It was a very good year at Georgia Tech
Some random thoughts before I get on the plane to West Coast, where it is warm and sunny:
1. It’s been a very good year at Georgia Tech. While last night’s loss to Iowa in the Orange Bowl was a disappointment to Georgia Tech and its fans, at some point today it will be time to put it into perspective with the rest of the season. Georgia Tech ran into a big, athletic defense that had had over 40 days to prepare. When quarterback Ricky Stanzi was healthy, Iowa was the best team in the Big Ten and would have likely gone undefeated if he had been available for the Northwestern and Ohio State games.
In just two seasons Paul Johnson has made Georgia Tech a player again on the national stage with an ACC championship, a BCS bowl, and a win over Georgia. While it can’t be a great year unless you beat the state rival, this was a very good year at Georgia Tech.
2. Time to give the Big Ten its props. The Big Ten has gotten beat up during bowl season lately, going 1-6 last year. Iowa was the only Big Ten team to win a bowl last season when it beat South Carolina. But this season the Big Ten has posted four pretty impressive wins: Ohio State over Oregon to snap the Big Ten’s six-game losing streak in the Rose; Penn State over LSU in the Capital One; Wisconsin over what was supposed to be a faster, more athletic Miami in the Champs Sports; and finally Iowa over the ACC champs in the Orange. Northwestern had several chances to beat Auburn in the Outback before losing in overtime.
3. Kudos to Rich Brooks. The former Falcons assistant coach has decided to step down at Kentucky after seven seasons. One of his goals when he took the job was to leave the program in better shape than he found it. On that point he was a huge success. The program was devastated by NCAA probation when he got there and after struggling (9-25) in his first three seasons there were a lot of people who wanted to get rid of him. But athletics director Mitch Barnhart and President Lee Todd stuck with Brooks, who then took the Wildcats to four straight bowl games, something never done in the football history of the school. I will never forget Kentucky’s upset of No. 1 LSU in Lexington in 2007. In fact, that season I went to Lexington three times to watch Kentucky play and saw three great games, including a four-overtime loss to Tennessee which put the Vols into the SEC championship game over Georgia. Brooks turns the reins over to offensive coordinator Joker Phillips.
4. Bama looking for first win over Texas. There is a lot of history that says No. 2 Texas can beat No. 1 Alabama in tomorrow night’s BCS championship game. The two storied programs have met eight times in history with Texas holding a 7-0-1 mark:
Year———————Winner
1902———————Texas, 10-0 (Regular season)
1915———————Texas, 20-0 (Regular season)
1922——————–Texas, 19-10 (Regular season)
1947——————–Texas, 27-7 (Sugar Bowl)
1960——————–3-3 Tie (Bluebonnet Bowl)
1964——————–Texas, 21-17 (Orange Bowl)
1972——————–Texas, 17-13 (Cotton Bowl)
1981——————–Texas, 14-12 (Cotton Bowl)
I’ll be in Los Angeles on Thursday where I will give you my five burning questions about the BCS Championship game.
5. Urban Meyer wasting no time. For a guy who was supposed to be taking a leave of absence, Florida’s Urban Meyer has been a busy boy this week. He has lost four assistant coaches since the end of the regular season—Defensive coordinator Charlie Strong along with assistants Kenny Carter and Vance Bedford are all headed to Louisville. Offensive assistant Billy Gonzalez left before the bowl game to go to LSU. He has been replaced by Zach Azzani of Central Michigan. Meyer and interim coach Steve Addazio have hired former Gator assistant Stan Drayton, who left for Tennessee with some hard feelings in 2007 saying that he wanted to coach in a more conventional offense. Drayton is a good recruiter and Florida needs that to hold this class together. D.J. Durkin, who coached the past three seasons at Stanford, has been hired to coach the linebackers, which was Strong’s position. We’re still waiting to hear on the defensive coordinator’s job although published reports say that current assistant Chuck Heater has a shot.
