Johnson says Tech is its own worst enemy at times
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said his team is its own worst enemy at times.
After reviewing film of the 27-13 loss at Clemson, he said “really unexplainable deals” are occurring too frequently.
He rattled off a list of errors made against the Tigers: blocking the wrong player, not blocking a player, roughing the kicker, not catching a punt at the 1, committing penalties on kickoff returns.
“Little things make big things happen,” Johnson said. “We’re not taking care of the little things very well.”
Johnson pointed out a few more areas that were Tech did well last season, but have led the Jackets to being 5-3 this season: blocking on the perimeter, third-down conversions, turnovers and penalties.
The Yellow Jackets led the nation in third-down conversions last season. This year they are sixth…in the ACC. Johnson said that there’s more affecting that stat than third-and-longs. On third-and-short plays Tech is sometimes losing yards, turning third-and-3 into third-and-4 because of missed blocks or incorrect reads. Doing so prevents the team from going for it on fourth-and-short.
The team has an even turnover margin after finishing plus-8 last season.
The team is also losing 10 yards a game in penalties, committing an average of 57 yards per game compared to 47.1 yards last season.
Lastly, there’s the blocking. Much has been made about not having the big-play threat of Demaryius Thomas at wide receiver. Johnson pointed out he was also a good blocker. Because Tech isn’t sealing the edge as well, the triple option hasn’t been as effective on the outside.
Tech can’t afford to lose any of its next three games if it hopes to make it back to the ACC championship. It must defeat Virginia Tech next Thursday inBlacksburg, and Miami and Duke at home if it is to have a chance to defend its conference title. Even if that occurs it will need the Hokies to lose again.
So, the Yellow Jackets can’t keep making little mistakes, especially the ones made by the special teams in Death Valley. The team had a chance to block a punt and instead ran into the kicker and drew a penalty. Another player had a punt go right through his arms at the 1-yard line, resulting in atouchback. There were other penalties committed, as well.
“That’s the whole thing in the kicking game, not making mistakes,”assistant coach Charles Kelly said.
Tech must get its special teams issues fixed soon. Virginia Tech features some of the best special teams unit in the conference. Kelly said theHokies seldom miss a chance to take advantage of special team’s errors like the ones the Jackets were making.
“They’ll make you pay for it,” Kelly said.
The Hokies are averaging 16.8 yards per punt return and 22.2 yards per kick return this season. They’ve returned a kick and a punt for touchdowns this season.
But Tech has a few days to get the issues worked out and try and avoid losing back-to-back games for the first time since Johnson took over, as well keep its title hopes alive.
“You get frustrated,” Johnson said. “I’m competitive. I hate to lose. It’s been my experience if you hate to lose bad enough you don’t lose a lot. When I lose I’m miserable.”
The solution?
“Guys just got to make plays,” Johnson said.
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89 comments Add your comment
ManUp...
October 26th, 2010
8:57 pm
Additionally, in that time our Nesbitt-successor QB would potentially be in his second year starting. Look at the history of CPJ QB’s in their second starting year. Decent jump in production from their first. If we can roll a big WR into that mix the offense will get to a point of simply reloading and getting the job done.
bugs
October 26th, 2010
9:16 pm
RamblinRecluseRd
You just posted the dumbest comments in history.Congratulations.
Pat Dye
October 26th, 2010
9:20 pm
Kind of the same principle as “in the third year”. Is that what you’re saying?
Pat Dye
October 26th, 2010
9:21 pm
Wasn’t the third year when GT was going to explode all over the college football world? Or was that implode?
Pat Dye
October 26th, 2010
9:25 pm
And then they’ll be too big to run that dumb offense. You guys are screwed either way.
Pat Dye
October 26th, 2010
9:29 pm
I admire your optimism though ManUp.
Pat Dye
October 26th, 2010
9:31 pm
But wouldn’t it be more logical to put your QB in a shotgun formation and teach your linemen to pass block just a little bit? Why is that such an alien concept to your hardheaded coach? His arrogance and buttheadedness is going to be GT’s downfall.
Pat Dye
October 26th, 2010
9:32 pm
Maybe get more than 3 routes in your passing game too.
RandyRhino
October 26th, 2010
9:35 pm
Hey, Tie Dye, go kiss your sister. You couldn’t hold CPJ’s jock. The man’s a proven winner. We lost some talent.but we’ve got a good bunch of young guys and red-shirts that will step up within the next couple years. We got 4 guys fighting for the QB spot (Washington,Sims,Days & Lee). we also got a new receiver to compliment Hill in recruit Jeff Green. I’ll love my yellow jackets if they go 0-12. Yeah we’re not a f’ball factory, but we’ve got tradition and integrity and 0 arrests this year. we’ll be back, so line up your bail bondsmen so you can come out and play with us!
