Football and basketball notes
Good morning…
The men’s basketball team will play an early-season tournament in Puerto Rico, officially called the O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-off.
Eight teams will be in the tourney, which runs Nov. 19-22 and airs on ESPN. Each team is guaranteed three games.
Only seven teams were announced Tuesday, and pairings have not been finalized. It looks like a strong field: Villanova (in the Final Four), Dayton (reached NCAA Tournament second round), Indiana, Kansas State, UAB, George Mason and Tech.
In the 2008 event, Xavier beat Memphis for the championship.
This will be the Jackets’ third tournament off the U.S. mainland in the last four years. They didn’t go to one this past season.
On to football….
The secondary will be a lot more experienced this year, with everyone returning except Jahi Word-Daniels. It also will be deeper. Jerrard Tarrant, a 6-foot, 189-pound redshirt sophomore from Carrollton, is one reason why. Tarrant was impressive last spring and would have had a chance to start had he not been suspended. Here’s the background on that saga.
This spring, he’s shown good hands and a little bit of rust.
“He gives us another player who’s got pretty good skills and ability,” CPJ said after Monday’s practice. “He’s a little bit rusty, but you can watch him go through drills and see that he’s a talented kid…We knew he was pretty good last year. We had him in spring.”
In addition to pushing the starting corners, Tarrant is being tried as a returner.
“We’ll take a good look at him as a returner,” CPJ said. “I think he’s got some ability to do that.”
Couple other notes….We wrote the other day about Tyler Melton’s comeback from a knee injury. He could be the solid receiver Tech needs opposite Demaryius Thomas. When I asked about that, CPJ made an interesting point.
“Nobody double-covered [Thomas] last year anyway. With the nature of what we do, it’s pretty hard to double cover.”
CPJ added, however, that having two “weapons” at wideout would be beneficial. “We might not have to go as much to one side.”
Finally, the coach shed a bit of light on the offensive backfield. He was talking about how he decides who plays where. He said he considers the importance of putting people “where they fit” and at the same time trying to “get the best 11 on the field.”
“I don’t know who’s going to be the three backs,” he said. “I know who one of them (Jonathan Dwyer) is gonna be. I probably know who two of them (Roddy Jones) are gonna be, but then that third spot, if Anthony (Allen) is better, or whoever, or Lucas (Cox) might be a better B-back, you’ve just got to move them around.”
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81 comments Add your comment
Carolina Jacket
April 1st, 2009
7:28 am
There will be a hell of fight for the third running back position, Tech has the best depth there that we have had in years. Now if we can just get one to excel at returning punts and kick offs.
Burdell
April 1st, 2009
7:40 am
[evil grin] We have real problems at Tech. Three running back positions, and 4 or more talented backs. Oh, what will we do?
cleetis
April 1st, 2009
7:58 am
Larry- you guys do a great job- – this has been the best GT sports coverage in many years. Thanks.
BLAZER
April 1st, 2009
8:08 am
does it matter? they all will play as well as peeples, wright
that is at least six running back that have playing time already.
bring it on!!
BravesFan79
April 1st, 2009
8:15 am
Great to see GT in a preseason tourney. With good guard play, they could win it. We already know well have one of the best frountcourts in the nation next year (provided lawal comes back)
Lets start the year off right like in 2003-4 when we beat Uconn!
And its hard to get excited about football, we already know the national champ next year will be from a VERY limited field….(and im sorry but no 1 loss ACC champ is gonna beat out a 1 loss Texas, USC, Ohio State or SEC champ! ). just like every year with the BCS crap system.
If college football fans were smart, thed stop attending these game (especially the meaningless bowls!) and watch how quickly things change to a playoff system!
GT has no better of a shot at winning it all than UTAH. Sad to say cause im a diehard GT fan.
But changes have to take place to make the sport fair again.
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 1st, 2009
8:35 am
Give it up BravesFan79. You are the only one who can’t get excited about football. Your idol Paul Hewitt has destroyed any and all excitement in Basketball.
Our RB situation is a very good problem to have.
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 1st, 2009
8:37 am
Speaking of Basketball Larry. The worst coach in the NCAA Paul Hewitt said there were going to be major changes for next year.
I haven’t heard of any so far, have you?
MinnesotaJacket
April 1st, 2009
8:54 am
I think you have Cox and Allen being that third man with Cox being more of your hard runner, and Allen being a bit more of an athlete who can catch the ball out of the slot and make some moves. This is why I think Wright will be big this year because if he can get in the open field off a little out route he could be dangerous. The best part though is IF and I mean IF Dwyer gets hurt…we aren’t SOL this year. I do like hearing about Melton though as one guy who is stepping up because even though Bebe might not have been double covered last year…doesn’t mean he won’t be this year.
GTinNC
April 1st, 2009
9:13 am
Larry,
What is the convention – when you say “Tarrant…. a redshirt soph.; is he a r/s soph during all of 2009 or is he a r/s soph. this school year and a r/s junior next school year (starting in the fall)?
Tech Wrecked.....AGAIN
April 1st, 2009
9:16 am
BravesFan79..you make some good points. However, on at least one point, you are preaching to the choir. GT fans took your advice long ago…they quit attending these games!