Please follow me on Twitter:
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
588 comments Add your comment
GT had a good year
January 6th, 2010
8:29 am
Now, I will not get punched in the face!
Dawg Trainer
January 6th, 2010
8:30 am
Still waiting for that guy that always posts “30-24!!!! NERDS!!!!” 50 times in a row…
Another crybaby
January 6th, 2010
8:31 am
My name is Cody and I am a crybaby!
Paul H
January 6th, 2010
8:32 am
Cody – the question you should be asking is what has UGA done since TECH’S “championship.” Here is what they’ve done:
15-4 against Tech for starters
2 BCS bowl victories
2 SEC titles
5 10+ win seasons this decade
4 top 10 finishes this decade
Shreveport Sam
January 6th, 2010
8:34 am
Ummmmm, the fact that all you UGA fans are here talkin’ in the first place is telling. If not for Tech, there’d be no college football relative to the state of Georgia for y’all to talk about today, now would there?
JB
January 6th, 2010
8:36 am
Cody – Can YOU tell me how many times the Maggots have beaten UGA since those dates you site???
HBTD!!!!
Got 12?
January 6th, 2010
8:36 am
Tech had a really good year. If their juniors come back, they should win the ACC again next year. With little time to prepare and not as much defensive talent, Tech will continue to be a force in the ACC’s regular season during CPJ’s tenure.
Now it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty. Two of my schools–Troy (grad school) and Bama (undergrad)–close out the bowl season.
Jax Dawg
January 6th, 2010
8:36 am
I sure wish the Bulldogs were paid $1,000,000.00 for every point they scored in their Bowl game.
Losing Interest in GT
January 6th, 2010
8:36 am
Defense didn’t look too bad last night after the first quarter, but Iowa’s offense is no steamroller, either. But I will lose interest next year if GT’s defense is not much improved and the offense can’t add another dimension to it’s current playbook. Yeah, 11-3 and an ACC Championship looks really good, but the play in the last two games indicates to me that that we didn’t beat anyone of significance this year except maybe Virginia Tech. Bottom line: we’re overrated.
t
January 6th, 2010
8:37 am
Three questions about Tech (1) Did they quit on Coach Johnson towards the end of the year? (2) Why were they manhandled on both sides of the line? (3) Is the ACC really that soft?
Bobbi Dud
January 6th, 2010
8:37 am
Enjoy the good year! Now that Gailey’s recruits are leaving it looks bad for next year!
Jaydawg
January 6th, 2010
8:37 am
Enter your comments here
GW
January 6th, 2010
8:38 am
It is amazing that the only thing Techies can say is “Shreveport” and “wait til next year.” Coming out of 30-24 at The Joke by the Coke all we heard was “what about Kentucky” and “wait til basketball.” OK, we went to Shreveport and waited until basketball. Take a hint Techies. It is time to shut up.
PJ Johnson
January 6th, 2010
8:39 am
Should have been called the Lemon Bowl! I coached the boys up but can’t blame me!
Second Rate
January 6th, 2010
8:39 am
Paul H,
Nice post but you forgot to mention that Colorado won the National Championship in the year he is referencing. Tech beat the worst Osborne coached Nebraska team EVER in a second rate bowl because none of the big bowls thought the Jackets were worthy of an invitation. They did win the weak ACC in its weakest year on record that year though.
scdawg
January 6th, 2010
8:41 am
Yes, GT had a very good year despite a tough loss last night. Interesting that when UGA loses three against ten or eleven wins in a better league (yes, despite a very meidocre year–more on that in a minute–the SEC is a much better league)many fans are disappointed, perhaps ALL fans should take a reality pill and learn to celebrate the good in a season. What FLA has done the past few years is to be commended, and, yes, can be strived for, but, it is not apt to happen again any time soon. What I’d love to see is the ACC/SEC thing really settled, and this year would’ve been a good year to do it as the SEC is obviously down. Bama vs. Tech, Clemson vs. UF, VT vs LSU, Ole Miss vs. Miami (or whoever was fourth in ACC) . . . . or, in other words, 1 vs 1, 2 vs 2, and so on until you get 12 vs 12. Just a thought . . .