Carl Davis
October 26th, 2010
9:37 pm
Reload ManUp? In Tech’s case it’s more like resupplying a bunch of warm bodies.
GT Woman
October 26th, 2010
9:39 pm
Pat Dye-go back to your hole. We don’t need your stupid comments on our blog. Are you an inbred dawg or an aubie turkey buzzard (or do you even know)?
Go Jackets!
Carl Davis
October 26th, 2010
9:40 pm
Yeah yeah yeah RandyRhino. We know. The guy made quite a rep for himself playing non opposition his entire career. And now he’s about to take you right to the bottom of the worst BCS conference in college football. After next year you’ll be firing his fat arrogant butt.
Pat Dye
October 26th, 2010
9:42 pm
Just watched the Clemson replay. Watching your offense is like watching a monkey trying trying to f&ck a football. I’ve never seen such an inept offense.
Pat Dye
October 26th, 2010
9:43 pm
Enjoy losing 4 of your last 5. Next year will be worse.
RandyRhino
October 26th, 2010
9:44 pm
Yeah, Chizik is the second coming of the Bear. wait till they bust Newton & you all will be back to your regular mediocrity. Heck, y’all lost to gailey & Reggie Ball TWICE. when’s the last time you beat Tech? When’s the last time you won a NC if ever. Funny how when some great SEC team wins a few games in a row, they seem entitled to come onto everyone else’s page and spout off.
RandyRhino
October 26th, 2010
9:53 pm
Who the heck is Carl Davis?
TomB
October 26th, 2010
10:41 pm
Why does VT consistently have great special teams year in and year out? That’s the question to ask. I say its coaching that makes the difference, and all I’ve seen in three years at Tech is poor special team play. Johnson changes defensive coordinators after two years. How long does he put up with sloppy special teams play? I’ve personally seen enough for a change.
HenryCountyGT
October 26th, 2010
10:44 pm
These blogs are the best entertainment in town.
GT Sambo
October 26th, 2010
10:47 pm
I would love for someone to give me an honest evaluation of CPJ’s recruiting, not just spout off crap about him not being able to recruit. First, how do you KNOW he can’t recruit, give me some data!!! Newsflash, more than half of the 85 scholarships that GT has, they are still Chan Gailey’s recruits!!!!
SavannahGTJacket
October 26th, 2010
10:50 pm
Doesn’t seem like the same offense as Navy. Their fullback runs for 200+ yards against ND and hardly anyone knows who our fullback is. Either the A back or the B back needs to learn how to catch a possession pass. There’s got to be more to the passing game than 40yd jump balls. On the defensive side of the ball we have to find more playmakers. Its not all about size and speed. Heart and attitude have a lot to do with defense.
GT Sambo
October 26th, 2010
10:57 pm
SavannahGTJacket,
Our “fullback” has run for nearly 400 yards and caught a TD pass in the last three games, so I’m not sure I agree with the way you present your argument. However, I did like that pass to Anthony Allen out of the backfield for the TD and hope we use it again. Julian Burnett is the primary example that heart and attitude is much more important than size.
NotTellin'
October 26th, 2010
10:58 pm
Is it me or is the offense right-handed? Seems that every play goes to the right, strong or weak side. Does this mean that Nesbitt can not pitch with his left hand or that the weakest offensive linemen are on that side of the ball?
HenryCountyGT
October 26th, 2010
11:05 pm
GT Sambo:
I have seen some of the linemen that Johnson is going after. They are every bit as big and fast as those at Bama, UGA, etc…
That being said, going after a guy and getting the guy are two different things.
HenryCountyGT
October 26th, 2010
11:06 pm
NotTellin’ :
Most offenses are right handed. Most people are right handed.
HenryCountyGT
October 26th, 2010
11:15 pm
Change “Most offenses are” to “All offenses are”
Think about it. How many left-handed QBs do you see? Very few.
And fewer than that are actually successful.
5150 P.O.A.D
October 26th, 2010
11:21 pm
HenryCo
The issue is Tech can’t run on the Left side very well this year.
Rodney Dangerfield
October 26th, 2010
11:24 pm
Either half of you watch only half the Tech football games or maybe just half of you are real dumb and cannot comprehend what is going on.