As to the BCS…you complaint has no basis. You get what you deserve. Period! The ACC is at best the 5th best conference in major college football. Look at the ACC’s record in BCS bowls if you have any questions as to why no percieved respect for your weak a$$ conference.
In addition….the brass at GT have only themselves to blame for being in the ACC to begin with. Otherwise your sorry a$$es would still be in the SEC….with 2 teams playing and winning in BCS bowls yearly.
In the meantime…if you are not old enough to remember GT’s last appearance in a major bowl…1966…you can look it up and read about it!
Phildo
April 1st, 2009
9:31 am
Win/win scenario re basketball. Let Ugag sign Hewitt as their new coach, and Tech sign anybody or anything, even a telephone pole as their new coach. Ugag is so pitiful that even Hewitt would be an improvement. Needless to say, a telephone pole would improve the coaching at Tech.
DDT=dumbdogturd
April 1st, 2009
9:34 am
Good one wrecked. Please name the 4 conferences better than the ACC….You are a joke. While the ACC doesn’t have an elite team, we certainly have more “good” teams than any other conference (and many of the youngest teams as well). Christ, UT, Auburn, Miss St. were GOD AWFUL last year. Duke beat Vandy, DUKE FOR CHIRST SAKES!!!!! Before that, plenty of SEC homers were lifting Vandy up as proof of how great the SEC is from top to bottom…..oh yeah, and freakin WYOMING beating UT BWAHAHAHA!!!! GT beat uga, Wake beat Ole Miss (the 3rd best team in the SEC), so please, spare us your “SEC dominance” garbage. Yes, Vandy beat BC, but BC had NO qb in that game, and had no heart for falling to such a crappy bowl. We got stomped by LSU in a bowl game where we read our press more than practice. We still beat you girls though…on senior/dooley/cmr prayer day
.
The ACC was very young this past year, and only stands to improve in the upcoming years. Its funny how only the SEC can use the “Oh we are all so great, we just beat up on each other…..We don’t schedule hard OOC games b/c our conference is sooooo superior” GARBAGE. Can’t wait to watch OK State drop 40 on you girls next year. Going to be a great way to start the season.
MinnesotaJacket
April 1st, 2009
10:02 am
DDT HERE HERE are watching Ok State drop a 40 on them…I will drink to that!! Also Tech Wrecked…though I value your opinion (not at all) I guess College Football News (who’s opinion I do respect) put ACC “the weak *** conference” at #2…which if Im no mistaken is 3 spots higher than you have us…and just in case you don’t know how I got that number 3 here is the math for you 5-2=3 and just in case you don’t know what that means Fiv minoos too equills thwee ( since you can’t spell DOG right I figured this might be a better help for you
)
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 1st, 2009
10:07 am
See there bravesfan79, only loser fleabags seem to like you.
You should go join them, maybe even coach there pathetic Basketball program.
…is this the 3 or 4th year in a row, your motto has been “Wait till next year”. I mean you are the perfect fleabag in that respect.
BobinBuford
April 1st, 2009
10:08 am
Ramble on:
Could the “major changes” CPH is hinting at be Mark Bradley’s nomination for savior of GT basketball, Dean Keener? Looks like CPH will have a vacancy if Coach Young goes to Georgia Southern as it seems like.
The future (at least for one year) of GT basketball will be on display tonight on ESPN when Derrick Favors plays in the McDonald’s game tonight. It will be interesting to see how he looks against national talent as opposed to the 3A talent here in Georgia.
Larry:
Any further word on Gani Lawal’s status for the NBA draft?
Capt B
April 1st, 2009
10:44 am
IT’s great to see backfield depth…but the real issue for GT football success is the OL. Can they develop good OL and the depth needed there…with it Tech can run or pass as they desire,without it the offense is one dimensional…Secondly is the need to develop DL to replace the studs leaving. If Tech can get the lines right this will be a great year!
Larry Hartstein
April 1st, 2009
10:45 am
Cleetis — Appreciate the kind words.
GTinNC — That’s something Ken and I have been grappling with. Tech’s spring roster lists the players as if it’s already the 2009 season. (Which makes sense, in a way). For example, Morgan Burnett is listed as a junior even though he’s finishing up his sophomore year. Tarrant will be a redshirt sophomore during the next school year. Sorry for the confusion.
BobinBuford — Gani Lawal has until Sunday, April 26 (11:59 p.m. Eastern time) to put his name in for the draft. That would allow NBA teams to fly him in for workouts, and for Lawal to be considered for the pre-draft camp in Chicago in late May. The important thing to remember is that as long as he doesn’t hire an agent, Lawal could put his name in and still decide to come back to school.
Last year, 87 underclassmen filed to enter the draft, and 48 withdrew. In 2007, 58 underclassmen filed and 26 withdrew.
This year, the deadline for withdrawing is June 15 at 5 p.m, 10 days before the draft.
Hope that helps….
m
April 1st, 2009
10:58 am
It is so nice to have a real college football coach who knows what he is doing after having the worst coach in the history of the world for 6 long years. You can tell how wonderful it is by how worried the dawgs are. Even after their best team in history got whipped last year at Sanford and Son stadium, they still don’t fully realize just how bad it is going to be when Paul Johnson makes it a point to beat them year in and year out, just like O’leary did. These dawgies are going to keep crying like babies. Thank God and Greyhound that Chan is gone forever, even if these pitiful pups miss him already.