GeoffDawg
January 6th, 2010
8:41 am
Cody, a couple clarifications – tech won half a championship in 1990 and their bowl game was against the 19th ranked team going in. Don’t let history screw with a good story though.
KR
January 6th, 2010
8:42 am
I’m not sure which is worse: Tech embarassing the state of Georgia on the field last night or some of the UGA fans embarassing the state on this blog today.
Gen Neyland
January 6th, 2010
8:42 am
Seems I remember CPJ’s snide remarks after GT beat the SEC’s last place team, Vanderbilt, went something like this : “Well, they said we couldn’t play with the SEC.” CPJ : Add the Big Ten to that statement…
BIRDDAWGONE
January 6th, 2010
8:43 am
Shreveport Sam:
I think we would be talking about how UGA just beat gt in basketball. This is just funnier.
Jaydawg
January 6th, 2010
8:43 am
A Tech fan punched me in the mouth,let out a loud squeal,said HE broke a nail and started crying.
JB
January 6th, 2010
8:44 am
Cody, since you couldn’t answer the question, I’ll help ya out. The maggots have beaten Georgia a rousing 7 times, since 1980. That’s right, 7.
Any more questions?
HBTD!!!
Second Rate
January 6th, 2010
8:44 am
GeoffDawg,
Nebraska was unranked in the final poll from 1990 as they should have been after losing to Tech
CRYBABY ALERT!!!!
January 6th, 2010
8:45 am
KR you are a crybaby!!!!!!
Doggie Style
January 6th, 2010
8:45 am
Paul H. Thank you for putting things in perspective.
I suppose we won’t hear from m, yellow fuzz, stinger and all the Pocket Protector People on North Ave. As someone said earlier, it’s time for the Technerds that inhabit this board to man up. Put your face against that brick wall and get ready to take it from behind because you’re now Iowa’s bit** as well as UGA’s. Remember, every day you wake up for the next eight months, this is what you will see:
30-24
24-14
There’s nothing more to say.
Shreveport was great....so how was frigid Miami?
January 6th, 2010
8:46 am
Yes, it was a very good year for tech. Especially since the UGA and Iowa games really weren’t that important.
Spike
January 6th, 2010
8:48 am
I’ll bet the ring salesmen are upset they have to cancel the Tech ring order. Hey, give Iowa a call. They might buy them.
Shreveport was great....so how was frigid Miami?
January 6th, 2010
8:48 am
So the “offensive juggernaut” was grounded yet again?
Let’s see, in 2 bowl appearances Coach Johnson’s tech teams were outscored 62-17. Yes, what an offensive genius he is.
GeoffDawg
January 6th, 2010
8:49 am
Second Rate – I meant going into the game.
Edugator
January 6th, 2010
8:50 am
Poor Ga. Tech, they chocked in a bowl game again.Status Quo. As much as things change they stay the same.
Spike
January 6th, 2010
8:51 am
Oh, and Tech, please extend Paul Johnsons contract. Please!!
Second Rate
January 6th, 2010
8:52 am
GeoffDawg,
I hear you loud and clear and know that you have an understanding. I’m just trying to keep the Jackets from revising history as they are wont to do.
SimpleDawg
January 6th, 2010
8:53 am
There doesn’t appear to be much difference in 8 – 5 and 11 – 3.
Except that 8 – 5 beat 11 – 3.
’nuff said.
Eric
January 6th, 2010
8:53 am
Big Ten, Iowa beats ACC, GA Tech. Northwestern beats Iowa. SEC, Auburn beats Big Ten, Northwestern. Where are you m, you mo-freakin-ron.
Ron Mexico
January 6th, 2010
8:54 am
Tony I usually cringe at the comments directed at you as I think you’re a pretty fair journalist, but your attempt to sugar coat the loss last night by hypothesizing that Iowa was the best team in the Big 10 is just pathetic. Please no revisionist history, take the loss and deal with it. GT had a great season, but like Alabama last year, had a disappointing finish.
