The “L” word
Yesterday I wrote about leadership and motivation, and wondered which players were stepping up to fill the void left by defensive tackle Darryl Richard.
I asked after practice on Sunday and the answers are there are three captains: Josh Nesbitt, Morgan Burnett and Derrick Morgan.
Nesbitt said earlier this year that he has been trying to be a more vocal leader, and has intensified those efforts even more after he and the Morgans were named the season’s captains before the Clemson game.
Here’s what Nesbitt had to say about being a leader:
“I think we are doing a good job of it. They just picked us as being leaders of the team. I’ve been trying to get more vocal and get the guys more fired up and get a little bit more intensity in everybody.
“I think we are doing a pretty good job. I don’t think you can ever do a good enough job being a leader. There’s always more heights you can go. The only thing we can do is get better.
On his style:
“I don’t think you need to get in a player’s face to get them fired up. In my past experience if you get in a player’s face and say this or that to him that gets him down. Me, I just go to a player and like ‘hey just erase that last play and let’s get it going. Let’s show everybody what you can do.’
On who picks him up:
Morgan [Burnett], Gladiator [Brad Jefferson]. Different guys like that. I know like, in the Clemson game, I felt like I wasn’t playing good. They came to me and said I know you can play better than this. Just do your job.”
And he did, leading Tech on the game-tying and game-winning drives.
————-
North Carolina brings an interesting challenge for Georgia Tech. Against Clemson and Miami, everyone had a pretty good idea which players needed to be stopped: Spiller for the Tigers and Harris for the Hurricanes. Tech didn’t do a particularly good against either one.
The Tar Heels, however, don’t have that type of player. Other than quarterback T.J. Yates, their offense has a slew of guys who contribute.
While their defense has appeared first-rate, as Johnson notes in today’s notebook for print, it should be pointed out that the Heels haven’t really played any juggernauts: The Citadel, Connecticut and East Carolina.
Comparing that to Tech’s schedule, JSU is better than The Citadel, and neither Uconn nor ECU can be considered the equivalent of Clemson or Miami.
Are Tech’s woes, assuming there are some, due to the fact that they have played some really tough teams, or are there other issues? Planning to have more about that in Thursday’s paper.
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Here’s a kick in the statistical pants for you:
Remember the safety in the Miami game, well it was ruled that the lost yardage on that play must come from Tech’s rushing total, and it also affected the Jackets’ fourth-down conversion rate. The 18-yard loss had to be reflected somewhere, I suppose, but that seems odd.
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117 comments Add your comment
AZ Jacket
September 22nd, 2009
2:44 pm
Ala…, I don’t think we have that motivator on defense this year…I think Morgan was going to be the guy but when he was shutdown no one stepped up.
AZ Jacket
September 22nd, 2009
2:48 pm
buzzzzzzzzz, woof woof, hook’m horns, Rocky Top, suuuuuuuuieeeeeee, Ain’t college football great…Good Afternoon all…I’m a ramblin wreck from Georgia Tech and a helleva engineer….To Hell with Georgia….
Tech Forever
September 22nd, 2009
2:48 pm
I have a question for you Tech fans; why bother??? Why bother posting on this or any other AJC blog? Why bother trying to talk to fans of an opposing team who literally hate your guts and would just assume see you perish in the gutter after having been beaten up than help you out? Why bother attempting logical and rational discussions with these same people if you don’t know all the facts yourself?
WHY BOTHER??? It’s an AJC blog….let them have it. You cannot rationalize with the irrational. You cannot speak maturely with the immature. And you cannot do either with a group of people who have such disdain for your very existence as to seek enjoyment out of your misery and pain.
AZ Jacket
September 22nd, 2009
2:49 pm
forgot one. roooolllll TIDE
AZ Jacket
September 22nd, 2009
2:51 pm
Tech Forever…chill…forgive them for they know not what they say…envy….Bye
Tech Forever
September 22nd, 2009
2:55 pm
AZ Jacket,
I’m just asking the question that’s all. Georgia fans are quick to point out on the blog their hatred and disdain for all things GT as they hurl insult after insult, so based on their own words my question to Tech fans is “why bother?”
superDawg
September 22nd, 2009
5:12 pm
tech forever we are on this blog to give you the over all picture.tek nerds pound on UGA when they have a down game or even worse lose.See it works both ways.UGA owns gt in every aspect of records except one and that is your 8 game win streak.Well if you know the history UGA has 3 seven game win streaks.I will take that any day.You can hold on to that as long as it stands,until then thats all you have.I don’t hate tek I dislike their fan base even as small as it is.GO DAWGS and hush them yellow skeeters.