MinnesotaJacket
April 1st, 2009
11:01 am
Capt I agree with about the O and D Lines…especially with the news of Claytor going under the knife and Voss being out for the spring it really shows how thing we are up front…D-line I think will be an enigma until the first game…which I like because it gives me the feeling that the guys are going to work their *** off during the off-season to show the coaches they deserve to be the starter and thus will have a better motivation to play every play as hard as they can!!
MinnesotaJacket
April 1st, 2009
11:02 am
m…seriously man like stop bring up chan…that is literally the 5th time in a row you mention this…STOP acting like a UGA blogger and start acting intelligent
cluett peabody
April 1st, 2009
11:52 am
m
Dont’ ever stop! I look forward to your phrase and hope that one day it will be elevated to an acronym like thwg.
tgag – than God and Greyhound. I like it!
BuzzFactor
April 1st, 2009
11:59 am
yeah, seriously “m”, time to let it go, CPJ is in his second year
MinnesotaJacket
April 1st, 2009
12:10 pm
Cluett if you feel that way FINE…but at least talk intelligently about what the blog is about instead of talking about the past…because when you discuss the past your acting like UGA fans…
Tech Wrecked.....AGAIN
April 1st, 2009
12:13 pm
DDT: Gladly. 1. SEC…BY FAR. 2. Big 12…by far 3. Big 10.
4. Pac 10. Granted the SEC was down last year. The ACC is still the ACC. Which sonce FSU and Miami went in the tank is NOTHING!! You choose isolated games to prove your point…then i guess according to your logic WF is better than Ole Miss. And Ole Miss is better than UF…the NCS winners. Right? Oregon State is better than USC? The division 2 team that beat NC State is better than them right?
And like any GT fan worth their salt…you readily have EXCUSES for why your teams get BEAT. I could say the same thing about Bama being disapointed in not playing for NC and not having their heart in the bowl game. BUT I wont. They got their a$$ whipped…just like GT did against the 5th best SEC team!
Dont guess you want to respond to the mighty ACC’s BCS bowl record….hmmm?
GT…43 years and counting since a major bowl!!!!
PTC Jacket
April 1st, 2009
12:19 pm
Tech Wrecked….AGAIN
Yeah, when’s the last time you got an NC?
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 1st, 2009
12:21 pm
You know you’re talking to a UGAg football fan, when all they want to talk about is the SEC
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 1st, 2009
12:22 pm
not their football team
hem o'roid
April 1st, 2009
12:23 pm
M–Don’t ever go away. I look forward to your posts, just as most people on here do. Nothing wrong with having some fun with this thing. What’s this about Claytor having surgery? I haven’t heard..thwg
MinnesotaJacket
April 1st, 2009
12:35 pm
43 years in counting since a major bowl…WHAT….I am very confused because I am pretty positive that a NC would probably be considered a MAJOR Bowl but thats just me….
hem..go to espn blogs where HD talked with PJ and according to PJ it said Claytor has had surgery…(might have just been a misquote)..and thats fine but no offense we had fun with it the ENTIRE PAST YEAR tho time for some new material…
And to Tech Wreck…sooo according to your logic as long as a conference has a major team then that means there a major conference…jeez i would hate to say to you but you are literally banking on OTHER teams to make your insults because YOUR team that YOU support has NO credibility to support any claim to GT fans…Just remember TECH has NEVER been ranked #1 so we have always EXCEEEDED expectations and very rarely lived up to a “bad season prediction”…UNLIKE UGA who is constantly known to SUCK on the big stage and when the prssure is on fail…
STUCK IN SC
April 1st, 2009
12:40 pm
Tech sucks!
Shopper
April 1st, 2009
12:47 pm
Do they sell Robot t-shirts? My kid would love one!
panama city beach mike
April 1st, 2009
12:53 pm
maybe Georgia Southern could hire Paul Hewitt.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 1st, 2009
1:13 pm
m, I get tired of your TGAG overkill too. I’m more than happy that chan is gone too, but as far as being the worst ever, sorry, man, but Bill Lewis was the worst ever. Were you not around in those days? I have to give it to you on the “Sanford and Son Stadium” remark though. I had never heard that before. LOVE IT !!!
Supersize that order, mutt
April 1st, 2009
1:16 pm
Minnesota, unfortunately, the Citrus Bowl (as it was called then) was not a major bowl. HOWEVER, it sure produced major bowl results, didn’t it? SMILE
As far as the ranking of the conferences, nobody, and I mean NOBODY, but the media thinks the Big 10 is a great conference anymore. OSU and Mich are the only two who consistently produce, and even Mich has sucked lately.
