Andre "Pulpwood" Smith
April 9th, 2009
9:37 am
One win in the last 8 years and suddenly Tech is back on top? I acknowledge that the better team won in Athens last season, but one win in 8 tries, regardless of who your coach is, doesn’t mean the rivalry is back. And for all the Tech bandwagoners who can’t wait for next season, here’s another history lesson. In 2007, Georgia hammers Florida and the UGA message boards explode with comments about how UGA now has Florida’s number, the tide has turned, UGA won’t lose to Florida again, etc. You recall what happened in 2008. Win the next 6 in a row, bandwagon jumpers, then we’ll talk.
MinnesotaJacket
April 9th, 2009
9:42 am
Bamafan…your correct in saying that according the amount of “star” recruits Georgia gets will always be greater because in general how many of the colleges in the SEC are even a remotely good Academic based school where any athlete who ATTEMPTED the SAT or ACT can get in….yes I am using the academic line because you wanted to talk about recruiting…am I saying that Tech players are in the hardest majors at Tech…no but they still have to at least go to class to pass.
North Carolina, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Boston College, Duke all in the top 50 schools academically… (much harder to recruit semi-smart athletes)..
JustCallMeChamp
April 9th, 2009
9:49 am
To be honest with you, Georgia Tech is the one team from the ACC I WOULD’T want to play and I think they’re gonna give Georgia all they want and maybe a little more for a few years. That triple option is not something you normally see and is very difficult to prepare for week in and week out. Plus, I wouldn’t like the potential injuries to our DL the way they block in that scheme. I think that any top tier SEC team could handle them IF given time to prepare as witnessed in the LSU game but they will be a force in their conference. Do the Go Gator!…It’s sweeping the Nation!!!
Saint Nick
April 9th, 2009
9:52 am
GT fans = Braves Fan = BANDWAGON FOOTBALL FANS = FAIR WHEATHER FANS = ALL GT FANS = GONE AFTER THE FIRST 7 WIN SEASON!!!!!!!!
Eric
April 9th, 2009
9:54 am
It’ll be a blast every time the Beez beat the Bulldogz. I’m thinking it’ll be regular occurance. YES!!!
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 9th, 2009
9:56 am
There goes Roddy for another 16.9 yards.
m
April 9th, 2009
10:04 am
Chan Gailey coached against ugag 6 times…he went 0-6. If he had coached 100 times against ugag …he would have gone 0-100. However, in the best news in the history of the world, chan was fired. The last 5 times that Tech played ugag with a coach NOT named gailey…Tech beat ugag 4 out of 5. Also, every time since 1978 that Tech defeated ugag to stop a ugag streak, Tech went on to win the next game…every single time. So if you dawgies don’t realize that things have changed at Tech, then you are as stupid as Chan Gailey….as stupid as any Tech fans that supported chan gailey. Thank God and Greyhound that chan is gone. You dawgs may be too stupid to realize it, but you are really going to miss him.
OMG
April 9th, 2009
10:08 am
Irony of ironies. A UGA fan calls Tech fans bandwagon fans.
TIde rising
April 9th, 2009
10:08 am
Where’s JB today? I noticed in his posts last night he’s still saying Nick Saban will be gone after this year or next year. Seems he’s been saying that for 3 years now. He’s here to stay pardner. Get used to it and abandon all hope. He aint going nowhere son.
Duh
April 9th, 2009
10:10 am
One win out of seven? CPJ is 1-0 verse the dwags and 3-0 verse any team with the mascot of a bull dog. Blind hog – I don’t think so. Just remember he is not Chan “I coach not to lose; instead of coaching to win” Gailey, CPJ coaches to win.
Saint Nick
April 9th, 2009
10:12 am
M,
I really don’t think that UGA fans really give a crap what goes on over at the Star Trek College!!!! Maybe you are the one who is too stupid to realize that Tech is an afterthought in a weak conference!!!!
athensdawg
April 9th, 2009
10:14 am
Tony, the waffle house story was classic…right up there with erk russell’s “honk if you love jesus” story. No doubt CPJ learned a lot of people skills while working with Erk.
we should be scared…….tech has a real coach.