Tech Forever
September 22nd, 2009
6:30 pm
SuperDawg,
So let me get this straight. You hate the Tech fanbase because Tech fans give UGA fans a hard time when UGA doesn’t play well or loses? Is that it? Did it ever occur to you that for the overwhelming majority of Tech fans it goes so much deeper than that. You’d be hard pressed to find a Tech fan who hasn’t been physically threatened (or worse) or verbally abused (or worse) at the hands of a group of UGA fans.
Does Tech have some “bad fans”? Absolutely. I’d include the idiots that go on UGA boards giving UGA fans a hard time in that category. But I’ve never seen a Tech fan urinate on the band equipment of a visiting team. I’ve never seen a Tech fan spit beer into the face of a 60 year old woman as she was leaving the stadium while 100s of other fans cheered it on. I’ve never seen a Tech fan squat down, get in the face of a 5 year old, and tell them “your Mommy and Daddy hate you because they made you wear that jersey.” I’ve never seen a Tech fan shove a visiting fan from behind in the upper deck because they were cheering a TD. I’ve never seen a Tech obnoxiously jump within inches of the face of visiting faces making loud buzzing noises on their way to the stadium. I could go on but I won’t. Lets just say that the behavior Tech fans have had to put up with over the years goes well beyond a nanny nanny boo boo post on a message board.
Now, you may be talking to those morons dumb enough to actually engage you in your immature pontification of insults, but you’re not “telling” me anything. I’ve forgotten more about UGA football history than you will ever know. I am a Tech fan yes, but I am a TRUE fan of the game itself. I am the first to be objective when it comes to my team (for example, unless Tech does something drastically different on defense I have no misconception s about then beating UNC). Can you say the same?
Finally, I don’t hold on to the past. Records and history are great, but in the end it’s all redneck sports bar one-ups-manship. I prefer to focus on this week as opposed to last week but am more than willing to have an intelligent, logical, and rational discussion about last week.
macrotech
September 22nd, 2009
6:51 pm
superDawg, every record other than the 8 game winning streak?! We have you in the MOST important record….NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS!!! How is it that you pups lose sight of that?! We EVEN have the most recent one within the rivalry! I’m sure you’re a more decent guy than your post would suggest, but you need to look at the whole picture. Not just the parts you like.
BLACK BEE
September 22nd, 2009
8:16 pm
Enter your comments here what is the Dawgs excuse for having such a sorry defense? It is not talent, at least 8 future pro’s.
surfrider
September 23rd, 2009
1:24 am
First CPJ is switching to a 4/3. Second, we’re only 50 yards passing worst off and 15 rushing (seems much worse than that) on defense. Third, Miami and maybe Clemson are much better. Fourth, the whole ACC is getting better so we need to as well. Fifth, when we we are avg. 2 yards per rush or 40% passing during the game we need to make adjustments during the game on the type of play or adjustment Sixth, we are not playing well in the third quarter meaning the other side is doing a better job at halftime. Seventh, We are not far off ..one pass here, one block, there one run here and this team has tremendous potential and the kicking game has gotten better.
Alabama Jack
September 23rd, 2009
5:44 am
You know the dawgs aren’t that bad. Its their inbreed knuckle dragging single digit IQ woofing fan base that makes me want to throw up every time I see that black G on a red pick up or dollar cap from Wal-mart. It was a mistake to ever allow Internet access to the trailer parks.
THWG
dap01
September 23rd, 2009
8:40 am
Furman Bisher said the CPJ was one of the best of all time.
dap01
September 23rd, 2009
8:41 am
Alabama Jack: Tech and UGA are decades ahead of anything associated with Alabama.
superDawg
September 23rd, 2009
11:16 am
macro UGA and tek both have the same amount of National championships. look it up.You bring that up often.According to tek if you are picked by the booger pole your it national champion.
Alabama Jack
September 23rd, 2009
7:58 pm
dapo1 – I know. I graduated from Georgia Tech
macrotech
September 24th, 2009
2:35 pm
superDawg, you suck at this: IF you go by every mentioned National Championship by ALL the different committees, then Tech STILL has one more than the leghumpers. However, IF you go by the ncaa…Tech has four and uga has two. You’ll NEVER win this debate until uga steps up and wins some NCs!