DDT=dumbdogturd
April 1st, 2009
1:29 pm
lmao @ wrecked. Well, maybe you want to look at conference rankings here (sorry that I actually used credible sources, instead of just giving my opinion)
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbc08.htm
And yes, Ole Miss was better than UF on the day they played them…THEY WON! Same with Wake being better than Ole Miss. NO, it doesn’t say anything about Wake vs UF b/c they DIDN’T play each other. And I don’t care if you use that excuse about Bama, it happens, and the mind set of a football team is a factor. If you don’t want to use it, then fine, I can accept the fact that we got blown out by LSU. We still beat you girls, and all you can do is point to injuries, and how you girls overlooked us after the first half. Garbage. The ACC has a terrible BCS bowl record, but VT won this past year, and we will have to wait until next year to see who wins that one. The OOC record (this past year was 37-11, with 3 of those from Bama & UF) is not nearly as bad as the BCS bowl record, and BOTH have to be considered (unless you are a mutt, and then logic isn’t your strong point)
I love watching uga fans live through UF and LSU BCS titles, its gotta hurt doesn’t it girls??? To live vicariously through a team that called 2 timeouts in the final minutes, to RUB YOUR NOSES in the complete whooping that they just put on you!!! Did you cry wreck? Did a little part of you die this past year, when you preseason chumps got BLACKED OUT BY BAMA, DUMPED ON IN JAX, and then RAN ALL OVER by that “highschool” offense on Dooley day?? What a perfect way to end such a disappointing and pitiful season. Sucks to be you girls.
scott
April 1st, 2009
1:42 pm
M stop knocking Chan, we wanted him gone and he is gone.
Chan could have been a great coach but he did some stupid things.
He did recruit well and cpj has benefited from that but chan was qb stupid and
eventho everyone loved jon tenuta (by the way l didn’t) he was stupid there too.
with chan and jon we didn’t cover recievers, all we did was blitz blitz blitz.
With just a few things different chan could have been great but he wasn’t great for us
but we have had a few that were worse than chan.Does anyone remember Bill Curry ?
l use to wonder what people meant when they said Curry turned the program around.
Pepper should have done better than he did but Curry took and make it alot worse and
we just got to hear that he turned it around.
There was something about Curry, no matter how many games he lost people would still
say “he sure is a good man”. l remember getting sick of what a good man he was and all
we were doing was loosing, that good man stuff got real old with me . by the way pepper
was above 50% with us and curry was well below 50% with us however Curry did have one good team at tech in 1985.
Chan was not the worse we ever had.
MinnesotaJacket
April 1st, 2009
1:49 pm
DDT…couldn’t have put it better myself…
Supersize…good point didn’t think about it in that way and I wans’t around for the Bill Lewis days but its still pointless to sit there and talk about it like UGA still talks about Hershey’s chocolates days and how great they were.
Justin Vess
April 1st, 2009
1:53 pm
Tech Wreck
You need to check out 1990.
Roll Tide
Dadgum
April 1st, 2009
2:03 pm
Hey wrecked…you idiot. Get your facts straight. If you are referring to one of the old major bowls do some research. Officially it was the 1967 Orange Bowl against Florida. Dodd’s last game at Tech. Idiot.
The Citrus Bowl took GT because the others had tie-ins. The ACC did not have a tie-in with any of the “major” bowls.
BravesFan79….you are correct sir. College Football takes a nosedive once conference champions are determined. Who wants to wait a MONTH to play a one-off bowl game. Until a playoff system is implemented then college football will be held hostage by a pathetic computer. It’s a shame really. That is unless you like waiting a month to play a game.
Paul Hewitt is a great coach and recruiter. The Jackets will be ranked probably #2 in the ACC pre-season next year. I can see 23 wins or so from that team.
Rock on…..
Supersize that order, mutt
April 1st, 2009
2:18 pm
Scott, I second your opinion about Curry. He WAS a good man, but then, so was Chan from all accounts. Good men don’t always win, and Curry generally didn’t have a clue. 1985 was successful because of Dewberry (whom inexplicably UGAG couldn’t find a use for) and Whisenhunt, and the Black Watch defense, among others. Pepper could have been one of Tech’s greatest coaches, if he had not been such an arrogant as***le. Damn, what an offense he had most of those years; the 1974 DRUBBING of the mutts at Sanford and Son Stadium (thanks again, m—LOL) in the COLD pouring down rain was awesome. But the man never would hire a good DC, and even though we had great defensive talent, they never performed.
MinnesotaJacket
April 1st, 2009
3:03 pm
Hey supersize, what would you say is the best defense GT has ever had on the field? I am a little younger and some of the best days I saw were with Brooking leading the charge wanted to get your ideas upon that?
IE'66
April 1st, 2009
3:22 pm
MinnJacket, Ramble, PTC, I’m back fellas. I took some time off after that horrid bowl performance. I’m still high on our boys, like I haven’t been in years. But I needed some time away.
I lost out on a stupid bet I had with a LSU friend. I agreed to place a drop of Tabasco sauce in my eye for every touchdown LSU scored on us. I was expecting one. Maybe. My buddy had to take a shot of grain alcohol for every run we had over 15 years. I was expected he’d be sick before the half. I was wrong. But it was my fault for making such an assinine bet.
Anyway, it is good to be back and hear about spring practice. I like the fact that we have four good backs. We need to get them on the field at the same time. How can we do that?
IE'66
April 1st, 2009
3:28 pm
Minnesota Jacket, the best defense I ever saw at Tech was young Sarah Ann Griffin. She was an administrative assistant (secretary we use to call them) in the admissions office. She guarded her parts more ferociously than any defense that ever took to Grant Field! Those where the days.