Yes the third year was supposed to be the year, but guess what, ole PJ pulled it off a year early and FOUR very talent juniors left. Maybe PJ should have sandbagged last year so most of the juniors that left would have stayed.
PJ has been here for two years:
Year one – Everyone thought Tech was going to suck big time, yet they finish tied for first in coastal and beat UGA.
Year two – The expectations were raised but no one knew that Tech was going to win the ACC and have such a great season.
Year three – Four most talented players on the team leave early for the NFL, two OL transfer, backup QB transfers, Tech replaces about 4 coaches. And you people thought Tech would be BETTER than year two? You people are as delusional as UGA fans.
Hey you Tech bandwagon fans, yeah you, go cheer for UGA so I don’t have to see your worthless baby crying on the Tech blog anymore.
Rodney Dangerfield
October 26th, 2010
11:30 pm
Just think, if our old coach was still with us in the last three seasons we could have enjoyed another trip to San Francisco and play in a bowl where both teams are on the same pathetic sideline or enjoyed the 10 degree Smurf Bowl and lose to Frenso freaking St! I was really getting used to those 7-5 seasons. I had no expectations of winning the big games so when we lost I didn’t get as mad as I do now. I remember going to the Clemson game at Bobby Dodd when we lost 33-3. Did I care? not really because I knew we sucked and there was not much hope to lose to begin with.
Rodney Dangerfield
October 26th, 2010
11:34 pm
You people seem to have forgotten what it was like. You and your revisionist history. You act like Chan Gailey was some kind of recruiting extraordinaire. He had ONE good class in 2007. Before he hired the recruiting coordinater from GA Southern he had some old geezer running the recruiting efforts. Those were glory days indeed. The best QBs we could get were Reggie Ball and recruited a QB out of St Louis only after watching a freaking tape and he turns out to be a starter.
Rodney Dangerfield
October 26th, 2010
11:36 pm
Anyone remember AJ Suggs? Oh my God I’m having nightmares. Our best RB was a converted DB in Tony Hollings and then our best RB is a walkon named PJ Daniels. I have to give props to Hollings and PJ because they did well, but see what I mean when I talk about Gailey’s recruiting.
Rodney Dangerfield
October 26th, 2010
11:37 pm
AJ Suggs was not a Gailey recruit, but he let him transfer here.
We Hit and Run This State
October 26th, 2010
11:54 pm
Many of the GT ball carriers/blockers (A and B backs and WRs) seem quite tenative and afraid to hit folks. In the Clemson game, many appeared to slow just before contact with defenders. WTH? Grow a pair boys.
Geeks are Losers
October 26th, 2010
11:57 pm
Tech sucks
We Hit and Run This State
October 27th, 2010
12:00 am
Four losses in seven games sucks…
GIVE ME A BREAK
October 27th, 2010
1:30 am
” NO URGENCY “
macrotech
October 27th, 2010
2:51 am
drooling idiot that bailed on his own team when they lost their third game last season with no grammer skills=superDawg
rob
October 27th, 2010
3:36 am
Why not try some shotgun formations after all Joshua Nesbit did use that in High School. Give Nesbit the option to run, pass or pitch from the shotgun. Does anybody else think that we will win the last 4 games. I say we go 2-2. Everybody on this team needs to step up including the coaches.
GOJACKETS
October 27th, 2010
10:29 am
I had UGA fan friends and family of mine immediately say they are waiting for the UGA/Tech game. So, they jumped ship after the USC loss. As for me…well I have been a Tech fan through thick and thin every since I can remember. Yes, even during the Gailey/Ball nightmare years. I won’t give up on them. Let’s be honest here where is it easier to recruit at UGA or GT? Of coarse it’s UGA especially when Richt doesn’t care about character when recruiting. I think we will go 3-1 in our last 4. I think the VT game on the road is gonna be tough but not impossible. The rest, Miami at home shouldn’t be too hard to win, Duke no problem there and then UGA whom gave up 33 pts to a terrible Kentucky Offense..I think we will have 400-500yds of total offense in that game this year. So, rest easy Tech nation will finish 8-4 and headed to the Champs Sports Bowl. At least it’s better than UGA on the couch at home watching games on TV. GO JACKETS!
AMG
October 27th, 2010
11:44 am
Tech is having a ruff year in a rebuilding year and there is still a chance at an ACC championship. Not bad, not bad at all. CPJ is a great coach and the team is shaping up to be unstoppable year after year. look out for the jackets next year and think National Championship in two or three years.
GO JACKETS!