Jack G.
April 9th, 2009
10:14 am
Just an out of context comment.
How can Tech justify an 8.5 million basketball bldg., but cant buy out CPH contract.
Ty Webb
April 9th, 2009
10:19 am
Saint Nick – you’re an idiot. GT has a notoriously small and loyal fanbase, I’ve never heard of a bandwagon GT fan in my life. You’re either a GT fan or you’re not. That school in Athens has a monopoly on bandwagon fans in this state. Most of the UGA fans in this state thinks college football started in 2002. You know, the year that UGA powerhouse finally made it to the SEC championship game.
Atlanta Jackets
April 9th, 2009
10:19 am
Finally a relevant article about football! Great job Tony. I like the waffle house bit! LOL!
Tech does recruit the best student-athletes! And notice which of those I put first… student. Yeah, that’s right mutters. These are students first and they beat your semi-pro athletes. Jones just ran for another 16.9! LOL! Burn. How does that feel? The Robot just hit Hill in stride for a touchdown. What? That hasn’t happened yet? Just wait, mutters. Just wait. It will. Over and over. LOL!
Ty Webb
April 9th, 2009
10:21 am
Good point m, remove the Chan Gailey fiasco and Tech has won 4 out of the last 5 against UGA. I’ve never thought of that.
Miles
April 9th, 2009
10:21 am
Mr. Barnhart, could you please explain the NCAA ruling regarding Florida State’s Corey Surrency? I’ve read a couple of conflicting reports. Please advise. Thank you.
Atlanta Jackets
April 9th, 2009
10:22 am
Corrine – It’s Coach not Corch and Harven, not Harvey. Even I know that and I’m not even a Gator fan! LOL! Get to know your team first. Dummy.
Otto
April 9th, 2009
10:23 am
m, Yes GT may have won a few in the past after breaking streaks but usually it one or 2 more then a new streak begins. Be careful what you ask for if UGA fails to beat UF and GT CMR maybe forced to shake up his staff.
Ty Webb
April 9th, 2009
10:24 am
Atlanta Jackets – you must not get out much, search Corrine Brown on the internet and you’ll understand the joke.
Nate
April 9th, 2009
10:24 am
So ‘m’ you need to keep on rolling out that “thank God and Greyhound”, because it’s freaking hilarious. I honestly thought Gailey was a good person, but obviously not what Tech needed. CPJ is everything Tech needs, to be different. Insert UGA comments about Tech international students here. GA fans, you can say all you want about Tech, but it is definitely obvious that Tech is on the right track and any fan should realize this. As for Tech fans talking trash, let’s be a little realistic until we win in Atlanta, let’s just let it be and let that Saturday in November speak for itself.
Saint Nick
April 9th, 2009
10:32 am
My point is that I have been reading this blog for several years now and up until last November M was the only Tech fan on this blog that i remember. Now there seems to be about 10!!!! I would classify that as BANDWAGON!!!! That means you as a fan have to support your team ALL the time!!!!
GT fans lost in space
April 9th, 2009
10:35 am
“And then for 42 days we got to listen to people tell us how good we were,” Johnson said. “Then we played LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl and found out that we weren’t that good.”
38-3, LOL. You’re only as good as your last game.
Nov. 28, 2009……….Have a nice day
Huh?
April 9th, 2009
10:40 am
November 28, 2009. I’ll believe Georgia Tech is back when it can prove that 45-42 wasn’t a total fluke. I have my doubts.
GeoffDawg
April 9th, 2009
10:41 am
Lol at the gator fan calling anybody else’s fanbase “redneck”. Your jorts must be up your crack.