That 1990 defense with Coleman Rudolph and Marco Coleman was pretty stout too.
Chike
April 1st, 2009
3:29 pm
We lost 2 games on fumbles and 1 on missed passing opportunities.
Just having a year under our belts in PJ’s system should make us a better team! I’m ready for the season!
MinnesotaJacket
April 1st, 2009
3:49 pm
Chike I agree with ya….in the end Botched snaps and missed handoffs should be down this year just because the system will be in year 2…so that is automatically points off the other teams side.
Second PJ sais SPECIAL TEAMS will be a focus this spring and WILL BE better…and frankly after that man fulfilled every promise last year I am bettting things will be better.
Third. How do we get the best backs on the field…hard decision on that one but I am going to say that it will almost be a rotation with passing plays having Allen Wright and Roddy most likely, and then running plays with Dwyer, Roddy, and Allen/Cox…but thats just my opinion on it
Ty Webb
April 1st, 2009
4:02 pm
I think the 1990 defense was Tech’s best. That defense was scary. Either them or one of the Black Watch defenses of the early 80’s. Tenuta had some good defenses, too bad our offense was awful.
IE'66
April 1st, 2009
4:06 pm
If I have to sit through another botched snap, I’ll toss a boot at my television. Ladies, that’s a size 13.
And what is this crap about the football team playing a game in Puerto Rico? Outrageous. Who does that support? Is this some handout for the territories? Give them back. Outrageous.
cluett peabody
April 1st, 2009
4:11 pm
Sorry Minnesota but tgag is funny. Lighten up! And I understand from folks that have been Tech fans longer than myself, you should never mention that person’s name that begins with a B and ends with an L.
It is hard to say what the best “D” was at Tech. one can use stats (stats don’t put points on the board) but consider that good offense begets good defense as you will see in the not to distant future from this TEAM. Rest assured Tech will score and score often and the defense will benefit greatly from it. I contend that the best “teams” that Tech has ever fielded will be playing in the next few years.
As to staying on topic: It is great to have such a strong core of running backs but watch the offensive tackles as they are key to what is about to happen when GT has the ball. Or watch the defensive safety’s when GT has the ball and you can almost predict a long gain or touchdown.
GTSS
April 1st, 2009
4:15 pm
Tarrant is going to be good I bet. He was coming on last year and now he is probably playing with a chip on his shoulder.
If we can stay healthy in the trenches we seem to have enough depth in both backfields to make some waves.
And of course, hello to all the Georgia geese who are on this blog trolling, lurking and showing their concern for our program its quite flattering. If we did have you hens on here pecking away we would not be moving in the right direction.. The Alabamas, Floridas and GTs of the world (all the teams that embarrased uga last year) probably have one thing in common on all their football blogs- Nervous dog fans lashing on a blog because they know when it comes to Saturdays in the fall they are going to make a mess of things again.
Also, get some pride and quit riding the conference coat tails of UF and LSU and all the other schools you mention in this blog like the SEC is some type of commune or something. They win titles. You dont. Quit lumping yourself in with them. You are more in the South Carolina, Arkansas tax bracket. Nothing worse than some uga tool squawking about their conference when they cant squawk about their team…..oh yeah…but you were on the cover of SI last August!!!! sick them woof woof.
AN
April 1st, 2009
4:19 pm
Tech Recked.. Again. Ur an idiot. It hasnt been 40 yrs since a mojor bowl. We won the national championship in 1990. You knkow a lot about college football. Jack a$$.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 1st, 2009
4:50 pm
AN, we DID win the national championship in 1990, but we were not in a major bowl. The ACC didn’t have a tie in with the major bowls then, so Tech got screwed and sent to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. It still paid off big time for us though, since we DID win big and win the UPI National Championship—which eventually evolved into the BCS Championship (same crystal trophy, and we have it in a case on campus).
Minnesota, I was in school at Tech from 1962 to 1967 (counting grad school). Those were, of course, Dodd’s last years, 1966 being his last. Dodd ALWAYS fielded great defenses, but the best I ever saw was in 1966 with Bud Carson as DC. Because of his defense he was named head coach on Dodd’s retirement. He continued to field great defenses, but he was a stubborn man, and he only started building a real offense the last 2 years he was there. It was, in hindsight, a major mistake to hire him to begin with, but, also in hindsight, because of the turn things were finally taking, it was probably also a big mistake to fire him when we did. Carson, of course, went on to build the Steel Curtain in Pittsburgh, so that should tell you something about how good a defense he could build. Second to his defenses, in my lifetime as a Tech fan, was the Black Watch Curry’s last year. The 1990 defense was a typical O’Leary defense; they usually held when it counted, but they gave up way too many yards most of the time, and, like Tenuta’s defense, they seemed to put it on the line only when they felt like it. I enjoyed Tenuta’s blitzing and stunting, but overall, I hated his defensive scheme, and I’m glad he’s gone. Pepper, as I said in an earlier post, never fielded a good defense, although he had some real superstars on the field. If he just had not been so damn arrogant and stubborn, who knows what those teams might have been like?
