Groh happy with first week — updated
Al Groh said he’s had a fun first week as Georgia Tech’s defensive coordinator.
From parachuting in as a recruiter, to watching lots of film from last year’s games, to getting to know the other assistants and players personally, Groh said he’s been keeping busy.
The real work, however, will start as soon as Signing Day passes on Feb. 3. After that, Groh will be begin to teach the assistant coaches the techniques and schemes for the 3-4 defense that Tech will install for the 2010 season.
“It’s up to the people who are installing, more so than the people who are listening, to create buy in,” Groh said. “There will be change in this. Our job is to sell value of that change.
“[We want to] get this thing looking the way we want to look as fast as possible. It’s a real process. Buy-in is the first part of it. We’re impatient to make it look good. How fast we can do it, we’ll have to see.”
Most of his time has been spent with a spiral notebook on his lap and a pencil in his hand evaluating last year’s games. Groh declined to discuss specific players at a press conference on Friday because he said he doesn’t want to be an “instant evaluator.” He said he prefers to talk to the players individually about what he’s noted before they read anything in the newspaper.
Groh said there will be two changes on staff compared to last year. Charles Kelly will coach the entire secondary, rather than the cornerbacks like he did the last two years. Dave Wommack, the team’s defensive coordinator for the past two seasons, coached the safeties as well. Also, Groh will coach the linebackers as a unit, with Brian Jean-Mary assisting him. Jean-Mary was that position coach the past two seasons.
The reason for the changes is that Groh believes those two units need cohesion. He said that’s developed by being in the same meeting rooms and participating in the same drills.
“Games are won up front but lost in the back end,” Groh said. “Big plays happen in the back end through miscommunication.”
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71 comments Add your comment
Supersize that order, mutt
January 22nd, 2010
7:25 pm
Who is relevant? I guess that ESPN Nation poll proves that UGAG is relevant only in the eyes of mutt fans within the state of Georgia.
Relevant?
January 22nd, 2010
7:29 pm
Yeah, Shreveport is relevant!
GTfan
January 22nd, 2010
7:37 pm
Tech got the better DC and their FIRST choice for a small fraction of the cost that uga paid for their at least 4th choice. Who is relevant and who has the unattractive job prospects?? There is a reason uga was turned down so many times and it is similar to the reason Richt’s name does NOT come up in coaching vacancies. That ride has ended abruptly.
Go get em Jackets
January 22nd, 2010
7:46 pm
no so much worried about Groh’s desire to play VA but rather VT who will be waiting on us with vengeance not to mention Clemson, UNC, and UGA. Geez, has he seen our road game schedule, lol.
GTfan
January 22nd, 2010
7:52 pm
I feel bad for the teams we play later in the season. Neither Groh nor the triple option get going until October. September games could be interesting though.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 22nd, 2010
7:56 pm
Go get em, don’t forget in CPJ’s first year at Tech, the Jackets came damn close to beating the Hokies AT Blacksburg—if not for a back-to-back phantom helmet-to-helmet call and a stupid (but correctly called) personal foul. Also, the vengeance factor quite often backfires on the team seeking vengeance. However, you are right, the road game schedule next season is ROUGH!!!
messin with sasquatch
January 22nd, 2010
8:21 pm
do we still have to play doggs next year? they are going to be awesome. we can’t possibly beat them. they are so ready to get started again and prove who they are.
they’ll play no other game in atlanta but the one against tech, but thats all they want. they will even sacrifice a win in the kentucky game if they can prove themselves worthy at bobby dodd.
Bill
January 22nd, 2010
9:15 pm
Thanks Tron…I agree with every State except Ga that GT won on DC’s. But look at it this way, UGA got their 4th pick and they are happy. GT got their man 1st and they ‘re happy. Both schools happy…thats good. Now the problem is UGA get 28 recruites and GT only gets 16. That sucks.
Tokyo jacket
January 22nd, 2010
9:15 pm
ATL Dawg, way to show some class man. Personally, I don’t go on UGA blogs, but we owe it to fans like you to be a little classier. I think both UGA and Tech have come out with probably A- and A+ hires, respectively. UGA’s new DC is only an A- because he’s unproven. His results are A+ so far.