Atlanta Jackets
April 9th, 2009
10:42 am
I was debating a friend the other day about building a perfect team for this offense and we agreed that we’d have Joe Hamilton at QB (I love the Robot, but Joe is Joe). We’d have Swyer, Choice, Percy Harvin as the backs. Calvin as the wide out. Unstoppable. And then this other guy that wasn’t even part of the conversation said that Capt Kirk would be a good QB. While I appreciate the qualities CJTK brings to the table, he doesn’t beat Joe! LOL! We told him to shut it.
THWG!
gte268p
April 9th, 2009
10:44 am
Saint Nick, that logic is just dumb.
ATL Dawg
April 9th, 2009
10:47 am
Hey Techies I will be the first one to admit that coach Paul Johnson is a great coach and hire for you guys. He has won everywhere he has been. Now with that being said I think Johnson has Mark Richt’s attention and Richt will up his game even more. Johnson will give Richt trouble, but I think Richt will win more than he will lose to Johnson. The rivalry is back…..until some bigger school say maybe like Notre Dame comes calling for Johnson. Go Dawgs!!
razerGT
April 9th, 2009
10:47 am
“For 42 days we got to listen to people tell us how good we were…Then we played LSU…and found out that we weren’t that good.”
Paul Johnson tells it like it is. Hasn’t hesitated to say, after a game, that ‘we were awful here’ or ‘we could have done a lot better here’. He knows what’s wrong and he’s going to fix it. We were 9-4 last year with a terrible passing game, iffy special teams and a lot of unforced fumbles. What makes you bulldawgie fans think we’re going to be WORSE next year?
Saint Nick
April 9th, 2009
10:50 am
My Prediction for the 09 football season:
1. USC loses 3 games: Can’t lose all those players and not take a step back.
2. Fla wins east, Bama wins west. Fla goes 14-0 and wins NC.
3. Okl ST. wins big 12 and gets destroyed by FLA.
4. North carolina wins the ACC.
5. WVA doesn’t go bowling, South Fla wins the Big East.
6. Someone besides OSU wins the Big Ten.
7. Boise ST. goes to the BCS.
8. UT settles out of court in shirt ripping incident!
9. Notre Dame fires Weis and hires T. Gill.
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 9th, 2009
10:50 am
First down, Roddy Jones for another 16.9 yards!!!
cluett peabody
April 9th, 2009
11:04 am
m and Nate. Tgag (thank God and Greyhound)… Love it! Soon it will be up there with thwg. I hope.
Saint Nick
April 9th, 2009
11:09 am
It’s only dumb to you because I was REFERRING TO FANS LIKE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dorsey Hill
April 9th, 2009
11:11 am
I certainly can’t talk bad about Johnson as he was my pick to take over from Donnan. I think we would have given SEC teams fits with the talent we could attract to run that system. (This is not to indicate any displeasure with what we ended up with b/c I am extremely pleased depsite my initial fears that we got Brad Scott v. 2. And I have to admit that my initial hope to have Johnson may have been related to my continued and undying anger towards Chuck Knapp for not hiring Erk, who would have brought Johnson in as OC, after Dooley retired.)
The big question mark for Tech in the coming years is going to be on the defensive side of the ball. Can Tech put substantial talent on that side of the ball and have them play consistently well against teams that will be running offenses that they can not replicate in practice? You have to have more scholarship QB’s and RB’s in the program to run what Johnson runs and in the era of the 85 limit???
John McKay said that one of the main reasons he went with an I-formation over the wish-bone and other 3 back systems was that to run those you need 4 great running backs (incl. the QB) whereas with the I formation all you needed was one OJ Simpson type talent.
And remember bulldog fans, the reason that Tech will indeed give us trouble is not because they are in any sense “better” or even that our defense stunk. In fact they may make us look bad when we have an objectively good defense. The reason is that we spend 11 weeks of the year trying to get our guys to run to the football with reckless abandon; with an almost reptilian-like reflex. Tech, and UF to a lesser extent, shows up and we have to play assignment defense and it screws us all up. That being said there are strategies to reduce the impact of that difference. Unfortunately I didn’t see any of them last fall. One key for the Tech game, and the rest of the season for that matter, is to hope and pray that we have some good, healthy DE’s.