Long answer to a short question…LOL
45 – 42 ! RUN, RODDY, RUN !!!
THWG
scott
April 1st, 2009
4:57 pm
Supersize mutt l was at sanford and son stadium when we beat them in the mud in 74 (peppers 1st year 35 to 20) l was on the bridge and l guy had a sideline pass and l bought it from him for $10 not knowing if l was a sucker or not, turned out that the sideline pass was good so l watched the game and was talking to some players and flirting with
peppers daughter, she was cute and she was real nice, however Pepper and georgia tech got alot further with georgia than l did with Peppers daughter. man she really missed out
MinnesotaJacket
April 1st, 2009
4:59 pm
Great comments from all you guys…great to hear good conversation and to think back about some of the great heritage that Tech football has…truly awesome to hear that kind of devotion from fans!!
GTSS I agree with you again about UGA fans riding the coat tails of other teams…if it ain’t your team don’t brag about them…
I also agree though that these next 2 yeras could be extremely special for the ACC and GT especially…because if GT comes out and doesn’t make the mistakes on offense like we did last year and allow our yound d-line to grow and use the talent that is there…it could be one hell of year…
Also lets not forget a win at home against UGA so we can hear even more excuses next year at this time
Go Jackets!!
Supersize that order, mutt
April 1st, 2009
5:09 pm
Scott, cool that you were at that game too, and sorry about your luck with Pepper’s daughter…LOL. I took my dad to that game in Athens; it was the only time I ever took him to a game, although he and my mom did go to the Tech – UT game in Knoxville in 1967 or 1969 (I forget which). It was so cold and miserable that day in Athens that I suggested at half-time that we leave (I didn’t want him to get sick or anything). Most of the UGAG fans left at the half, and the stadium was only about half-full by then. My dad shocked the hell out of me by refusing to leave, saying he was enjoying it too much. I think that’s the closest I ever felt to my dad; I was SO PROUD of him. The only time I ever took my mom to a Tech game was to the Tech – UGAG game in Atlanta in 1969. Tech won that one too, 6-0 (another one of Carson’s great defense/no offense games). My whole family are Tech fans. My brother-in-law went to UGAG, but ALWAYS cheered for Tech, even when he was a student in Athens, including when they played the mutts. His son and one of his sons in law also went to Tech. We BLEED white and gold
surfrider
April 1st, 2009
5:10 pm
Great comments from the Head Coach and the fans. Tech will be deep and talented at the three backs and even QB. The problem with the passing game the last few years has been the touch and execution of the aspect. We’re not that far off a pass a lit big more accurate and a little bit more catching, some think hands is more important than speed if they can block, eventhough speed is critical as well. Jimmy Robinson and I think Steve Raible did well in Pepper’s Wishbone before passing came back on the scene. They could block, had good hands and were quick. Both went on to play in the NFL if not mistaken. Tech could really challenge our 1999 offense if it can develop a passing game that helps the option even more. Hopefully the Defense will be staying strong throughout the year, a top 30 finish there last year is not bad and hopefully we can improve on that too.
m
April 1st, 2009
5:13 pm
Chan was by far the worst coach in Tech history. He didn’t even try…he just came here to cash a fat paycheck since no one in the NFL would hire him as a head coach. Give me Curry or Lewis anyday. And any of you Tech folks that are defending Chan now or in the past SUCK to the nth degree. It is you fools that helped allow him to stay here for 6 long horrible years. Thank God and Greyhound that he is gone forever and it is a shame that he didn’t take his idiotic supporters with him.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 1st, 2009
5:16 pm
m, I DID NOT LIKE Chan Gailey, but for you to even THINK that he was worse than Bill Lewis is absurd. Chan, for better or worse, at least won a few games. Lewis couldn’t have won against Louisiana-Monroe. That’s why he was fired mid-season, and not after 6 years of crap.
m
April 1st, 2009
5:45 pm
Bill Lewis didn’t have the worst loss in Tech history of ugag. Bill Lewis didn’t have the worst loss in 100 years to Clemson. Bill Lewis at least tried to do a good job. Chan didn’t even try. He was too busy trying to get home to watch Little House on the Prairie reruns. He sucked the life out of Tech and everyone that defends him sucks too.
GT
April 1st, 2009
6:38 pm
Gailey is the disease that is found in about everything now days. “I exist I need to be paid.” The A.I.G. man of football.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 1st, 2009
6:54 pm
Bill Lewis did not, indeed, have the worst loss in Tech history to UGAG. But Bill Lewis had the WORST LOSS TO ANY TEAM ANYWHERE SINCE 1904, when in 1993, the Jackets were beaten by FSU 51-0. And, even though Lewis had been replaced mid-season, O’Leary coached that team in 1994 to the second worse loss ever to UGAG. Imagine how bad it would have been if Lewis had not been fired mid-season. On the plus side, Tech still owns the largest victory margin over UGAG at 48 points, plus, as we all know, the longest win streak at 8. At any rate, neither Bill Lewis nor Chan Gailey were any good, but I still maintain that Lewis was worse. Had Tech not fired him when they did, there might not be a division one football program at Tech now. I always knew that we would survive the Gailey years; it was just a matter of how long they would go on. And with CPJ in charge, we not only survived, we came out WAY WAY AHEAD of anything since 1990.
eBuzz
April 1st, 2009
7:09 pm
Good comments from many about worst head coaches. My worst are:
Bill Lewis (nice guy, but like a deer in the headlights during a game.)