Groh on the other hand is at Tech for three or four years tops I think. But, with the exception of Foster, Andrews and Muschamp, what coordinator is at the top of his game for 4 years and not onto another school? CPJ and CAG haven’t really discussed why CAG is at Tech (vs Miami or New England). My opinion is to start a legacy and try to impart his defensive genius on someone who is an up and comer in the coaching ranks. I’ll bet a dollar that Coach BJ is gonna be Tech’s next DC in 2013/14.
Doug, I think you might have missed the boat in not writing about Tech’s lack of firings after the DC left. Can you remember the last coordinator swap in a BCS conference that didn’t include multiple if not total staff turnover? That’s why I suggested what I did about CBJ.
GT Fan
January 22nd, 2010
9:25 pm
Thanks Atl Dawg for info. I do thank my lucky Stars for Groh and good people like you. I also pull for UGA when we are not playing each other and think the world of Coach Richt.
ignition
January 22nd, 2010
9:30 pm
I think Tech got the much more accomplished hire. Its gonna be tough for Tech next year however..
Tokyo jacket
January 22nd, 2010
9:38 pm
Ignition and GT fan, I disagree. I will agree we lost HUGE talent. But let’s not forget we lost three defensive starters last year effectively for the year. We also had one of, if not THE, deepest backfield in the country last year. The cupboard ain’t barren! I’m not saying that next year is going to be a cakewalk, but ESPN’s Mark Schlaback says that the Groh hiring cancels out the departing juniors.
IF (big IF) UGA’s and GT’s DCs live up to their potential next year, the state of Georgia could have the nation’s best duo of college football teams in one state (competing w/ Alabama, Oregon, and California most likely). I still say that next year’s COFH will have major BCS implications.
Buckhead Bulldog
January 23rd, 2010
9:40 am
Tokyo jacket: For what’s worth, ESPN’s Mark Schlabach is an UGA Grad, too. If y’all shore up that D, and let CPJ let his O system roll, you guys will be alright.
Do you all play VT in the reg. season? If not you will see them in the ACCCG….they look tough for next year.
Why doesn’t the ACC have their schedules out, yet?
wahoomark
January 23rd, 2010
11:57 am
groh talks a good game, gt fans dont get your hopes up too soon
Stinger Envy
January 23rd, 2010
11:58 am
((((30-24))))
tomkat1
January 23rd, 2010
4:55 pm
At 65 Groh is happy every day he wakes up above ground.
BobinBuford
January 23rd, 2010
5:10 pm
Buckhead Bulldog:
GT plays VT every season – they are in the Coastal Division.
Tron Carter – Tech hasn’t done the hot dogs and cokes bit for at least 3 years now. They have actually passed that on to the UGA basketball team so that they can get some fans into that building.
killerJ
January 23rd, 2010
6:57 pm
The Nads Are Going Man! To Improve In This Area Is Awsome.Make It So Groh!!Make Sure to End It With “TO HELL WITH GEORGIA”
GT is lame
January 23rd, 2010
10:05 pm
UGA 30 – gt 24!!!!!!!!
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!
ONLY 11 MONTHS TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!
WE RUN THIS STATE!!!!!!!!!!!
old hoo
January 24th, 2010
8:23 pm
al groh ruined every thing george welsh did at Virginia and GT is glad to have him? and it’s hilarious he now talks to the media since he never allowed his assistants to do so at Viginia. good luck with the arrogant blowhard.
CJramblinrecluse
January 27th, 2010
8:45 pm
Tech should have gone to a 5-3 or 6-3, not a 3-5. The 5 lbs of a 3-5 cannot do too much traditionally at Tech, covering receivers poorly and tackling only, never for sacks, only for short gains. It’s the dls who sack, and the dbs who blitz causing incomplete passes. A 5-3 or 6-3 would have one or two of the 5 or 6 as dls for blitzing. That really does rattle qbs. Linebackers have always been the weakest point for Tech, and it looks like they will now be under scrutiny with 5 of them on defense. This does not look good for Tech’s defense.