Shreveport was great....so how was frigid Miami?
January 6th, 2010
8:57 am
Actually, I was being generous to Coach Johnson. His offense has actually scored just 10 points in 2 bowl games. His defense was responsible for one of last night’s touchdowns. Offensive genius? Hardly.
Jaydawg
January 6th, 2010
8:57 am
KR use KY and you wont be so irritable.Crybaby.
jfowl
January 6th, 2010
8:58 am
“Paul Johnson has made Georgia Tech a player again on the national stage” What national stage are you referring to? The Almost Collegiate Conference is a far cry from the national stage. Canes+Dawgs+Hawkeyes = Tech defeats. Tech can’t handle the more physical teams and Johnson can’t adjust the offensive scheme when his high school offense is shutdown. Is his lack of adjustment due to his inability or the inability of the tech players? If tech is on the national stage it must be an awfully small stage.
Dawg'94
January 6th, 2010
8:58 am
The ACC is a joke! The champ got beat by the Big Ten runner-up. 30-24
Tech for Life
January 6th, 2010
8:59 am
KR, the uga fans embarrass the state on a daily basis no matter what time of year it is; that’s just a fact of life.
Yes, the mutts beat us in two sports and yes, we didn’t win the game last night. The fact remains that Tech still had a great season and is still on the rise. One fluke win from a mediocre team does not constitute owning the state. But I guess when you go into work knowing that Tech graduates run the real world, then a few wins on the field is all you have to hang your hat on.
uga is nothing more than an overhyped high school for party goers; without football, they have nothing. No wonder they make such a big deal out of it. So enjoy your luck this year mutts and enjoy your Tech bashing. Just remember two things: we know we had a better season, we know we’re a better school and we know that ultimately what happens on the field does not define a school.
Go Jackets and to hell with georgia!
Dawg Bone
January 6th, 2010
8:59 am
Georgia tech’s finesse offense, based on cheap cut blocks, will not beat a big physical defense with more than 1 week to prepare–this year or next year. Johnson needs to recruit some bigger o-linemen and d-linemen, or it will be more of the same for years to come. That mickey mouse stuff that worked at navy will not work against the big teams.
Paul H
January 6th, 2010
9:00 am
10 points in 2 bowl losses. What happened to “bigger and better” things?
INSULT TO INJURY ALERT!
January 6th, 2010
9:01 am
(((73-66))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
INSULT TO INJURY ALERT!
January 6th, 2010
9:01 am
(((73-66)))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
jfowl
January 6th, 2010
9:03 am
“One fluke win from a mediocre team does not constitute owning the state.” You must be referring to the 2008 yech win. That was a FLUKE, UGA’s win in 09 was just a continuation of dominance.
George O'Leary
January 6th, 2010
9:03 am
ONE offensive TD in TWO bowl games,what is your secret Paul?
Tech for Life
January 6th, 2010
9:04 am
Btw – don’t let the uga kiddies fool you. Tech DID win the national championship in 1990. Take away Colorado’s 5th down and the argument breaks down quickly. But even so, Tech was chosen in the polls at the end of the year as the #1 team (which apparently uga seems to forget was how the national champion used to be determined before the BCS quagmire). And even sharing the championship is still a championship. You don’t hear them say a word about USC’s shared championship in 2003 do you? Or any other shared championship for that matter.
The fact is Tech has twice as many national championships as uga and they can’t stand it. That’s all there is to it.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
January 6th, 2010
9:05 am
((((( Shreveport ))))) Hahahahahaha
Auld Lang Syne
January 6th, 2010
9:06 am
Tech still won the Spelling Bee!
Go Jackets!!!
DawginLex
January 6th, 2010
9:08 am
I drank the Tech/PJ kool aid for the last time yesterday. I picked them to win easily. What an embarrassment on a national stage.
Until they get a defense and a QB that can complete passes to his own team, they will never be a national title contender.