Bill Curry (faux nice guy, sanctimonious jerk is more like it. What is Ga. State smoking?)
Chan Gailey (nice guy, but did too little with what he had and stuck with that thug, moron QB who couldn’t count up to 4. Seemed disinterested at times.)
Lots of stuff about Pepper is accurate, but what most people don’t know is that he was never wanted by Dodd, who constantly operated behind his back to screw over him. For some good entertainment read Pepper’s hilarious book “Fourth and Long Gone” with the understanding that Dodd was the guy he was taking jabs at. Dodd certainly had a good record and everyone loved him, but I will always wonder what he could have accomplished had he had real practices instead of no contact when the season started. By then, he had picked his favorites, and it was impossible to move up the chart unless a game injury occurred. It also prevented the players from being ‘game tough’ when it counted. I know. I played for him (and the former comment was not sour grapes, just fact). In 64 we were 7 – 0, then lost two tough games to Fla and Auburn. We were 7 – 2 going into the Ga game, and the Sun Bowl extended an invitation regardless of the outcome. Dodd met with the team on Rose Bowl Field, told us about the invitation, then said that he was going to let us vote, but that he was sure that “you boys all want to be at home on Christmas”. Talk about rigging the vote. The light went out of the players’ eyes and by a hand vote, we declined the invitation. I knew right then and there that we had also just lost to Ga., a team struggling at 5 – 3 – l under first year coach Vince Dooley. Kent Lawrence of Ga. ran a punt back for the only score: Ga. 7 and Tech 0. Ga got the Sun Bowl invitation, beat Texas Tech 7 – 0, finish 7 – 3 – 1, and Dooley began his ascension. I lost all respect for Dodd at the vote. Dodd was also the driving force behind Curry, one of his favorites, to land the Tech job, and he protected him like a mother hen.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 1st, 2009
7:32 pm
eBuzz, interesting insight there. I knew that Dodd didn’t like Pepper and loved Curry. I had not heard about the Sun Bowl talk. But I well remember that horrible loss that year to an obviously inferior UGAG team. I was unfortunately there. I was also unfortunately there for Gailey’s first game in Athens too; it was and will be my last trip to Sanford and Son Stadium. Dodd’s practice strategy worked great in the 40s and 50s, but by the mid-60’s, there was no way it could succeed much longer. One of the worst moves Tech ever made, although obviously a logical one, was to keep Dodd on as AD after he retired from coaching. We should NEVER have left the SEC (IMO), no matter how scandalous the Darwin Holt incident was, nor how poorly his recruiting meshed with what the times demanded. And it really pisses me off to read these ignorant UGAG fans talk about how Tech could have rejoined the SEC, when it was Dooley’s veto (coupled with the Miss schools and LSU) which kept it from happening. The ironic thing is that our readmittance was championed by, of all people, Bear Bryant. But the mutts didn’t want us back (I guess they were scared that we would re-emerge as their arch-nemisis), and so Dooley ruled the day.
By the way, I am surprised that nobody today has commented on the Mizzou b’ball coach “spurning” UGAG, as was reported in the Augusta paper. I guess money can’t always get you what you want. I can’t figure why anybody in their right mind would want to coach b’ball at UGAG anyway. But I would give them Hewitt, if they want him. LOL
scott
April 1st, 2009
8:31 pm
l remember trying to get back in the sec. bear bryant was the only one that voted to let us back in.
it is true we could compete better with the mutts if we had majors like yard raking and basket weaving
Supersize that order, mutt
April 1st, 2009
8:36 pm
Well, Scott, if it had not been for the UGAG members of the Georgia legislature in the 40s (or maybe 30s), there probably wouldn’t be a Ga State today, because Tech wanted a school of commerce, and the mutts at the capitol wouldn’t allow it. Imagine the way history would have gone if that had gone Tech’s way. UGAG would probably be no more than GA’s equivalent to Miss State…just another small town college with a so-so football team. It must have killed those guys when in spite of all that, Tech owned the mutts for most of the 40s and 50s.
SugarHillDawg
April 1st, 2009
8:58 pm
Hey DDT= Dawg’s Doggiestyle Tech!!I guess the SEC winning the last 3 NC’s shouldn’t be considered huh?I’ll be in an assisted living home when a team in the ACC wins a NC!!!You’re a SUPERSIZED IDIOT!!!
superDawg
April 1st, 2009
9:24 pm
HUNKERDOWN SUGARHILLDAWG!HUNKERDOWN ONE MORE TIME TECHWRECKED AGAIN!GO DAWGS!!!
route66
April 1st, 2009
10:18 pm
TECH SUCKS.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 1st, 2009
10:21 pm
FSU has won 2 National Championships since they joined the ACC, and Tech has won one, whether you mutts choose to recognize it or not (the NCAA certainly recognizes it), and, though prior to joining the ACC, Miami won 3. All of those have been SINCE UGAG won their only one, and the only one they will ever win. So it is certainly not beyond reason that ACC teams can win again. But, of course, you mutts know nothing about reason. All you can do is whine and slam your rivals, especially after they beat you.
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 1st, 2009
10:24 pm
good stories there eBuzz, Supersize.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 1st, 2009
10:25 pm
Oops, make that five national championships that Miami has won.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 1st, 2009
10:26 pm
Thanks, RAMBLE ON
GT GRAD
April 1st, 2009
11:40 pm
Paul Hewitt really needs to contact Xavier Henry! He just obtained his release from Memphis.
GT should make it clear that he and his brother are welcome to play basketball and attend GT. (Looks like Xavier & his brother CJ are a package deal and CJ is willing to be a walk on player). He already knows Favors and he might just want to play college ball with Favors and the other 4 excellent recruits we already have coming to play for GT. He might be VERY interested after he realizes the GT recruiting class will instantly become the #1 class in the nation as soon as he signs.
Coach PH has probably already contacted him; If not, somebody needs to talk some sense into Mr. Hewitt!
Teddy Dee
April 2nd, 2009
12:16 am
M saw a need and has simply stepped in and fulfilled it. Most of us would not do it. Almost
everybody thinks he’s a nut. Pause for a moment. They say that “Those Who Forget History Are Doomed to Repeat It”.
So let this Fan who bleeds Gold & White pontificate when the urge hits him. I for one do not want
another President, or Athletics Director who is satisfied with 6 or 7 win seasons because this is
Georgia Tech and we can’t yada, yada,yada, and so forth. We never should be pleased with a
coach who is satisfied with 7 win seasons. That statement alone lets you know that his fire has gone out.
The Israelites grumbled all the way to the Promise Land. God gave them a 40 year detour. I don’t have 40 years. CPJ just might be our Moses. At least he has the fire and he’s running toward the Promise Land. Hope taste like Manna. Dissatisfaction taste like… Oh well, you know what I’m saying.
Anyway lets not forget the mindset that used to prevail before CPJ. Lest we repeat it.
TGAG ! {sounds good to me too. thanks cluett peabody }
BravesFan79
April 2nd, 2009
12:20 am
Dadgum: Thanks man glad someone else sees the light.
Just imagine how fast the NFL would loose fans if the super bowl was “voted on”!
Think about how many super bowl champs would of NEVER been given that opportunity!
Its not that i dont think GT is good enough to win it all, its just that there’s no way the ACC champ will get voted in over those other teams i mentioned before. (unless its FSU or Miami which get national respect…but thats not gonna happen anytime soon)
And im also a UGA fan (2nd favorite team) so yall should do nothing but agree with me 100% as well.
I believe that Joe Hamilton led team could of won it all if put in a 8 team playoff, just i think the UGA team with David Pollack and David Green could of won it all if given the chance!!
See thats whats wrong with CF… if all you stupid fans stopped your pointless bickering and focused on making your sport BETTER….. you could get stuff accomplished!
I think the presidents of Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon all expect you to stay busy with your pointless bickering tho…. and you play RIGHT into their hands so no changes are ever forced to be made!!
BravesFan79
April 2nd, 2009
12:20 am
And yes Ramble on…. GT Hoops will be GOOD next year, and no i dont really care for Hewitt either, but i do believe that with the right assistant coaches (not young inexperienced ones like hes had since 2005) that we can consistently be a top 5 ACC team.
I look for GT to be at least a sweet 16 team next year!
Tokyo jacket
April 2nd, 2009
5:18 am
Enter your comments here
Tokyo jacket
April 2nd, 2009
5:19 am
Larry, I’m loving the coverage, but can we please do something about putting an add for the UGA spring game as the header-add for GT sports pages. Come on…I know you guys are cash strapped, but that’s not gonna sell anything.
AlabamaJack
April 2nd, 2009
11:38 am
Tech Wrecked Again – 43 is not a relevant number. 45 is a relevant number as is 42, like in 45-42
Better 43 years as a jacket than 43 seconds as a dawg
AlabamaJack
April 2nd, 2009
11:47 am
ebuzz, weren’t those 1964 losses to ALA and Auburn, not FLA and Auburn. I was a freshman sitting in the stands when Namath limped in off the bench and threw two touchdowns passes against us that killed us.
William Casey
April 2nd, 2009
12:31 pm
eBuzz…….. I enjoyed your walk through memory lane but your memory fails you on the 1964 GT team, a great defensive team by the way. GT started 7-0 but the losses were 14-22 to Tennesee and 7-24 to Alabama. Joe Namath came in with about 4 minutes to play in the first half and threw two TD passes to turn a 0-0 game into a Bama victory. Up until that time, GT had seriously outplayed the Tide, running between the tackles at will between the 20’s.
The 1962 GT defense was the best I ever saw.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 2nd, 2009
2:58 pm
I think William Casey got it right. I was a junior at Tech then, and I remember starting off 7-0 and being ranked 2nd in the nation before the final collapse. And it WAS Tenn, Bama, and UGAG. I was there in ‘62 too, William, and like I said yesterday all of Dodd’s defenses were great. I choose the 66 defense over the 62 one, because the talent really wasn’t as good in 66, but what was done with it was outstanding.